134 EAELY DAYS OF DAEWINISM 



Things, however, are looking somewhat brighter. Except 

 Humphry, the Professor (elect) of Anatomy, I have all the 

 medicos in the place actively against me. They consider 

 that it is profanity for a layman to be a dealer in bones. 

 We look forward to seeing Clayton's white teeth grinning 

 hideously to-morrow, and it is too probable that he will 

 bring up a curate of his who has a vote. . . . I have been 

 interrupted in this by a committee meeting, and my head 

 is full of nothing but pairs, shufflers, and the like. The 

 results we have come to are these — 



D., 86 good +8 probable = 94 



A. N., 101 good+16 possible (shufflers) =117 

 Absent or not voting . . . . . . 52 



Remains of doubtful 16 



Total Constituency 279 



I would wilUngh) exchange my 16 possibles for D.'s 

 8 probables. 



By this time to-morrow I shall be a man or a mouse. 



Yours ever, 



Alfred Newton. 



Maioh 1, 1866 



Close of Poll :— 



A. N. 110— D. 82. 

 Laus Deo ! 



On the same day Charles Kingsley, whose voting on 

 this occasion had been directed by his heart rather than 

 by his head, wrote — 



March 1, 1866. 



My dear Newton, 



Now that all is over, I must sincerely con- 

 gratulate you, though I would not have you (you will 

 understand why) tell my poor dear old friend Drosier 

 that I have done so. 



You have fairly deserved this post, in the only true 

 sense of desert, earning, and thereby meriting, and I 

 know you well enough to be as sure as those who sup- 

 ported you, that it wiU be the opening of a career 



