i865 LETTERS TO DARWIN 289 



Schleicher in some remarks I have had to make upon the sup- 

 posed value of philological evidence. 



May we hope to see you at the meeting of the British Asso- 

 ciation at Birmingham? It would give many, and especially 

 myself, much pleasure to become personally acquainted with 

 you. — Ever yours faithfully, T. H. Huxley. 



Jermyn Street, /line i, 1865. 



My dear Darwin — Your MS.* reached me safely last 

 evening. 



I could not refrain from glancing over it on the spot, and I 

 perceive I shall have to put on my sharpest spectacles and best 

 considering cap. 



I shall not write till I have thought well on the whole sub- 

 ject. — Ever yours, T. H. Huxley. 



Jermyn Street, /u/y 16, 1865. 



My dear Darwin — I have just counted the pages of your 

 MS. to see that they are all right, and packed it up to send you 

 by post, registered, so I hope it will reach you safely. I should 

 have sent it yesterday, but people came in and bothered me 

 about post time. 



I did not at all mean by what I said to stop you from pub- 

 lishing your views, and I really should not like to take that re- 

 sponsibility. Somebody rummaging among your papers half a 

 century hence will find Pangenesis and say, " See this wonderful 

 anticipation of our modern theories, and that stupid ass Huxley 

 preventing his publishing them." And then the Carlyleans of 

 that day will make me a text for holding forth upon the differ- 

 ence between mere vulpine sharpness and genius. 



I am not going to be made a horrid example of in that way. 

 But all I say is, publish your views, not so much in the shape of 

 formed conclusions, as of hypothetical developments of the only 

 clue at present accessible, and don't give the Philistines more 

 chances of blaspheming than you can help. 



I am very grieved to hear that you have been so ill again. — 

 Ever yours faithfully, T. H. Huxley. 



26 Abbey Place, Oc/. 2, 1865. 

 My dear Darwin — " This comes hoping you are well," and 

 for no other purpose than to say as much. I am just back from 

 seven weeks' idleness at Littlehampton with my wife and chil- 



* Of Pangenesis. 



