Wie das Gestirn,
  Ohne Hast,
  Ohne Rast:—­

something may be done, and some of Sister Lizzie’s fond imaginations turn out not altogether untrue.

I perceive that I have nearly finished a dreadfully egotistical letter, but I know you like to hear of my doings, so shall not apologise.  Kind regards to the Doctor and kisses to the babbies.  Write me a long letter all about yourselves.

Your affectionate brother,

T.H.  Huxley.

[One more description to complete the sketch of his quarters on board the “Rattlesnake.”  It is from a letter to his mother, written at Plymouth, where the “Rattlesnake” put in after leaving Portsmouth.  The comparison with the ordinary quarters of an assistant-surgeon, and the shifts to which a studious man might be put in his endeavour to find a quiet spot to work in, have a flavour of Mr. Midshipman Easy about them to relieve the deplorable reality of his situation:—­]

You will be very glad to know that I am exceedingly comfortable here.  My cabin has now got into tolerable order, and what with my books—­which are, I am happy to say, not a few—­my gay curtain and the spicy oilcloth which will be down on the floor, looks most respectable.  Furthermore, although it is an unquestionably dull day I have sufficient light to write here, without the least trouble, to read, or even if necessary, to use my microscope.  I went to see a friend of mine on board the “Recruit” the other day, and truly I hugged myself when I compared my position with his.  The berth where he and seven others eat their daily bread is hardly bigger than my cabin, except in height—­and, of course, he has to sleep in a hammock.  My friend is rather an eccentric character, and, being missed in the ship, was discovered the other day reading in the main-top—­the only place, as he said, sufficiently retired for study.  And this is really no exaggeration.  If I had no cabin I should take to drinking in a month.

[It was during this period of waiting that he attended his first meeting of the British Association, which was held in 1846 at Southampton.  Here he obtained from Professor Edward Forbes one of his living specimens of Amphioxus lanceolatus, and made an examination of its blood.  The result was a short paper read at the following meeting of the Association, which showed that in the composition of its blood this lowly vertebrate approached very near the invertebrates. ("Examination of the Corpuscles of the Blood of Amphioxus lanceolatus” “British Association Report” 1847 2 page 95 and “Scientific Memoirs” 1.)

CHAPTER 1.3.

1846-1849.