410 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY CHAP. XX 



of such knowledge, and met with a wonderful and 

 lasting success as a text-book. A graceful compli- 

 ment was passed upon it by Sir William Lawrence, 

 when, in thanking the author for the gift of the 

 book, he wrote (January 24, 1867), "in your modest 

 book ' indocti discant, ament meminisse periti ! ' " 



This was before the days of American copyright, 

 and English books were usually regarded as fair prey 

 by the mass of American publishers. Among the 

 exceptions to this practical rule were the firm of 

 Appletons, who made it a point of honour to treat 

 foreign authors as though they were legally entitled 

 to some equitable rights. On their behalf an 

 arrangement was made for an authorised American 

 edition of the Physiology by Dr. Youmans, whose ac- 

 quaintance thus made my father did not allow to drop. 



It is worth noting that by the year 1898 this little 

 book had passed through four editions, and been 

 reprinted thirty-one times. 



