314 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY chap, xxi 



Everything seems to have gone well at the meeting, the edu- 

 cational business carried [i.e. a recommendation that natural 

 science be made a part of the curriculum in the public schools], 

 and the anthropologers making fools of themselves in a most 

 effectual way. So that I do not feel I have anything to reproach 

 myself with for being absent. 



I am very pleased to hear of the reconciliation with Thom- 

 son and Tait. The mode of it speaks well for them, and the fact 

 will remove a certain source of friction from amongst the cogs 

 of your mental machinery. 



The following gives the reason for his resigning the 

 Fullerian lectureship :— 



Athen/Eum Club, May, 1867. 



My dear Tyndall — A conversation I had with Bence Jones 

 yesterday reminded me that I ought to have communicated with 

 you. But we do not meet so often as we used to do, being, I sup- 

 pose, both very busy, and I forget to write. 



You recollect that the last time we talked together, you 

 mentioned a notion of Bence Jones's to make the Fulle- 

 rian Professorship of Physiology a practically permanent ap- 

 pointment, and that I was quite inclined to stick by that (if 

 such arrangement could be carried out), and give up other 

 things. 



But since I have been engaged in the present course of 

 lectures I have found reason to change my views. It is very 

 hard work, and takes up every atom of my time to make the 

 lectures what they should be ; and I find that at this time of year, 

 being more or less used up, I suppose, with the winter work, I 

 stand the worry and excitement of the actual lectures very 

 badly. Add to this that it is six weeks clean gone out of the 

 only time I have disposable for real scientific progress, and you 

 will understand how it is that I have made up my mind to 

 resign. 



I put all this clearly before Bence Jones yesterday, with the 

 proviso that I could and would do nothing that should embarrass 

 the Institution or himself. 



If there is the least difficulty in supplying my place, or if the 

 managers think I shall deal shadily with them by resigning 

 before the expiration of my term, of course I go on. And I 

 hope you all understand that I would do anything rather than 

 put even the appearance of a slight upon those who were kind 

 enough to elect me. — Ever yours, T. H. Huxley. 



