quarter of the field.

Most unluckily, no contemporary account of his own exists of the
encounter. Indeed, the same cause which prevented his writing home the
story of the day's work nearly led to his absence from the scene. It was
known that Bishop Wilberforce, whose first class in mathematics gave
him, in popular estimation, a right to treat on scientific matters,
intended to "smash Darwin"; and, Huxley, expecting that the promised
debate would be merely an appeal to prejudice in a mixed audience,
before which the scientific arguments of the Bishop's opponents would be
at the utmost disadvantage, intended to leave Oxford that very morning
and join his wife at Hardwicke, near Reading, where she was staying with
her sister. But in a letter, quoted below, he tells how, on the Friday
afternoon, he chanced to meet Robert chambers, the reputed author of the
"Vestiges of Creation," who begged him "not to desert them." Accordingly
he postponed his departure; but seeing his wife next morning, had no
occasion to write a letter.

Several accounts of the scene are already in existence: one in the "Life
of Darwin" (volume 2 page 320), another in the 1892 "Life," page 236
sq.; a third that of "Lyell" (volume 2 page 335), the slight differences
between them representing the difference between individual
recollections of eye-witnesses. In addition to these I have been
fortunate enough to secure further reminiscences from several other
eye-witnesses.

Two papers in Section D, of no great importance in themselves, became
historical as affording the opponents of Darwin their opportunity of
making an attack upon his theory which should tell with the public. The
first was on Thursday, June 28. Dr. Daubeny of Oxford made a