272 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY CHAP. XIV 



Saturday. On the Friday I met Chambers in the street, 

 and in reply to some remark of his, about his going 

 to the meeting, I said that I did not mean to attend 

 it did not see the good of giving up peace and quietness 

 to be episcopally pounded. Chambers broke out into 

 vehement remonstrances, and talked about my deserting 

 them. So I said, " Oh ! if you are going to take it that 

 way, I'll come and have my share of what is going on." 



So I came, and chanced to sit near old Sir Benjamin 

 Brodie. The Bishop began his speech, and to my 

 astonishment very soon showed that he was so ignorant 

 that he did not know how to manage his own case. 

 My spirits rose proportionately, and when he turned to 

 me with his insolent question, I said to Sir Benjamin, in 

 an undertone, " The Lord hath delivered him into mine 

 hands." 



That sagacious old gentleman stared at me as if I had 

 lost my senses. But, in fact, the Bishop had justified the 

 severest retort I could devise, and I made up my mind to 

 let him have it. I was careful, however, not to rise to 

 reply until the meeting called for me then I let myself 



go- 

 In justice to the Bishop, I am bound to say he bore 

 no malice, but was always courtesy itself when we 

 occasionally met in after years. Hooker and I walked 

 away from the meeting together, and I remember saying 

 to him that this experience had changed my opinion as 

 to the practical value of the art of public speaking, and 

 that from that time forth I should carefully cultivate it, 

 and try to leave off hating it. I did the former, but 

 never quite succeeded in the latter effort. 



I did not mean to trouble you with such a long scrawl 

 when I began about this piece of ancient history. Ever 

 yours very faithfully, T. H. HUXLEY. 



In the evening there was a crowded conversazione 

 in Dr. Daubeny's rooms, and here, continues the writer 



