Thomas Henry Huxley, vol 3 | Page 9

strike the popular mind.
Discussed the possibility of submission of names by somebody for the
approval and choice of the Crown. For Science, I thought the Royal
Society Council might discharge that duty very fairly. I thought that the
Academy of Berlin presented people for the Pour le Merite, but Lord
Salisbury thought not.
In the course of conversation I spoke of Hooker's case as a glaring
example of the wrong way of treating distinguished men. Observed that
though I did not personally care for or desire the institution of such
honorary order, yet I thought it was a mistake in policy for the Crown
as the fountain of honour to fail in recognition of that which deserves
honour in the world of Science, Letters, and Art.
Lord Salisbury smilingly summed up. "Well, it seems that you don't
desire the establishment of such an order, but that if you were in my
place you would establish it," to which I assented.
Said he had spoken to Leighton, who thought well of the project.
[It was not long, however, before he received imperative notice to quit
town with all celerity. He fell ill with what turned out to be pleurisy;
and after recruiting at Ilkley, went again to Switzerland.]
4 Marlborough Place, June 27, 1887.
My dear Foster,
...I am very sorry that it will be impossible for me to attend [the
meeting of committee down for the following Wednesday]. If I am well
enough to leave the house I must go into the country that day to attend
the funeral of my wife's brother-in-law and my very old friend Fanning,
of whom I may have spoken to you. He has been slowly sinking for
some time, and this morning we had news of his death.
Things have been very crooked for me lately. I had a conglomerate of
engagements of various degrees of importance in the latter half of last
week, and had to forgo them all, by reason of a devil in the shape of
muscular rheumatism of one side, which entered me last Wednesday,
and refuses to be wholly exorcised (I believe it is my Jubilee Honour).
[(On the same day he describes this to Sir J. Evans:--] "I have hardly
been out of the house as far as my garden, and not much off my bed or

sofa since I saw you last. I have had an affection of the muscles of one
side of my body, the proper name of which I do not know, but the
similitude thereof is a bird of prey periodically digging in his claws and
stopping your breath in a playful way.") Along with it, and I suppose
the cause of it, a regular liver upset. I am very seedy yet, and even if
Fanning's death had not occurred I doubt if I should have been ready to
face the Tyndall dinner.
[The reference to this "Tyndall dinner" is explained in the following
letters, which also refer to a meeting of the London University, in
which the projects of reform which he himself supported met with a
smart rebuff.]
4 Marlborough Place, May 13, 1887.
My dear Tyndall,
I am very sorry to hear of your gout, but they say when it comes out at
the toes it flies from the better parts, and that is to the good.
There is no sort of reason why unsatisfied curiosity should continue to
disturb your domestic hearth; your wife will have the gout too if it goes
on. "They" can't bear the strain.
The history of the whole business is this. A day or two before I spoke
to you, Lockyer told me that various people had been talking about the
propriety of recognising your life-long work in some way or other; that,
as you would not have anything else, a dinner had been suggested, and
finally asked me to inquire whether you would accept that expression
of goodwill. Of course I said I would, and I asked accordingly.
After you had assented I spoke to several of our friends who were at the
Athenaeum, and wrote to Lockyer. I believe a strong committee is
forming, and that we shall have a scientific jubilation on a large scale;
but I have purposely kept in the background, and confined myself, like
Bismarck, to the business of "honest broker."
But of course nothing (beyond preliminaries) can be done till you name
the day, and at this time of year it is needful to look well ahead if a big
room is to be secured. So if you can possibly settle that point, pray do.
There seems to have been some oversight on my wife's part about the
invitation, but she is stating her own case. We go on a visit to Mrs.
Darwin to Cambridge on