228 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY CHAP. XII 



which cost him a mint of money. Considered a rising 

 man and not a bad fellow by his friends per contra 

 greatly over-estimated and a bitter savage critic by his 

 enemies. Perhaps they are both right. I have a high 

 standard of excellence and am no respecter of persons, 

 and I am afraid I show the latter peculiarity rather 

 too much. An internecine feud rages between Owen 

 and myself (more's the pity) partly on this account, 

 partly from other causes. 



This is the account any third person would give you 

 of what I am and of what I am doing. He would 

 probably add that I was very ambitious and desirous 

 of occupying a high place in the world's estimation. 

 Therein, however, he would be mistaken. An income 

 sufficient to place me above care and anxiety, and free 

 scope to work, are the only things I have ever wished 

 for or striven for. But one is obliged to toil long and 

 hard for these, and it is only now that they are coming 

 within my grasp. I gave up the idea of going to 

 Edinburgh because I doubted whether leaving London 

 was wise. Recently I have been tempted to put up 

 for a good physiological chair which is to be established 

 at Oxford ; but the Government propose to improve my 

 position at the School of Mines, and there is every 

 probability that I shall now permanently remain in 

 London. Indeed, it is high time that I should settle 

 down to one line of work. Hitherto, as you see by the 

 somewhat varied list of my duties, etc., above, I have 

 been ranging over different parts of a very wide field. 

 But this apparent desultoriness has been necessary, for I 

 knew not for what branch of science I should eventually 

 have to declare myself. There are very few appointments 

 open to men of science in this country, and one must 

 take what one can get and be thankful. 



My health was very bad some years ago, and I had 

 great fear of becoming a confirmed dyspeptic, but thanks 

 to the pedestrian tours in the Alps I have taken for the 



