544 THE JOUENEY TO PALESTINE 
The prevailing opinion was in favour of 'no restriction.' 
On another occasion, when matters of scientific organisation 
had filled up the evening to the exclusion of general subjects or 
the bearing of special work undertaken by individual members, 
Spencer, the guardian of strict justice, * protested against the 
transaction of so much business.' It was more satisfactory 
when debate turned ' on the merits of Bacon as the originator 
of the method of induction in science,' or on the opinions 
expressed at * the meeting of clergy at Sion College, where 
Huxley delivered a discourse,' ^ or on the occasion when 
* Professor Masson dined with us. Masson and Spencer 
fought the battle of the ladies.' 
Finally, after Hooker's retirement from Kew, * discussed 
Linnean presidency, which Hooker positively declined.' 
These quotations are typical, but typical only of part of the 
X Club meetings. As Professor Frankland writes (Z.c. p. 161) : 
* It must not be supposed that the talk at the meeting was 
by any means confined to such topics. There was always a 
judicious admixture of ordinary dinner-table talk, with a by 
no means sparse sprinkling of witticisms, good stories, and, 
perhaps occasionally, though very rarely, a little scandal.' 
Guests were not excluded from the club dimiers ; men 
of science or letters of various nationalities came by special 
invitation from time to time. Among the twenty-nine whose 
names are recorded in the archives are Darwin, Colenso, 
Eichard Strachey, Tollemache, Helps ; Professors W. K. 
Clifford, Bain, Masson, Eobertson Smith ; Bentham the 
botanist, John (Lord) Morley, Francis Galton, Jodrell, the 
founder of several scientific lectureships ; Dr. lOein ; the 
Americans Marsh, Oilman, A. Agassiz, and Youmans, who met 
here several of the contributors to the International Scientific 
Series organised by him, and Continental representatives such 
as Helmholtz, Laugel, and Cornu. 
^ This meeting took place on December 12, 1867, under the auspices of Dean 
Farrar and the Rev. W. Rogers of Bishopsgate, ' Hang Theology ' Rogers. The 
bearing of recent science upon orthodox dogma was discussed ; some denounced 
any concessions as impossible ; others declared that they had long ago accepted 
the teachings of geology, whereupon a candid friend inquired, ' Then why don't 
you say so from your pulpits ? ' 
