If you desire it, I can also send you some of the Oran earth, and as much as you like of the Atlantic deep-sea soundings, which are almost entirely made up of Globigerina and Polycistina.

I am, Sir, yours very faithfully,

Thomas H. Huxley.

[The next letter refers to the scientific examinations at the University of London.]

December 4, 1862.

My dear Hooker,

I look upon you as art and part of the “Natural History Review,” though not ostensibly one of the gang, so I bid you to a feast, partly of reason and partly of mutton, at my house on December 11 (being this day week) at half-past six.  Do come if you can, for we have not seen your ugly old phiz for ages, and should be comforted by an inspection thereof, however brief.

I did my best yesterday to get separate exhibitions for Chemistry, Botany, and Zoological Biology, at the committee yesterday [At the London University.], and I suspect from your letter that if you had been there you would have backed me.  However, it is clear that they only mean to give separate exhibits for Chemistry and Biology as a whole.

Because Botany and Zoology are, philosophically speaking, cognate subjects, people are under the delusion that it is easier to work both up at the same time, than it would be to work up, say, Chemistry and Botany.  Just fancy asking a young man who has heaps of other things to work up for the B.Sc., to qualify himself for honours both in botany, histological, systematic, and physiological.  That is to say, to get a practical knowledge of both these groups of subjects.

I really think the botanical and zoological examiners ought to memorialise the senate jointly on the subject.  The present system leads to mere sham and cram.

Ever yours,

T.H.  Huxley.

[The year 1863, notable for the publication of Huxley’s first book, found him plunged deep in an immense quantity of work of all sorts.  He was still examiner in Physiology and Comparative Anatomy at the London University, a post he held from 1855 to 1863, and again from 1865 to 1870, “making,” as Sir Michael Foster says, “even an examination feel the influence of the new spirit in biology; and among his examinees at that time there was one at least who, knowing Huxley by his writings, but by his writings only, looked forward to the viva voce test, not as a trial, but as an occasion of delight.”

In addition to the work mentioned in the following letters, I note three lectures at Hull on April 6, 8, and 10; a paper on “Craniology” (January 17), and his “Letter on the Human Remains in the Shell Mounds,” in the “Ethnological Society’s Transactions,” while the Fishery Commission claimed much of his time, either at the Board of Trade, or travelling over the north, east, and south coasts from the end of July to the beginning of October, and again in November and December.]

Jermyn Street, April 30, 1863.