backed by the great influence of Macleay; and in his eyes a naturalist could not desire a finer field for his labours than the waters of Port Jackson.  But this was not to be, and the first chair he tried for was the newly-instituted chair of Zoology at the University of Toronto.  The vacancy was advertised in the summer of 1851; the pay of full 300 pounds sterling a year was enough to marry on; his friends reassured him as to his capacity to fill the post, which, moreover, did not debar him from the hope of returning some day to fill a similar post in England.]

1 Edward Street, St. John’s Wood Terrace,

July 29 [1851].

My dear Henfrey,

I have been detained in town, or I hope we should long since have had our projected excursion.

What do you think of my looking out for a Professorship of Natural History at Toronto?  Pay 350 pounds sterling, with chances of extra fees.  I think that out there one might live comfortably upon that sum—­possibly even do the domestic and cultivate the Loves and Graces as well as the Muses.

Seriously, however, I should like to know what you think of it.  The choice of getting anything over here without devoting one’s self wholly to Mammon, seems to me very small.  At least it involves years of waiting.

Toronto is not very much out of the way, and the pay is decent and would enable me to devote myself wholly to my favourite pursuits.  Were it in England, I could wish nothing better; and, as it is, I think it would answer my purpose very well for some years at any rate.

If they go fairly to work I think I shall have a very good chance of being elected; but I am told that these matters are often determined by petty intrigues.

Francis and I looked for you everywhere at the Botanic Gardens, and finding you were too wise to come, came here, grieving your absence, and had an aesthetic “Bier.” [(Dr. William Francis, one of the editors of the “Philosophical Magazine,” and a member of the publishing firm of Taylor and Francis.)

He obtained a remarkably strong set of testimonials from all the leading anatomists and physiologists in the kingdom, as well as one from Milne-Edwards in Paris.

I have put together [he writes] twelve or fourteen testimonials from the first men.  I will have no other.

[His newly-obtained F.R.S. was a recommendation in itself.  So that he writes:—­]

There are, I learn, several other candidates, but no one I fear at all, if they only have fair play.  There is no one of the others who can command anything like the scientific influence which is being exercised for me, whatever private influence they may have.

What makes all the big-wigs so marvellously zealous on my behalf I know not.  I have sought none of them and flattered none of them, that I can say with a good conscience, and I think you know me well enough to believe it.  I feel very grateful to them; and if it ever happens that I am able to help a young man on (when I am a big-wig myself!) I shall remember it.