WCP3758

[1]

1 Eldon Place Broadstairs

Sep 5^th 1858

My dear Hooker¹

I am glad Mrs Hooker² has found rest for the sole of her foot. I returned her Tyndalls³ letter Saturday.

I am sorry for Harvey,⁴ for of all things 'biles' is the unpleasantest. Is he going to migrate with you to the sea side?

Wallace's impetus seems to have set Darwin⁵ going in earnest and I am rejoiced to hear we shall learn his views in full, at last. I look forward to a great revolution being effected. [2] Depend upon it in Natural History as in everything else when the English mind fully determines to work a thing out it will do it better than any other.

I firmly believe in the advent of an English Epoch in science & art which will lick the Augustan (which, by the bye, had neither science nor art in one sense, but you know what I mean) into fits. So Hooray in the first place for the Genera plantarum.

I can quite understand the need of a new one and I am right glad you have undertaken it —. It seems to [3] me to be in all respects the sort of work for you and exactly adapted to your environment at Kew — I remember you mentioned to me some time ago that you were thinking of it.

I wish I could even hope that such a thing would be ever attempted in the course of this generation for Animals —

But with animal morphology in the state in which it is now — we have no terminology that will stand and consequently concise & comparable definitions are in many cases impossible[.] [4] If old Dom. Gray⁶ were but an intelligent activity instead of being as at f a sort of zoological whirlwind what a deal he might do — — and I am hopeless of Owen's⁷ comprehending what classification means since the publication of the wonderful scheme which adorns (like a Corinthian portico in cow-dung) the last edition of his lectures.

As you say I have found this a great place for "work of price" — I have finished the Oceanic Hydrozoa all but the book work for which [5] I must have access to the B.M. library — but another week will do him. My notes are from eight to twelve years old and really I often have felt like the editor of somebody else's posthumous work —

But now I am busy over the Croonian which must be done before I return. I have been pulling at all the arguments as a spider does at his thread & I think they are all strong — If so, the thing will do some good.

[6] I am perplexed about the N. H. collections —. The best thing I firmly believe would be for the Economic Zoology and a set of well selected types to go to Kensington but I should be sorry to see the scientific collection placed under any such auspices as those which govern the "Bilers"[.] I don't believe the clay soil of the Regents Park would matter a fraction — and to have a grand scientific zoological [7] and paleontological collection for work's purposes close to the Gardens where the living beasts all would be a grand thing. I should not wonder if the affair is greatly discussed at the B. A at Leeds and then perhaps light will arise —

Have you seen that madcap Tyndall's letter in the Times? He'll break his blessed neck some day and that will be a great hole in the efficiency of my scientific young England. [8] We mean to return next Saturday, and somewhere about the 16 or 17? I shall go down to York where I want to study plesiosaurs. I shall return after the British Association. The interesting question arises shall I have a row with the great O there? What a capital title that is they give him of the British Cuvier — He stands in exactly the same relation to the French as British Brandy to Cognac.

Ever Yours Faithfully | T H Huxley⁸ [signature]

Am I to send the Gardeners Chron. ch.? & where? Please I have mislaid the address[.]