202 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY chap, xiv 



The odd part of the business is, that I should not have been 

 present except for Robert Chambers. I had heard of the Bish- 

 op's intention to utilise the occasion. I knew he had the 

 reputation of being a first-class controversialist, and I was quite 

 aware that if he played his cards properly, we should have little 

 chance, with such an audience, of making an efficient defence. 

 Moreover, I was very tired, and wanted to join my wife at her 

 brother-in-law's country house near Reading, on the Saturday. 

 On the Friday I met Chambers in the street, and in reply to 

 some remark of his, about his going to the meeting, I said that 

 I did not mean to attend it — did not see the good of giving up 

 peace and quietness to be episcopally pounded. Chambers broke 

 out into vehement remonstrances, and talked about my deserting 

 them. So I said, " Oh ! if you are going to take it that way, 

 I'll come and have my share of what is going on." 



So I came, and chanced to sit near old Sir Benjamin Brodie. 

 The Bishop began his speech, and to my astonishment very 

 soon showed that he was so ignorant that he did not know how 

 to manage his own case. My spirits rose proportionately, and 

 when he turned to me with his insolent question, I said to Sir 

 Benjamin, in an undertone, " The Lord hath delivered him into 

 mine hands." 



That sagacious old gentleman stared at me as if I had lost 

 my senses. But, in fact, the Bishop had justified the severest 

 retort I could devise, and I made up my mind to let him have 

 it. I was careful, however, not to rise to reply, until the meet- 

 ing called for me — then I let myself go. 



In justice to the Bishop, I am bound to say he bore no 

 malice, but was always courtesy itself when we occasionally met 

 in after years. Hooker and I walked away from the meeting 

 together, and I remember saying to him that this experience 

 had changed my opinion as to the practical value of the art of 

 public speaking, and that from that time forth I should carefully 

 cultivate it, and try to leave off hating it. I did the former, 

 but never quite succeeded in the latter effort. . 



I did not mean to trouble you with such a long scrawl when 

 I began about this piece of ancient history. — Ever yours very 

 faithfully, T. H. Huxley. 



In the evening there was a crowded conversazione in 

 Dr. Daubeny's rooms, and here, continues the writer in 

 Macmillan's, " everyone was eager to congratulate the hero 

 of the day. I remember that some naive person wished ' it 



