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and　a　good　boxer　　and　fencer　to　boot。　　In　the　next　place；　he　prided　himself　　above　all　things　on　being　a　thorough…bred　Irishman；　with　a　　sneaking　sympathy　with　even　Fenian　grievances。　　'They　all　　know　ME；'　he　would　say。　　'The　rascals　know　I'm　the　best　　friend　they　have。　　I'm　the　last　man　in　the　world　they'd　harm；　　for　political　reasons。　　Anyway；　I　can　take　care　of　myself。'　　　And　so　it　was　he　fell。

The　end　of　Horsman's　secretaryship　is　soon　told。　　A　bishopric　　became　vacant；　and　almost　as　much　intrigue　was　set　agoing　as　　we　read　of　in　the　wonderful　story　of　'L'Anneau　d'Amethyste。'　　　Horsman；　at　all　times　a　profuse　letter…writer；　wrote　folios　　to　Lord　Palmerston　on　the　subject；　each　letter　more　　exuberant；　more　urgent　than　the　last。　　But　no　answer　came。　　　Finally；　the　whole　Irish　vote；　according　to　the　Chief　　Secretary；　being　at　stake　…　not　to　mention　the　far　more　　important　matter　of　personal　and　official　dignity　…　Horsman　　flew　off　to　London；　boiling　over　with　impatience　and　　indignation。　　He　rushed　to　10　Downing　Street。　　His　Lordship　　was　at　the　Foreign　office；　but　was　expected　every　minute；　　would　Mr。　Horsman　wait？　　Mr。　Horsman　was　shown　into　his　　Lordship's　room。　　Piles　of　letters；　opened　and　unopened；　were　　lying　upon　the　table。　　The　Chief　Secretary　recognised　his　own　　signatures　on　the　envelopes　of　a　large　bundle；　all　amongst　　the　'un's。'　The　Premier　came　in；　an　explanation　EXTREMEMENT　　VIVE　followed；　on　his　return　to　Dublin　Mr。　Horsman　resigned　　his　post；　and　from　that　moment　became　one　of　Lord　　Palmerston's　bitterest　opponents。



CHAPTER　XL



THE　lectures　at　the　Royal　Institution　were　of　some　help　to　　me。　　I　attended　courses　by　Owen；　Tyndall；　Huxley；　and　Bain。　　　Of　these；　Huxley　was　FACILE　PRINCEPS；　though　both　Owen　and　　Tyndall　were　second　to　no　other。　　Bain　was　disappointing。　　I　　was　a　careful　student　of　his　books；　and　always　admired　the　　logical　lucidity　of　his　writing。　　But　to　the　mixed　audience　　he　had　to　lecture　to　…　fashionable　young　ladies　in　their　　teens；　and　drowsy　matrons　in　charge　of　them；　he　discreetly　　kept　clear　of　transcendentals。　　In　illustration　perhaps　of　　some　theory　of　the　relation　of　the　senses　to　the　intellect；　　he　would　tell　an　amusing　anecdote　of　a　dog　that　had　had　an　　injured　leg　dressed　at　a　certain　house；　after　which　the　　recovered　dog　brought　a　canine　friend　to　the　same　house　to　　have　his　leg　…　or　tail　…　repaired。　　Out　would　come　all　the　　tablets　and　pretty　pencil　cases；　and　every　young　lady　would　　be　busy　for　the　rest　of　the　lecture　in　recording　the　　marvellous　history。　　If　the　dog's　name　had　been　'Spot'　or　　'Bob；'　the　important　psychological　fact　would　have　been　　faithfully　registered。　　As　to　the　theme　of　the　discourse；　　that　had　nothing　to　do　with　…　millinery。　　And　Mr。　Bain　　doubtless　did　not　overlook　the　fact。

Owen　was　an　accomplished　lecturer；　but　one's　attention　to　him　　depended　on　two　things　…　a　primary　interest　in　the　subject；　　and　some　elementary　acquaintance　with　it。　　If；　for　example；　　his　subject　were　the　comparative　anatomy　of　the　cycloid　and　　ganoid　fishes；　the　difference　in　their　scales　was　scarcely　of　　vital　importance　to　one's　general　culture。　　But　if　he　were　　lecturing　on　fish；　he　would　stick　to　fish；　it　would　be　　essentially　a　JOUR　MAIGRE。

