1890 GIFT TO THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF SCIENCE 295 



IV.), asked for benefit of clergy. I expect they gave it him, not 

 in the way he wanted, but in the way they would like to " bene- 

 fit " a later member of the family. 



[Rough sketch of one priest hauling the rope taut over the 

 gallows, while another holds a crucifix before the suspended 

 criminal.] 



Between this gentleman and my grandfather there is un- 

 fortunately a complete blank, but I have none the less faith in 

 him as my ancestor. 



My wife, I am sorry to say, is in town — superintending pack- 

 ing up — no stopping her. I have been very uneasy about her 

 at times, and shall be glad when we are quietly settled down. 

 With kindest regards to Mrs. Foster — Ever yours, 



T. H. Huxley. 



His own principal task was in getting his library ready 

 for the move. 



Most of my time (he writes on November 16) for the last 

 fortnight has been spent in arranging books and tearing up 

 papers till my back aches and my fingers are sore. 



However, he did not take all his books with him. There 

 was a quantity of biological works of all sorts which had 

 accumulated in his library and which he was not likely to 

 use again ; these he offered as a parting gift to the Royal 

 College of Science. On December 8, the Registrar conveys 

 to him the thanks of the Council for " the valuable library 

 of biological works," and further informs him that it was 

 resolved — 



That the library shall be kept in the room formerly occupied 

 by the Dean, which shall be called " The Huxley Laboratory for 

 Biological Research," and be devoted to the prosecution of 

 original researches in Biological Science, with which the name 

 of Professor Huxley is inseparably associated. 



Huxley replied as follows : — 



Dear Registrar — I beg you convey my hearty thanks to the 

 Council for the great kindness of the minute and resolution 

 which you have sent me. My mind has never been greatly set 

 on posthumous fame; but there is no way of keeping memory 

 green which I should like so well as that which they have 

 adopted towards me. 



