If, however, a love of argument and controversy occasionally led him into hot water, I do not think that his polemical tendencies ever cost him a friend.  His antagonists must have recognised the fairness of his methods, and must have been susceptible to the charm of the man.  The high example which he set in controversy, moreover, was equally visible in his ordinary life.  Of all the men I have ever known, his ideas and his standard were—­on the whole—­the highest.  He recognised that the fact of his religious views imposed on him the duty of living the most upright of lives, and I am very much of the opinion of a little child, now grown into an accomplished woman, who, when she was told that Professor Huxley had no hope of future rewards, and no fear of future punishments, emphatically declared:  “Then I think Professor Huxley is the best man I have ever known.”

Extracts from his letters home give some further idea of the kind of work entailed.  Thus in March and again in May he was in Wales, and writes:—­]

Cromffyratellionptrroch, May 24.

Mr. Barrington’s very pretty place about five miles from Abergavenny, wherein I write, may or may not have the name which I have written on at the top of the page, as it is Welsh; however it is probably that or something like it.  I forgot to inquire.

We are having the loveliest weather, and yesterday went looking up weirs with more or less absurd passes up a charming valley not far hence.  It is just seven o’clock, and we are going to breakfast and start at eight to fit in with the tides of the Severn.  It is not exactly clear where we shall be to-night...Now I must go to breakfast, for I got up at six.  Figurez vous ca.

Hereford, May 29.

We are favoured by the weather again, though it is bitter cold under the bright sunshine.  We stopped at Worcester yesterday, and I went to examine some weirs hard by.  This involved three or four miles’ country walking, and was all to the good.  If the Inspector business were all of this sort it would be all that fancy painted it.  We shall have a long sitting to-day...[(He fears to be detained into the night by “over-fluent witnesses.”)

In April he spent several days at Norwich, in connection with the National Fishery Exhibition held there.]

April 19.

We had a gala day yesterday...The exhibition of all manner of fish and fishing apparatus was ready, for a wonder, and looked very well.  The Prince and Princess arrived, and we had the usual address and reply and march through.  Afterwards a mighty dejeuner in the St. Andrew’s Hall—­a fine old place looking its best.  I was just opposite the Princess, and I could not help looking at her with wonderment.  She looked so fresh and girlish.  She came and talked to me afterwards in a very pleasant simple way.

Walpole and I went in with our host yesterday afternoon and started to return on the understanding that he should pick us up a few miles out.  Of course we took the wrong road, and walked all the way, some eight miles or so.  However, it did us good, and after a champagne lunch we thought we could not do better than repeat the operation yesterday.