14 Waverley Place, July 29, 1859.

My dear Hooker,

I meant to have written to you yesterday, but things put it out of my
head. If there is to be any fund raised at all, I am quite of your mind
that it should be a scientific fund and not a mere naturalists' fund.
Sectarianism in such matters is ridiculous, and besides that, in this
particular case it is bad policy. For the word "Naturalist"
unfortunately includes a far lower order of men than chemist, physicist,
or mathematician. You don't call a man a mathematician because he has
spent his life in getting as far as quadratics; but every fool who can
make bad species and worse genera is a "Naturalist"!--save the mark!
Imagine the chemists petitioning the Crown for a Pension for P-- if he
wanted one! and yet he really is a philosopher compared to poor dear
A--.

"Naturalists" therefore are far more likely to want help than any other
class of scientific men, and they would be greatly damaging their own
interests if they formed an exclusive fund for themselves.

Ever yours faithfully,

T.H. Huxley.


CHAPTER 1.13.

1859.