In the first place I am in the midst of my own teaching, and with health not yet completely re-established I am obliged to keep clear of all unnecessary work.  Secondly, such an examination must be practical, and I have neither dissecting-room available nor the anatomical license required for human dissection; and thirdly, it is not likely that the University authorities would attach much weight to my report on one or two days’ work—­if the fact that Mr. H—­ has already filled the office of anatomical Demonstrator (as I understand from you) does not satisfy them as to his competency.

I am, dear Madam, yours very faithfully,

T.H.  Huxley.

[The last event of the year was that he was elected by the students Lord Rector of Aberdeen University—­a position, the duties of which consist partly in attending certain meetings of the University Court, but more especially in delivering an address.  This, however, was not required for another twelvemonth, and the address on “Universities, Actual and Ideal,” was delivered in fulfilment of this duty in February 1874.

CHAPTER 2.4.

1873.

[The year opens with a letter to Tyndall, then on a lecturing tour in America:—­]

4 Marlborough Place, Abbey Road, N.W., January 1, 1872 [1873].

My dear Tyndall,

I cannot let this day go by without wishing you a happy New Year, and lamenting your absence from our customary dinner.  But Hirst and Spencer and Michael Foster are coming, and they shall drink your health in champagne while I do the like in cold water, making up by the strength of my good wishes for the weakness of the beverage.

You see I write from the new house.  Getting into it was an awful job, made worse than needful by the infamous weather we have had for weeks and months, and by the stupid delays of the workmen, whom we had fairly to shove out at last as we came in.  We are settling down by degrees, and shall be very comfortable by and by, though I do not suppose that we shall be able to use the drawing-room for two or three months to come.  I am very glad to have made the change, but there is a drawback to everything in “this here wale,” as Mrs. Gamp says and my present thorn in the flesh is a neighbour, who says I have injured him by certain operations in my garden, and is trying to get something out of me by Chancery proceedings.  Fancy finding myself a defendant in Chancery!

It is particularly hard on me, as I have been especially careful to have nothing done without Burton’s sanction and assurance that I was quite safe in law; and I would have given up anything [rather] than have got into bother of this kind.  But “sich is life.”

You seem to have been making a Royal Progress in Yankee-land.  We have been uncommonly tickled with some of the reports of your lectures which reached us, especially with that which spoke of your having “a strong English accent.”