You will get all the volumes of my screeds.  I was horrified to find what a lot of stuff there was—­but don’t acknowledge them unless the spirit moves you...I think that on Natural Inequality of Man will be to your taste.

Three, or thirty, guesses and you shall not guess what I am about to tell you.

Reverend Richard Owen has written to me to ask me to write a concluding chapter for the biography of his grandfather—­containing a “critical” estimate of him and his work!!!  Says he is moved thereto by my speech at the meeting for a memorial.

There seemed nothing for me to do but to accept as far as the scientific work goes.  I declined any personal estimate on the ground that we had met in private society half a dozen times.

If you don’t mind being bothered I should like to send you what I write and have your opinion about it.

You see Jowett is going or gone.  I am very sorry we were obliged to give up our annual visit to him this year.  But I was quite unable to stand the exertion, even if Hames had not packed me off.  How one’s old friends are dropping!

Romanes gave me a pitiable account of himself in a letter the other day.  He has had an attack of hemiplegic paralysis, and tells me he is a mere wreck.  That means that the worst anticipations of his case are being verified.  It is lamentable.

Take care of yourself, my dear old friend, and with our love to you both, believe me, ever yours,

T.H.  Huxley.

[Not long after his return he received a letter from a certain G—­ S—­, who wrote from Southampton detailing a number of observations he had made upon the organisms to be seen with a magnifying glass in an infusion of vegetable matter, and as “an ignoramus,” apologised for any appearance of conceit in so doing, while asking his advice as to the best means of improving his scientific knowledge.  Huxley was much struck by the tone of the letter and the description of the experiments, and he wrote back:—­]

Hodeslea, November 9, 1893.

Sir,

We are all “ignoramuses” more or less—­and cannot reproach one another.  If there were any sign of conceit in your letter, you would not get this reply.

On the contrary, it pleases me.  Your observations are quite accurate and clearly described—­and to be accurate in observation and clear in description is the first step towards good scientific work.

You are seeing just what the first workers with the microscope saw a couple of centuries ago.

Get some such book as Carpenter’s “On the Microscope” and you will see what it all means.

Are there no science classes in Southampton?  There used to be, and I suppose is, a Hartley Institute.

If you want to consult books you cannot otherwise obtain, take this to the librarian, give him my compliments, and say I should be very much obliged if he would help you.

I am, yours very faithfully,