i8g3 LETTERS 387 



Rev. Richard Owen has written to me to ask me to write a 

 concluding chapter for the biography of his grandfather — con-, 

 taining a " critical " estimate of him and his work ! ! ! Says he 

 is moved thereto by my speech at the meeting for a memorial. 



There seemed nothing for me to do but to accept as far as 

 the scientific work goes. I declined any personal estimate on 

 the ground that we had met in private society half a dozen times. 



If you don't mind being bothered I should like to send you 

 what I write and have your opinion about it. 



You see Jowett is going or gone. I am very sorry we were 

 obliged to give up our annual visit to him this year. But I was 

 quite unable to stand the exertion, even if Hames had not 

 packed me off. How one's old friends are dropping ! 



Romanes gave me a pitiable account of himself in a letter 

 the other day. He has had an attack of hemiplegic paralysis, 

 and tells me he is a mere wreck. That means that the worst 

 anticipations of his case are being verified. It is lamentable. 



Take care of yourself, my dear old friend, and with our love 

 to you both, believe me, ever yours, T. H. Huxley. 



Not long after his return he received a letter from a 

 certain G S , who wrote from Southampton detail- 

 ing a number of observations he had made upon the organ- 

 isms to be seen with a magnifying glass in an infusion of 

 vegetable matter, and as "an ignoramus," apologised for 

 any appearance of conceit in so doing, while asking his 

 advice as to the best means of improving his scientific 

 knowledge. Huxley was much struck by the tone of the 

 letter and the description of the experiments, and he wrote 

 back : — 



HODESLEA, Nov. 9, 1893. 



Sir — We are all " ignoramuses " more or less — and cannot 

 reproach one another. If there were any sign of conceit in your 

 letter, you would not get this reply. 



On the contrary, it pleases me. Your observations are quite 

 accurate and clearly described — and to be accurate in observa- 

 tion and clear in description is the first step towards good sci- 

 entific work. 



You are seeing just what the first workers with the micro- 

 scope saw a couple of centuries ago. 



Get some such book as Carpenter's " On the Microscope " 

 and you will see what it all means. 



