414 SCIENCE OEGANISATIOX : SOCIETIES, ETC. 
To T. H. Huxley 
January 4, 1861. 
My only fault with the ' Eeview ' is its brevity as I told 
CuiTie to-day — I am extremely pleased with it and shall 
have some mild review for next number I hope if you have 
space. I still think there T^ill occur a few cases where 
you must translate the German title — at least the German 
Botanists do often invent titles that are unintelligible except 
the book be read ! It is the most useful Eeview I ever saw. 
Your article is very exhausting of all you propose, clear as 
to argument and extremely well put ; the first three pages 
are also very happy, especially the prop, relative to man's 
duty. It will be a balsam to many short-witted and honest 
but timid enquirers. 
Another point in which the organising spirit made itself felt 
was that of charitable fmids for science. For such there was 
only the Civil List to fall back upon, and the demands made 
on it were ill regulated. The Treasury would be puzzled by 
receiving four appHcations at once for Natural History pensions 
— all the claimants being described as ' distinguished men.' 
Under such conditions it was useless to bring forward another 
who had not claims for Government aid. 
Now a very deserving case occurred in the end of 1858, 
of a microscopist who had done excellent work, but had not 
achieved public distinction. To Hooker this hardty seemed 
a case for a Government pension, if it had been possible to 
obtain one. It was, however, a case for personal help from 
scientific men. A strong appeal was made on general grounds 
for £500 to buy an annuity, with the result that the amount 
was more than subscribed twice over. Instead then of sinking 
the whole sum in an annuity much larger than was proposed, 
a wider scheme was put forward — ^namely, to invest the capital, 
pay the annuity originally proposed to the beneficiary during 
his Hfe, and in the end secure the capital as nucleus of a general 
scientific charitable fmid, to be increased by voluntary sub- 
scriptions. Subscribers were given an option as to the destina- 
tion of their ovm gift. With hardly an exception all agreed on 
the larger plan. 
