288 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY CHAP. XV 



ing me on all points. Each of his papers was an attack, 

 and he went so far as to offer stupid and unnecessary 

 opposition to proposals of mine in my own committee. 

 However, he got himself sold at all points. . . . The 

 Polypterus paper and the Aye- Aye paper fell flat. The 

 latter was meant to raise a discussion on your views, 

 but it was all a stale hash, and I only made some half 

 sarcastic remarks which stopped any further attempts at 

 discussion. . . . 



I took my book to Scotland but did nothing. I shall 

 ask leave to send you a bit or two as I get on. Ever 

 yours, T. H. HUXLEY. 



A "Society for the propagation of common honesty in 

 all parts of the world" was established at Cambridge. 

 I want you to belong to it, but I will say more about it 

 by and by. 



This admirable society, which was also to " search 

 for scientific truth, especially in biology," seems to 

 have been but short lived. At all events, I can find 

 only two references to subsequent meetings, on 

 October 7 and December 19 in this year. 



A few days later a final blow was struck in the 

 battle over the ape question. He writes on October 

 15 how he has written a letter to the Medical Times 

 his last word on the subject, summing up in most 

 emphatic terms : 



I have written the letter with the greatest care, and 

 there is nothing coarse or violent in it But it shall put 

 an end to all the humbug that has been going on. . . . 

 Rolleston will come out with his letter in the same 

 number, and the smash will be awful, but most thoroughly 

 merited. 



