New-York tribune., 1907-11-03

and this proved to be very useful to him later
IN life. as il enabled him to become acquainted
with the books that had been written by some
Of the servants OF the fairy SCIENCE outside Of
England.
When Tom was still quite young it was de-
cidcd that he should become a physician and
hy the time he was seventeen he found himself
I'm London studying with the husband Of one of
his sisters. two OF whom had married doctors.
soon after he won one of his first honOrs.
medal for botany in a public competition. RE
had no very exalted opinion OF his own wisdom
AZ the time. and would probably never have
thought OF entering the competition had not his
sister and hrothcr-in-law encouraged him TO do
so. He worked very hard for the examination
and was more pleased with his sisters delight
at his success than with any glory It gave him
in the eyes Of other people. This sister. Mrs.
Scott. was one Of the first to think there might
be more in the boy Tom than in other boys, and
ne was always much attached to her. Unfor-
tuuately he G!d not enjoy her cOmpanionship
long, for she came 10 America a few years later
and lived here the rest OF her lie When, in
1876 the great Professor Huxley came to our
country and showed him in every way we
could how much thought of him Mrs. Scott
saw hcr boy Tom once moro and she may well
have felt proud that her sympathy had helped
10 make him what he was.
i'y tho time Tom was nearly twenty-one he
had completed his medical studies and had TO
think about earning living. He succeeded In
getting an appointment in the navy, and before
long sent out assistant surgeon in a
vessel that was TO make a cruise for the purpose
OF bringing back 10 England an account Of the
geography, geology and natural history Of GER
known. The assistant surgeon, besides his medi-
cal duties, 10 have something to do with
the natural history work. and this suited him
much better than practising the art OF healing.
The cruise lasted four years. and he had an
exceptional opportunity to study the animal life
Of the sea. lie took home with him great deal
of knowledge this subject and, as he wrote
90 his sister, "a considerable amount of draw
ings and notes about new or rare animals. all
particularly nasty. smy things"
on his return to London he found that many
learned people were greatly impressed by his
knowledge. his notes and his drawings and he
hoped to he able TO his living by scientific
work. But for a long time il much easier for
him 10 win hOnors than money. and he was
often tempted TO give up the work he loved and
take TO shopkeepiDg or anything else that would
bring In a good income. He did not give up,
however, and by the time he was thirty he
was able TO make enough by lecturing and writ
ing 10 venture 70 marry, after having been en-
gagged more than seven years.
The remaining forty years of his life vera
very busy ones. spent in studying scientific sub
tects and I'm giving what he learned to others.
either in lectures or by writing. His lectures
were made douby interesting by the use of his
talent for drawing. and he always took the
greatest pains 10 make himself clear 10 those
who heard him.
Professor Huxlcy's family life was particu-
larry happy one. TO his children he was friend
ready to help them 'in all things reasonable.
and perhaps in few unreasonable" to use his
own words He never made them uncomfort-
able nv his learning but used II instead to en-
tertain thcm in the most delightful ways. He
used 10 tell them wonderful animal stories.
which he Illustrated by drawings he went
along and at the yearly Christmas dinners il
was his practice to display his knowledge Of
zoology and his artistic faculties by making for
tho children n whole menagerie of animals out
of orange peel. When he became grandfather
he was not busy when he was younger.
nd so he WAS able to give n good deal OF time
TO his grandchildren. Once when a little grand
daughter visited him for the first time he at
tempted to entertain her with great deal OF
nonsense. until at last she exclaimed We'll.
Won are the curiOusest old man 1 ever saw"
And IL was not only to children that Professor
Huxley made himself agreeable People who
knew nothing about science were sometimes
afraid TO meet him, because they thought they
would not be able to talk TO him; hut they
found that he could talk charmingly about any
thing they did know about