256 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY chap, xvii 



The next letter refers to the scientific examinations at 

 the University of London. 



Dec. 4, 1862. 



My dear Hooker — I look upon you as art and part of the 

 Natural History Review, though not ostensibly one of the gang, 

 so I bid you to a feast, partly of reason and partly of mutton, at 

 my house on December 11 (being this day week) at half-past 

 six. Do come if you can, for we have not seen your ugly old 

 phiz for ages, and should be comforted by an inspection thereof, 

 however brief. 



I did my best yesterday to get separate exhibitions for Chem- 

 istry, Botany, and Zoological Biology, at the committee yester- 

 day,* and I suspect from your letter that if you had been there 

 you would have backed me. However, it is clear they only 

 mean to give separate exhibits for Chemistry and Biology as a 

 whole. 



Because Botany and Zoology are, philosophically speaking, 

 cognate subjects, people are under the delusion that it is easier 

 to work both up at the same time, than it would be to work up, 

 say, Chemistry and Botany. Just fancy asking a young man 

 who has heaps of other things to work up for the B.Sc, to 

 qualify himself for honours both in botany, histological, sys- 

 tematic, and physiological. That is to say, to get a practical 

 knowledge of both these groups of subjects. 



I really think the botanical and zoological examiners ought 

 to memorialise the senate jointly on the subject. The present 

 system leads to mere sham and cram. — Ever yours, 



T. H. Huxley. 



The year 1863, notable for the publication of Huxley's 

 first book, found him plunged deep in an immense quantity 

 of work of all sorts. He was still examiner in Physiology 

 and Comparative Anatomy at the London University, a 

 post he held from 1855 to 1863, and again from 1865 to 

 1870, " making," as Sir Michael Foster says, " even an 

 examination feel the influence of the new spirit in biology; 

 and among his examinees at that time there was one at 

 least who, knowing Huxley by his writings, but by his 

 writings only, looked forward to the viva voce test, not as 

 a trial, but as an occasion of delight." 



* At the London University. 



