2o6 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY chap, xv 



at the Royal Institution (February 8) on " The Nature of 

 the Eariiest Stages of Development of Animals." 



Meanwhile the publication of these researches led to 

 another pitched battle, in which public interest was pro- 

 foundly engaged. The controversy which raged had some 

 resemblance to a duel over a point of honour and credit. 

 Scientific technicalities became the catchwords of society, 

 and the echoes of the great Hippocampus question linger in 

 the delightful pages of the Water-Babies. Of this fight 

 Huxley writes to Sir J. Hooker on April i8, 1861 : — 



A controversy between Owen and myself, which I can only 

 call absurd (as there is no doubt whatever about the facts), has 

 been going on in the AthencBum, and I wound it up in disgust 

 last week. 



And again on April 27 : — 



Owen occupied an entirely untenable position — but I am 

 nevertheless surprised he did not try " abusing plaintiff's at- 

 torney." The fact is he made a prodigious blunder in com- 

 mencing the attack, and now his only chance is to be silent and 

 let people forget the exposure. I do not believe that in the 

 whole history of- science there is a case of any man of reputa- 

 tion getting h^selT into such a contemptible position. He will 

 be the laughihg-stock of all the continental anatomists. 



Rolleston has a great deal of Oxford slough to shed, but on 

 that very ground his testimony has been of most especial service. 

 Fancy that man telling Maskelyne that Rolleston's observa- 

 tions were entirely confirmatory of Owen. 



About the same time he writes to his wife : — 



Aprili6. — People are talking a good deal about the "Manand 

 the Apes " question, and I hear that somebody, I suspect Monck- 

 ton Milnes, has set afloat a poetical squib on the subject.* . . . 



* The squib in question, dated "the Zoological Gardens," and 

 signed " Gorilla," appeared in Punch for May 15, 1861, under a picture 

 of that animal, bearing the sign, "Am la Man and a Brother?" 



The concluding verses run as follows : 



Next HUXLEY re^\K% 

 That OWEN\i<t\\^% 



And garbles his Latin quotation ; 

 That his facts are not new, 

 His mistakes not a few, 



Detrimental to his reputation. 



" To twice slay the slain " 



By dint of the Brain 

 (Thus HUXLEY cOTvA\ii&% his review), 



Is but labour in vain, 



Unproductive of gain. 

 And so I shall bid you " Adieu ! " 



