CHAPTER XXI 

 1893 



The year 1893 was, save for the death of three old 

 friends, Andrew Clark, Jowett, and Tyndall, one of the most 

 tranquil and peaceful in Huxley's whole life. He entered 

 upon no direct controversy ; he published no magazine 

 articles ; to the general misapprehension of the drift of his 

 Romanes Lecture he only replied in the comprehensive 

 form of Prolegomena to a reprint of the lecture. He began 

 to publish his scattered essays in a uniform series, writing 

 an introduction to each volume. While collecting his 

 " Darwiniana " for the second volume, he wrote to Mr. 

 Clodd :— 



Hodeslea, Eastbourne, Nov. 18, 1892. 



I was looking through Man's Place in Nature the other day. 

 I do not think there is a word I need delete, nor anything I need 

 add except in confirmation and extension of the doctrine there 

 laid down. That is great good fortune for a book thirty years 

 old, and one that a very shrewd friend of mine implored me not 

 to publish, as it would certainly ruin all my prospects. I said, 

 like the French fox-hunter in Punch, " I shall try." 



The shrewd friend in question was none other than Sir 

 William Lawrence, whose own experiences after publishing 

 his book On Man, " which now might be read in a Sunday 

 school without surprising anybody," are alluded to in Vol. 

 I. p. 191. 



He had the satisfaction of passing on his unfinished 

 work upon Spirilla to efficient hands for completion ; and 

 in the way of new occupation, was thinking of some day 

 " taking up the threads of late evolutionary speculation " in 



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