160 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY CHAP. VIII 



A letter of this year deserves quoting as illustrat- 

 ing the directness of Huxley's dealings with his 

 friends, and his hatred of doing anything unknown 

 to them which might be inisreported to them or 

 misconstrued without explanation. As a member of 

 the Royal Society Council, it was his duty to vote 

 upon the persons to whom the yearly medals of the 

 Society should be awarded. For the Royal Medal 

 first Hooker was named, and received his hearty 

 support; then Forbes, in opposition to Hooker, in 

 his eyes equally deserving of recognition, and almost 

 more closely bound to him by ties of friendship, so 

 that whatever action he took, might be ascribed to 

 motives which should have no part in such a selection. 

 The course actually taken by him he explained at 

 length in letters to both Forbes and Hooker. 



Nov. 6, 1854. 



MY DEAR HOOKER I have been so busy with lecturing 

 here and there that I have not had time to write and 

 congratulate you on the award of the medal. The queer 

 position in which I was placed prevents me from being 

 able to congratulate myself on having any finger in the 

 pie, but I am quite sure there was no member of the 

 Council who felt more strongly than myself that what 

 honour the bauble could confer was most fully won, and 

 no more than your just deserts ; or who rejoiced more 

 when the thing was settled in your favour. 



However, I do trust that I shall never be placed in 

 such an. awkward position again. I would have given a 

 great deal to be able to back Forbes tooth and nail not 

 only on account of my personal friendship and affection for 

 him, but because I think he well deserves such recognition. 



