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office of Inspector of Fisheries。 A second important office was
the Presidency of the Royal Society。 Of the work of this society
Sir Joseph Hooker writes： 〃The duties of the office are manifold
and heavy； they include attendance at all the meetings of the
Fellows； and of the councils； committees； and sub…committees of the
Society； and especially the supervision of the printing and
illustrating all papers on biological subjects that are published
in the Society's Transactions and Proceedings； the latter often
involving a protracted correspondence with the authors。 To this
must be added a share in the supervision of the staff officers； of
the library and correspondence； and the details of house…keeping。〃
All the work connected with this and many other offices bespeaks a
life too hard…driven and accounts fully for the continued ill…
health which finally resulted in a complete break…down。
Huxley had always advocated that the age of sixty was the time for
〃official death；〃 and had looked forward to a peaceful 〃Indian
summer。〃 With this object in mind and troubled by increasing ill…
health； he began in 1885 to give up his work。 But to live even in
comparative idleness； after so many years of activity； was
difficult。 〃I am sure；〃 he says； 〃that the habit of incessant work
into which we all drift is as bad in its way as dram…drinking。 In
time you cannot be comfortable without stimulus。〃 But continued
bodily weakness told upon him to the extent that all work became
distasteful。 An utter weariness with frequent spells of the blues
took possession of him； and the story of his life for some years is
the story of the long pursuit of health in England； Switzerland；
and especially in Italy。
Although Huxley was wretchedly ill during this period； he wrote
letters which are good to read for their humor and for their
pictures of foreign cities。 Rome he writes of as an idle；
afternoony sort of place from which it is difficult to depart。 He
worked as eagerly over the historic remains in Rome as he would
over a collection of geological specimens。 〃I begin to understand
Old Rome pretty well and I am quite learned in the Catacombs； which
suit me； as a kind of Christian fossils out of which one can
reconstruct the body of the primitive Church。〃 Florence； for a man
with a conscience and ill…health； had too many picture galleries。
〃They are a sore burden to the conscience if you don't go to see
them； and an awful trial to the back and legs if you do；〃 he
complained。 He found Florence； nevertheless； a lovely place and
full of most interesting things to see and do。 His letters with
reference to himself also are vigorously and entertainingly
expressed。 He writes in a characteristic way of his growing
difficulty with his hearing。 〃It irritates me not to hear； it
irritates me still more to be spoken to as if I were deaf； and the
absurdity of being irritated on the last ground irritates me still
more。〃 And again he writes in a more hopeful strain； 〃With fresh
air and exercise and careful avoidance of cold and night air I am
to be all right again。〃 He then adds： 〃I am not fond of coddling；
but as Paddy gave his pig the best corner in his cabinbecause
'shure； he paid the rint'I feel bound to take care of myself as a
household animal of value； to say nothing of other points。〃
Although he was never strong after this long illness； Huxley began
in 1889 to be much better。 The first sign of returning vigor was
the eagerness with which he entered into a controversy with
Gladstone。 Huxley had always enjoyed a mental battle； and some of
his fiercest tilts were with Gladstone。 He even found the cause of
better health in this controversy； and was grateful to the 〃Grand
Old Man〃 for making home happy for him。 From this time to his
death； Huxley wrote a number of articles on politics； science； and
religion； many of which were published in the volume called
Controverted Questions。 The main value of these essays lies in the
fact that Huxley calls upon men to give clear reasons for the faith
which they claim as theirs； and makes； as a friend wrote of him；
hazy thinking and slovenly； half…formed conclusions seem the base
thing they really are。
The last years of Huxley's life were indeed the longed…for Indian
summer。 Away from the noise of London at Eastbourne by the sea； he
spent many happy hours with old…time friends and in his garden；
which was a great joy to him。 His large family of sons and
daughters and grandchildren brought much cheer to his last days。
Almost to the end he was working and writing for publication。
Three days before his death he wrote to his old friend； Hooker；
that he didn't feel at all like 〃sending in his checks〃 and hoped
to recover。 He died very quietly on June 29； 1895。 That he met
death with the same calm faith and strength with which he had met
life is indicated by the lines which his wife wrote and which he
requested to be his epitaph：
Be not afraid； ye waiting hearts that weep；
For still He giveth His beloved sleep；
And if an endless sleep He wills； so best。
To attempt an analysis of Huxley's character； unique and bafflingly
complex as it is； is beyond the scope of this sketch； but to give
only the mere facts of his life is to do an injustice to the vivid
personality of the man as it is revealed in his letters。 All his
human interest in people and thingspets； and flowers； and family…
…brightens many pages of the two ponderous volumes。 Now one reads
of his grief over some backward…going plant； or over some garden
tragedy； as 〃A lovely clematis in full flower； which I had spent
hours in nailing up； has just died suddenly。 I am more
inconsolable than Jonah！〃 Now one is amused with a nonsense letter
to one of his children； and again with an account of a pet。 〃I
wish you would write seriously to M。 She is not behaving well
to Oliver。 I have seen handsomer kittens； but few more lively； and
energetically destructive。 Just now he scratched away at something
M says cost 13s。 6d。 a yard and reduced more or less of it to
combings。 M therefore excludes him from the dining…room and
all those opportunities of higher education which he would have in
MY house。〃 Frequently one finds a description of some event； so
vividly done that the mere reading of it seems like a real
experience。 An account of Tennyson's burial in Westminster is a
typical bit of description：
Bright sunshine streamed through the windows of the nave； while the
choir was in half gloom； and as each shaft of light illuminated the
flower…covered bier as it slowly travelled on； one thought of the
bright succession of his works between the darkness before and the
darkness after。 I am glad to say that the Royal Society was
represented by four of its chief officers； and nine of the
commonalty； including myself。 Tennyson has a right to that； as the
first poet since Lucretius who has understood the drift of science。
No parts of the Life and Letters are more enjoyable than those
concerning the 〃Happy Family；〃 as a friend of Huxley's names his
household。 His family of seven children found their father a most
engaging friend and companion。 He could tell them wonderful sea
stories and animal stories and could draw fascinating pictures。
His son writes of how when he was ill with scarlet fever he used to
look forward to his father's home…coming。 〃The solitary daysfor
I was the first victim in the familywere very long； and I looked
forward with intense interest to one half…hour after dinner； when
he would come up and draw scenes from the history of a remarkable
bull…terrier and his family that went to the seaside in a most
human and child…delighting manner。 I have seldom suffered a
greater disappointment than when； one evening； I fell asleep just
before this fairy half…hour； and lost it out of my life。〃
The account of the comradeship between Huxley and his wife reads
like a good old…time romance。 He was attracted to her at first by
her 〃simplicity and directness united with an unusual degree of
cultivation；〃 Huxley's son writes。 On her he depended for advice
in his work； and for companionship at home and abroad when
wandering in search of health in Italy and Switzerland。 When he
had been separated from her for some time； he wrote； 〃Nobody；
children or anyone else； can be to me what you are。 Ulysses
preferred his old woman to immortality； and this absence has led me
to see that he was as wise in that as in other things。〃 Again he
writes； 〃Against all trouble （and I have had my share） I weigh a
wife…comrade 'trew and fest' in all emergencies。〃
The letters also give one a clear idea of the breadth of Huxley's
interests； particularly of his appreciation of the various forms of
art。 Huxley believed strongly in the arts as a refining and
helpful influence in education。 He keenly enjoyed good music。
Professor H