VISIT TO SWITZERLAND 181 



the differentia between a lecture and a sermon is, that the former, 

 so far as it deals with matters of fact, may be taken seriously, as 

 meaning exactly what it says, while a sermon may not. 1 have 

 quite enough on my hands without taking up the cudgels for the 

 clergy, who will probably find Mr. Gladstone's definition un- 

 flattering." 



The controversy above alluded to excited a very 

 widespread interest, as sufficiently attested by a great 

 variety of letters that made their appearance in the Times. 

 The clerical party, many years previously, had done 

 their best to discredit the theory of evolution, and now 

 having plenty of time for the congenial task, Huxley 

 vigorously assaulted the enemy's camp. 



1886. 



More than half this year was marred by constantly 

 recurring attacks of illness, but temporary rejuvenescence 

 was efFected by an August spent at Arolla (canton 

 Valais), 6000 feet above the sea, while both earlier and 

 later in the year Ilkley proved remarkably beneficial. 

 One result of the improvement efFected by the Swiss 

 mountain air was a return to scientific research, this time 

 of botanical nature, a careful study being made of the 

 gentians. 



Apart from this and the literary work to be presently 

 mentioned, retirement by no means meant rusting out : — 



" Examinations — for the last time, however — the meetings of 

 the Eton Governing body, the business of the Science Schools, 

 the Senate of the London University, the Marine Biological 

 Association, the Council of the Royal Society, and a round 

 dozen of subsidiary committees, all claimed his attention. Even 

 when driven out of town by his bad health he would come up 

 for a few days at a time to attend necessary meetings" (Life, ii, 

 p. 12.). 



