[And again, September 23, 1851:—­]

When I have once sent away my testimonials and done all that is to be done, I shall banish the subject from my mind and make myself quite easy as to results.  For the present I confess to being somewhat anxious.

[Nevertheless, after many postponements, a near relative of an influential Canadian politician was at length appointed late in 1853.  By an amusing coincidence, Huxley’s newly-made friend, Tyndall, was likewise a candidate for a chair at Toronto, and likewise rejected.  Two letters, concerning Tyndall’s election to the Royal Society, contain references both to Toronto and to Sydney.]

4 Upper York Place, St. John’s Wood

December 4 [1851].

My dear Sir,

I was greatly rejoiced to find I could be of service to you in any way, and I only regret, for your sake, that my name is not a more weighty one.  Your election, I should think, can be a matter of no doubt.

As to Toronto, I confess I am not very anxious about it.  Sydney would have been far more to my taste, and I confess I envy you what, as I hear, is the very good chance you have of going there.

It used to be our headquarters in the “Rattlesnake” and my home for three months in the year.  Should you go, I should be very happy, if you like, to give you letters to some of my friends.

Greatly as I wish we had been destined to do our work together, I cannot but offer you the most hearty wishes for your success in Sydney.

Ever yours very faithfully,

Thomas H. Huxley.

John Tyndall, Esq.

41 North Bank, Regent’s Park,

May 7, 1852.

My dear Tyndall,

Allow me to be one of the first to have the pleasure of congratulating you on your new honours.  I had the satisfaction last night to hear your name read out as one of the selected of the Council of the Royal Society for election to the Fellowship this year, and you are therefore as good as elected.

I always made sure of your success, but I am not the less pleased that it is now a fait accompli.

I am, my dear Tyndall, faithfully yours,

T.H.  Huxley.

P.S.—­I have heard nothing of Toronto, and I begin to think that the whole affair, University and all, is a myth.

[His hopes of the Colonies failing, he tried each of the divisions of the United Kingdom in turn, with uniform ill-success; in 1852-53 at Aberdeen and at Cork; in 1853 at King’s College, London.  He had great hopes of Aberdeen at first; the appointment lay with the Home Secretary, a personal friend of Sir J. Clark, who was interested in Huxley though not personally acquainted with him.  But no sooner had he written to urge the latter’s claims than a change of ministry took place, and other influences commanded the field.  It was cold comfort that Clark told him only to wait—­something must turn up.  There was still a great probability