To J. W. Lubbock   27 May [1856]1

Down

May 27th

Dear Sir John Lubbock

I hope that you will forgive me troubling you, & this note requires no answer.— I believe that you are interested in the University of London & have influence there.— My friend, Mr. Huxley F.R.S. is a candidate for the Examinership in Physiology & Comp: Anatomy vacant by Dr. Carpenter’s resignation.—2 He has asked me to write in his favour, & I can do this most conscientiously, for his merits in these particular branches of Natural Science, are of the highest order.3 I think if you will ask your Son he will agree with me in this.—4

He is Palæontologist in the Museum of Practical Geology, & they have never selected any but the best men.— He has lately been lecturing on Physiology at the Royal Institution. He has published several papers in the Phil: Transact, on comparative anatomy which papers were honoured by the Royal Medal, & have been translated into German.— His acquaintance with foreign literature in Nat. History is remarkably accurate & extensive. And lastly he gained when a medical Student in London the Gold Medal for Physiology.5

I hope that you will forgive my bringing Mr. Huxley’s claims to your attention, & pray believe me, | Your’s very sincerely | Ch. Darwin

I was extremely sorry that I was not able to come to dinner yesterday.—

1
See the letter to T. H. Huxley, 27 May [1856]for the basis of this date.
2
William Benjamin Carpenter resigned his lectureships and other offices when he was appointed registrar of London University (DNB). The university was primarily an administrative and examining body (EB).
3
Thomas Henry Huxley was appointed to the examinership on 9 July 1856, a position he held until 1870 (L. Huxley ed. 1900, 1: 148, and Pingree 1968, p. 59).
4
Huxley and John Lubbock shared common interests in the morphology of invertebrates. They had recently been guests at CD’s house (see letter to John Lubbock, 24 April [1856]).
5
Huxley won a gold medal for anatomy and physiology upon his graduation in 1845 from London University (DNB).

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

1.1 no] over illeg

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-1877,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-1877