The more I see of the place the more glad I am that I elected to stay in London.  I see much to admire and like; but I am more and more convinced that it would not suit me as a residence.

[Two more important points remain to be mentioned among the occupations of the year.  In January Huxley was elected Secretary of the Geological Society, and with this office began a form of administrative work in the scientific world which ceased only with his resignation of the Presidency of the Royal Society in 1885.

Part of the summer Huxley spent in the North.  On August 3 he went to Lamlash Bay in Arran.  Here Dr. Carpenter had, in 1855, discovered a convenient cottage on Holy Island—­the only one, indeed, on the island—­well suited for naturalists; the bay was calm and suitable both for the dredge and for keeping up a vivarium.  He proposed that either the Survey should rent the whole island at a cost of some 50 pounds sterling, or, failing this, that he would take the cottage himself, if Huxley would join him for two or three seasons and share the expense.  Huxley laid the plan before Sir R. Murchison, the head of the Survey, who consented to try the plan for a course of years, during three months in each year.  “But,” [he added,] “keep it experimental; for there are no useful fisheries such as delight Lord Stanley.” [Here, then, with an ascent of Goatfell for variety on the 21st, a month was passed in trawling, and experiments on the spawning of the herring appear to have been continued for him during the winter in Bute.

On the 29th Huxley left Lamlash for a trip through central and southern Scotland, continuing his geological work for the Survey; and wound up by attending the meeting of the British Association at Aberdeen, leaving his wife and the three children at Aberdour, on the Fifeshire coast.

From Aberdeen, where Prince Albert was President of the Association, Huxley writes on September 15:—­]

Owen’s brief address on giving up the presidential chair was exceedingly good...I shall be worked like a horse here.  There are all sorts of new materials from Elgin, besides other things, and I daresay I shall have to speak frequently.  In point of attendance and money this is the best meeting the Association ever had.  In point of science, we shall see...Tyndall has accepted the Physical chair with us, at which I am greatly delighted.

[In this connection the following letter to Tyndall is interesting:—­]

Aberdour, Fife, N. B., September 5, 1859.

My dear Tyndall,

I met Faraday on Loch Lomond yesterday, and learned from him that you had returned, whereby you are a great sinner for not having written to me.  Faraday told me you were all sound, wind and limb, and had carried out your object, which was good to hear.

Have you had any letter from Sir Roderick?  If not, pray call in Jermyn Street and see Reeks as soon as possible. [Mr. Trenham Reeks, who died in 1879, was Registrar of the School of Mines, and Curator and Librarian of the Museum of Practical Geology.]