8 AUTOBIOGRAPHY 



tion was that which I received from Mr., Wharton 

 Jones, who was the lecturer on physiology at the 

 Charing Cross School of Medicine. The extent and 

 precision of his knowledge impressed me greatly, and 

 the severe exactness of his method of lecturing was quite 

 to my taste. I do not know that I have ever felt so 

 much respect for anybody as a teacher before or since. 

 I worked hard to obtain his approbation, and he was 

 extremely kind and helpful to the youngster who, I 

 am afraid, took up more of his time than he had any 

 right to do. It was he who suggested the publication 

 of my first scientific paper a very little one in the 

 Medical Gazette of 18457 an d most kindly corrected 

 the literary faults which abounded in it, short as it was; 

 for at that time, and for many years afterwards, I de- 

 tested the trouble of writing, and would take no pains 

 over it. 



It was in the early spring of 1846, that, having fin- 

 ished my obligatory medical studies and passed the first 

 M.B. examination at the London University though 

 I was still too young to qualify at the College of Sur- 

 geons I was talking to a fellow-student (the present 

 eminent physician, Sir Joseph Fayrer), and wondering 

 what I should do to meet the imperative necessity for 

 earning my own bread, when my friend suggested that 

 I should write to Sir William Burnett, at that time 

 Director-General for the Medical Service of the Navy, 

 for an appointment. I thought this rather a strong 

 thing to do, as Sir William was personally unknown to 

 me, but my cheery friend would not listen to my 

 scruples, so I went to my lodgings and wrote the best 

 letter I could devise. A few days afterwards I received 

 the usual official circular acknowledgment, but at the 



7 The subject of Huxley's first paper was "On a Hitherto Un- 

 described Structure in the Human Hair Sheath." 



