The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-02-11

-. II.
Lewis. but soon found that the altern natives
were-listening in silence to his dogmas. some
times absurd. or getting into hot argument
with him. which ended in our glaring at one
another; and as l did not like either alterna-
tive ceased to GO With Tyndall. however,
the case seems to have been diiferent-possi-
bly, because Of greater tolerance OF his politi-
cal creed and his advocacy OF personal govern
ment The rule OF tbs strong hand was not
fancy. so repellsnt to Tyndall as to me; and.
indeed. suspect that. had occasion offered.
he would not have been reluctant to exercise
such rule himself Though his sym pathes were
such as made him anxious for others welfare
they did not take the direction OF anxiety for
others freedom as the means to their well
fare; and hence he was. I suppose. not In pro-
nounced antagonism with Carlyle on those
matters. But. divergent as our beliefs and
sentiments were in earlier days. there has
been In recent days mutual approximation. A
conversation with him some time since made It
manifest that personal experience had greatly
shaken the faith he previously had in public
administrations. and made him look with
more favor on tho view OF State functio ions held
by me. On the other hand. my faith In free In
stitutions. originally strong Though always
Joined with the belief that the maintenance
and success OF them Is . question OF popular
characterl. has In these later years been greatly
decreased by the conviction that tho fit charac-
ter Is not possessed by any people. nor is likely
to be possessed for ages to come. A nation OF
which the Legislators vote as they are bid
and Of which the worke rs surrender their
rights Of selling their labor as they please
has neither the ideas nor the sentiments need
cd for the maintenance OF liberty. Lacking
them. We are on the way back to the rule OF
the strong hand In the shape OF the bureau
n IL
and then Of the military despotism which
must follow 1t: H. indeed. some social crash
does not bring this last upon us more quickly
Had We recently compared notes fancy tn at
Tyndall and should have found ourselves
differing but little in our views concerning the
proximate social state. II not OF the ultimate
social state
In the sketch he has recently given Of our
late friend. who was one OF the small group
known as the *" Club. Prof Huxley has
giyon some account OF that body Further par
ticulars may not unitly be added. one OF
which may come better from me than from
him. The impression that the club exercised
influence in the scientific world mot wholly
without basis. think was naturally produ
by such knowledge as there eventually arose
OF its com position. For it contained four Pres
idents OF the British Association. three PresI-
dents OF the Royal Society. and among its
members who had not filed these highest
posts there were Presidents of the College
OF Surgeons. tho Mathematical Society the
Chemical Society &c. out OF the nine ! was
the only one who was fellow OF no society. and
had presided over nothing. l speak in the
past tense. for now. unhappily, the number Of
members is reduced to hve. and OF these
only three are in good health. There has
been no meeting for the past year. and il
III A. Ii a.,
another. But the detail OF most interest which
Prot Huxley has not given concerns q certain
supplementary meeting. which. for many
years, took place after the close OF our session.
This lasted from October in each year 10 June
in the next and toward the close OF June We
had gathering in the country TO which the
married members brought their wives, rails
Ing the number on some occasions to fifteen
Our programme was to leave town early on
Saturday afternoon. in time for a ramble or a
boating excursion before dinner; to have on
the Sunday a picnic in some picturesque place
adjacent to our temporary quarters. and. after
dinner that evening. for some TO return TO
town. while those with less pressing engage
ments remained until the Monday morn
ina. Two OF our Picnics were held un-
der Burnham Besehes. one or more on
ST GEORGES Hill. Weybridge and another
in Windsor iGrsst As our spirits in thoss
days had not been subdIsd ty years. and as
We had the added pleasure OF ladies' society.
these gatherings were extremely enjoyable.
II TyndRll did not add TO the life OF our party
By his wit he did by his hilarlty. But my
special motive for naming those rural meet
ings OF the - X" is that mar mention a fact
which. to not a few. will be surprising and per-
haDs instructive We sometimes carried with
US to our picnic q VolumA OF verse. which was
duly utilized after the repasL On one ocea-
sion. while Ne Feelinsd under the trees Of
Windsor Forest Huxley read to Us Tsnny-
sons "Hnone." and on another occasion We
listened 70 ryndAll's reading OF Mrs. Brown
ing's poem. Lady Geraldins's Courtship"
The vast majority OF people suppose that
science and poetry are aRtagonistio Here IL
a fact which may perhaps cause some Of them
to revise their opinions.
From the impressions OF TyndAll which
these facts Indirectly yield let me rOtarn 10
Impressions more directly yielded. Though
is scarcely nssdful 20 Say anything about his
sSesEtty. ret it cannot properly b passed