With　Huxley；　the　suggestion　was　worth　more　than　the　thing　　said。　　One　thought　of　it　afterwards；　and　wondered　whether　his　　words　implied　all　they　seemed　to　imply。　　One　knew　that　the　　scientist　was　also　a　philosopher；　and　one　longed　to　get　at　　him；　at　the　man　himself；　and　listen　to　the　lessons　which　his　　work　had　taught　him。　　At　one　of　these　lectures　I　had　the　　honour　of　being　introduced　to　him　by　a　great　friend　of　mine；　　John　Marshall；　then　President　of　the　College　of　Surgeons。　　In　　later　years　I　used　to　meet　him　constantly　at　the　Athenaeum。

Looking　back　to　the　days　of　one's　plasticity；　two　men　are　　pre…eminent　among　my　Dii　Majores。　　To　John　Stuart　Mill　and　to　　Thomas　Huxley　I　owe　more；　educationally；　than　to　any　other　　teachers。　　Mill's　logic　was　simply　a　revelation　to　me。　　For　　what　Kant　calls　'discipline；'　I　still　know　no　book；　unless　it　　be　the　'Critique'　itself；　equal　to　it。　　But　perhaps　it　is　the　　men　themselves；　their　earnestness；　their　splendid　courage；　　their　noble　simplicity；　that　most　inspired　one　with　　reverence。　　It　was　Huxley's　aim　to　enlighten　the　many；　and　he　　enlightened　them。　　It　was　Mill's　lot　to　help　thinkers；　and　he　　helped　them。　　SAPERE　AUDE　was　the　motto　of　both。　　How　few　　there　are　who　dare　to　adopt　it！　　To　love　truth　is　valiantly　　professed　by　all；　but　to　pursue　it　at　all　costs；　to　'dare　to　　be　wise'　needs　daring　of　the　highest　order。

Mill　had　the　enormous　advantage；　to　start　with；　of　an　　education　unbiassed　by　any　theological　creed；　and　he　brought　　exceptional　powers　of　abstract　reasoning　to　bear　upon　matters　　of　permanent　and　supreme　importance　to　all　men。　　Yet；　in　　spite　of　his　ruthless　impartiality；　I　should　not　hesitate　to　　call　him　a　religious　man。　　This　very　tendency　which　no　　imaginative　mind；　no　man　or　woman　with　any　strain　of　poetical　　feeling；　can　be　without；　invests　Mill's　character　with　a　　clash　of　humanity　which　entitles　him　to　a　place　in　our　　affections。　　It　is　in　this　respect　that　he　so　widely　differs　　from　Mr。　Herbert　Spencer。　　Courageous　Mr。　Spencer　was；　but　　his　courage　seems　to　have　been　due　almost　as　much　to　absence　　of　sympathy　or　kinship　with　his　fellow…creatures；　and　to　his　　contempt　of　their　opinions；　as　from　his　dispassionate　love　of　　truth；　or　his　sometimes　passionate　defence　of　his　own　tenets。

My　friend　Napier　told　me　an　amusing　little　story　about　John　　Mill　when　he　was　in　the　East　India　Company's　administration。　　　Mr。　Macvey　Napier；　my　friend's　elder　brother；　was　the　senior　　clerk。　　On　John　Mill's　retirement；　his　co…officials　　subscribed　to　present　him　with　a　silver　standish。　　Such　was　　the　general　sense　of　Mill's　modest　estimate　of　his　own　　deserts；　and　of　his　aversion　to　all　acknowledgment　of　them；　　that　Mr。　Napier；　though　it　fell　to　his　lot；　begged　others　to　　join　in　the　ceremony　of　presentation。　　All　declined；　the　　inkstand　was　left　upon　Mill's　table　when　he　himself　was　out　　of　the　room。

Years　after　the　time　of　which　I　am　writing；　when　Mill　stood　　for　Westminster；　I　had　the　good　fortune　to　be　on　the　platform　　at　St。　James's　Hall；　next　but　one　to　him；　when　he　made　his　　first　speech　to　the　electors。　　He　was　completely　unknown　to　　the　public；　and；　though　I　worshipped　the　man；　I　had　never　　seen　him；　nor　had　an　idea　what　he　looked　like。　　To　satisfy　my　　curiosity　I　tried　to　get　a　portrait　of　him　at　the　　photographic　shop　in　Regent　Street。

'I　want　a　photograph　of　Mr。　Mill。'

'Mill？　　Mill？'　repeated　the　shopman；　'Oh　yes；　sir；　I　know　…　a　　great　sporting　gent；'　and　he　produced　the　portrait　of　a　　sportsman　in　top　boots　and　a　hunting　cap。

