1858 LETTER TO HIS SISTER i6q 



understand — no one should be better able to comprehend — how 

 the same causes may operate on you, but do not be silent so 

 long again; it is bad for both of us. I have loved but few people 

 in my life, and am not likely to care for any more unless it be 

 my children. I desire therefore rather to knit more firmly than 

 to loosen the old ties, and of these which is older or stronger 

 than ours? Don't let us drift asunder again. 



Your letter came just after the birth of my second child, a 

 little girl. I registered her to-day in the style and title of Jessie 

 Oriana Huxley. The second name is a family name of my 

 wife's and not, as you might suppose, taken from Tennyson. 

 You will know why my wife and I chose the first. We could 

 not make you a godmother, as my wife's mother is one, and a 

 friend of ours had long since applied for the other vacancy, but 

 perhaps this is a better tie than that meaningless formality. My 

 little son is fifteen months old; a fair-haired, blue-eyed, stout 

 little Trojan, very like his mother. He looks out on the world 

 with bold confident eyes and open brow, as if he were its master. 

 We shall try to make him a better man than his father. As for 

 the little one, I am told she is pretty, and slavishly admit the fact 

 in the presence of mother and nurse, but between ourselves I 

 don't see it. To my carnal eyes her nose is the image of mine, 

 and you know what that means. For though wandering up 

 and down the world and work have begun to sow a little silver 

 in my hair, they have by no means softened the outlines of that 

 remarkable feature. 



You want to know what I am and where I am — well, here's 

 a list of titles. T. H. H., Professor of Natural History, Govern- 

 ment School of Mines, Jermyn Street; Naturalist to the Geo- 

 logical Survey; Curator of the Paleontological collections (non- 

 ofRcial maid-of-all-work in Natural Science to the Govern- 

 ment) ; Examiner in Physiology and Comparative Anatomy to 

 the University of London ; Fullerian Professor of Physiology to 

 the Royal Institution (but that's just over) ; F.R.S., F.G.S., etc. 

 Member of a lot of Societies and Clubs, all of which cost him a 

 mint of money. Considered a rising man and not a bad fellow 

 by his friends — per contra greatly over-estimated and a bitter 

 savage critic by his enemies. Perhaps they are both right. I 

 have a high standard of excellence and am no respecter of per- 

 sons, and I am afraid I show the latter peculiarity rather too 

 much. An internecine feud rages between Owen and myself 

 (more's the pity) partly on this account, partly from other 

 causes. 



