1864 THE X CLUB 373 



Foreign Secretary, a Treasurer, and three successive 

 Presidents. 



I think, originally (writes Huxley, I.e.) there was some 

 vague notion of associating representatives of each branch 

 of science ; at any rate, the nine who eventually came 

 together could have managed, among us, to contribute 

 most of the articles to a scientific Encyclopaedia. 



They included leading representatives of half a 

 dozen branches of science : mathematics, physics, 

 philosophy, chemistry, botany, and biology; and all 

 were animated by similar ideas of the high function 

 of science, and of the great Society which should be 

 the chief representative of science in this country. 

 However unnecessary, it was perhaps not unnatural 

 that a certain jealousy of the club and its possible 

 influence grew up in some quarters. But whatever 

 influence fell to it as it were incidentally and earnest 

 men with such opportunities of mutual understanding 

 and such ideals of action could not fail to have some 

 influence on the progress of scientific organisation 

 it was assuredly not sectarian nor exerted for party 

 purposes during the twenty-eight years of the club's 

 existence. 



I believe that the x (continues Huxley) had the credit 

 of being a sort of scientific caucus, or ring, with some 

 people. In fact, two distinguished scientific colleagues of 

 mine once carried on a conversation (which I gravely 

 ignored) across me, in the smoking-room of the Athenaeum, 

 to this effect, " I say, A., do yon know anything about the 

 * Club 1 " " Oh yes, B., I have heard of it. What do 



