Ever yours very faithfully,

T.H.  Huxley.

Hindhead, July 8, 1883.

My dear Flower,

Many thanks for your comforting letter.  When I am fairly committed to anything I generally have a cold fit—­and your judgment that I have done right is “grateful and comforting” like Epps’ Cocoa.  It is not so much work as distraction that is involved; and though it may put a stop to my purely scientific work for a while, I don’t know that I could be better employed in the interests of science than in trying to keep the Royal Society straight.

My wife was very much against it at first—­and indeed when I was first spoken to I declared that I would not go on after next St. Andrew’s Day.  But a good deal of pressure was brought to bear by some of my friends, and if the Fellows don’t turn me out I shall say with MacMahon, “J’y suis et j’y reste.”

Ever yours very faithfully,

T.H.  Huxley.

We have run down here for a day, but are back to-morrow.

4 Marlborough Place, July 10, 1883.

My dear Spencer,

What an agreeable surprise your letter has been.  I have been expecting the most awful scolding for taking more work, and behold as sweetly congratulatory an epistle as a man could wish.

Three weeks ago I swore by all my gods that I would not take the offer at any price, but I suppose the infusion of Theism was too homeopathic for the oath to bind.

Go on sleeping, my dear friend.  If you are so amiable with three nights, what will you be with three weeks?

What a shame no rain is sent you.  You will be speaking about Providence as I heard of a Yankee doing the other day—­“Wal, sir, I guess he’s good; but he’s careless.”

I think there is a good deal in that view of the government of the world.

Ever yours very faithfully,

T.H.  Huxley.

[To his eldest daughter:—­]

4 Marlborough Place, July 14, 1883.

Dearest Jess,

I am not sure either whether my accession to the Presidency is a matter for congratulation.  Honour and glory are all very fine, but on the whole I prefer peace and quietness, and three weeks ago I declared I would have nothing to do with it.

But there are a good many circumstances in the present state of affairs which weighed heavily in the scale, and so I made up my mind to try the experiment.

If I don’t suit the office or the office doesn’t suit me, there is a way out every 30th of November.

There was more work connected with the Secretaryship—­but there is more trouble and responsibility and distraction in the Presidency.

I am amused with your account of your way of governing your headstrong boy.  I find the way of governing headstrong men to be very similar, and I believe it is by practising the method that I get the measure of success with which people credit me.