Very　different　from　this　was　the　figure　I　then　saw。　　The　hall　　and　the　platform　were　crowded。　　Where　was　the　principal　　personage？　　Presently；　quite　alone；　up　the　side　steps；　and　　unobserved；　came　a　thin　but　tallish　man　in　black；　with　a　tail　　coat；　and；　almost　unrecognised；　took　the　vacant　front　seat。　　　He　might　have　been；　so　far　as　dress　went；　a　clerk　in　a　　counting…house；　or　an　undertaker。　　But　the　face　was　no　　ordinary　one。　　The　wide　brow；　the　sharp　nose　of　the　Burke　　type；　the　compressed　lips　and　strong　chin；　were　suggestive　of　　intellect　and　of　suppressed　emotion。　　There　was　no　applause；　　for　nothing　was　known　to　the　crowd；　even　of　his　opinions；　　beyond　the　fact　that　he　was　the　Liberal　candidate　for　　Westminster。　　He　spoke　with　perfect　ease　to　himself；　never　　faltering　for　the　right　word；　which　seemed　to　be　always　at　　his　command。　　If　interrupted　by　questions；　as　he　constantly　　was；　his　answers　could　not　have　been　amended　had　he　written　　them。　　His　voice　was　not　strong；　and　there　were　frequent　　calls　from　the　far　end　to　'speak　up；　speak　up；　we　can't　hear　　you。'　　He　did　not　raise　his　pitch　a　note。　　They　might　as　well　　have　tried　to　bully　an　automaton。　　He　was　doing　his　best；　and　　he　could　do　no　more。　　Then；　when；　instead　of　the　usual　　adulations；　instead　of　declamatory　appeals　to　the　passions　of　　a　large　and　a　mixed　assembly；　he　gave　them　to　understand；　in　　very　plain　language；　that　even　socialists　are　not　infallible；　　…　that　extreme　and　violent　opinions；　begotten　of　ignorance；　　do　not　constitute　the　highest　political　wisdom；　then　there　　were　murmurs　of　dissent　and　disapproval。　　But　if　the　ignorant　　and　the　violent　could　have　stoned　him；　his　calm　manner　would　　still　have　said；　'Strike；　but　hear　me。'

Mr。　Robert　Grosvenor　…　the　present　Lord　Ebury　…　then　the　　other　Liberal　member　for　Westminster；　wrote　to　ask　me　to　take　　the　chair　at　Mill's　first　introduction　to　the　Pimlico　　electors。　　Such；　however；　was　my　admiration　of　Mill；　I　did　　not　feel　sure　that　I　might　not　say　too　much　in　his　favour；　　and　mindful　of　the　standish　incident；　I　knew；　that　if　I　did　　so；　it　would　embarrass　and　annoy　him。

Under　these　circumstances　I　declined　the　honour。

When　Owen　was　delivering　a　course　of　lectures　at　Norwich；　my　　brother　invited　him　to　Holkham。　　I　was　there；　and　we　took　　several　long　walks　together。　　Nothing　seemed　to　escape　his　　observation。　　My　brother　had　just　completed　the　recovery　of　　many　hundred　acres　of　tidal　marsh　by　embankments。　　Owen；　who　　was　greatly　interested；　explained　what　would　be　the　effect　　upon　the　sandiest　portion　of　this；　in　years　to　come；　what　the　　chemical　action　of　the　rain　would　be；　how　the　sand　would　　eventually　become　soil；　how　vegetation　would　cover　it；　and　　how　manure　render　it　cultivable。　　The　splendid　crops　now　　grown　there　bear　testimony　to　his　foresight。　　He　had　always　　something　instructive　to　impart；　stopping　to　contemplate　　trifles　which　only　a　Zadig　would　have　noticed。

'I　observe；'　said　he　one　day；　'that　your　prevailing　wind　here　　is　north…west。'

'How　do　you　know？'　I　asked。

'Look　at　the　roots　of　all　these　trees；　the　large　roots　are　　invariably　on　the　north…west　side。　　This　means　that　the　　strain　comes　on　this　side。　　The　roots　which　have　to　bear　it　　loosen　the　soil；　and　the　loosened　soil　favours　the　extension　　and　the　growth　of　the　roots。　　Nature　is　beautifully　　scientific。'

Some　years　after　this；　I　published　a　book　called　'Creeds　of　　the　Day。'　　My　purpose　was　to　show；　in　a　popular　form；　the　　b