'THE ABSOLUTE IN PRACTICAL LIFE' 



-'59 



on the general subject of which his Times letters dealt with 

 a part. 



Huxley's choice was for the latter. Writing on Novem- 

 ber 21, he says : — 



Now as to the article. I have only hesitated because I want 

 to get out a new volume of essays, and I am writing an introduc- 

 tion which gives me an immensity of trouble. I had made up my 

 mind to get it done by Christmas, and if I write for you it won't 

 be. However, if you don't mind leaving it open till the end of 

 this month, I will see what can be done in the way of a screed 

 about, say, " The Absolute in Practical Life." The Bishop 

 would come in excellently; he deserves all praises, and my only 

 hesitation about singing them is that the conjunction between 

 the " Infidel " and the Churchman is just what the blatant plat- 

 form Dissenters who had been at him would like. I don't want 

 to serve the Bishop, for whom I have a great liking and respect, 

 as the bear served his sleeping master, when he smashed his 

 nose in driving an unfortunate fly away ! 



By the way, has the Bishop published his speech or sermon? 

 I have only seen a newspaper report. 



Soon after this, he proposed to come to town and talk 

 over the article with Mr. Knowles. The latter sent him 

 a telegram — reply paid — asking him to fix a day. The 

 answer named a day of the week and a day of the month 

 which did not agree ; whereupon Mr. Knowles wrote by 

 the safer medium of the post for an explanation, thinking 

 that the post-office clerks must have bungled the message, 

 and received the following reply : — 



3 Jevington Gardens, Eastbourne, 

 Nov. 26, 1889. 



My dear Knowles — May jackasses sit upon the graves of 

 all telegraph clerks ! But the boys are worse, and I shall have to 

 write to the P.-M. -General about the littls wretch who brought 

 your telegram the other day, when my mind was deeply absorbed 

 in the concoction of an article for the Review of our age. 



The creature read my answer, for he made me pay three 

 half-pence extra (I believe he spent it on toffy), and yet was 

 so stupid as not to see that meaning to fix next Monday or Tues- 

 day, I opened my diary to give the dates in order that there 

 should be no mistake, and found Monday 28 and Tuesday 29. 



