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stopped me； and heaped coals of fire on my head by telling me that
he had tried to get me one of the resident appointments； much
coveted by the assistant surgeons； but that the Admiralty had put
in another man。 〃However；〃 said he； 〃I mean to keep you here till
I can get you something you will like；〃 and turned upon his heel
without waiting for the thanks I stammered out。 That explained how
it was I had not been packed off to the West Coast of Africa like
some of my juniors； and why； eventually； I remained altogether
seven months at Haslar。
After a long interval； during which 〃Old John〃 ignored my existence
almost as completely as before； he stopped me again as we met in a
casual way； and describing the service on which the Rattlesnake was
likely to be employed； said that Captain Owen Stanley； who was to
command the ship； had asked him to recommend an assistant surgeon
who knew something of science； would I like that？ Of course I
jumped at the offer。 〃Very well； I give you leave； go to London at
once and see Captain Stanley。〃 I went； saw my future commander；
who was very civil to me； and promised to ask that I should be
appointed to his ship； as in due time I was。 It is a singular
thing that； during the few months of my stay at Haslar； I had among
my messmates two future Directors…General of the Medical Service of
the Navy （Sir Alexander Armstrong and Sir John Watt…Reid）； with the
present President of the College of Physicians and my kindest of
doctors； Sir Andrew Clark。
Life on board Her Majesty's ship in those days was a very different
affair from what it is now； and ours was exceptionally rough； as we
were often many months without receiving letters or seeing any
civilised people but ourselves。 In exchange； we had the interest
of being about the last voyagers； I suppose； to whom it could be
possible to meet with people who knew nothing of fire…armsas we
did on the south coast of New Guineaand of making acquaintance
with a variety of interesting savage and semi…civilised people。
But； apart from experience of this kind and the opportunities
offered for scientific work； to me； personally； the cruise was
extremely valuable。 It was good for me to live under sharp
discipline； to be down on the realities of existence by living on
bare necessaries； to find out how extremely well worth living life
seemed to be when one woke up from a night's rest on a soft plank；
with the sky for canopy and cocoa and weevilly biscuit the sole
prospect for breakfast； and； more especially； to learn to work for
the sake of what I got for myself out of it； even if it all went to
the bottom and I along with it。 My brother officers were as good
fellows as sailors ought to be and generally are； but； naturally；
they neither knew nor cared anything about my pursuits； nor
understood why I should be so zealous in pursuit of the objects
which my friends； the middies；＇10＇ christened 〃Buffons；〃 after the
title conspicuous on a volume of the Suites a Buffon；＇11＇ which
stood on my shelf in the chart room。
During the four years of our absence； I sent home communication
after communication to the 〃Linnean Society；〃＇12＇ with the same
result as that obtained by Noah when he sent the raven out of his ark。
Tired at last of hearing nothing about them； I determined to do or
die； and in 1849 I drew up a more elaborate paper and forwarded it
to the Royal Society。＇13＇ This was my dove； if I had only known it。
But owing to the movements of the ship； I heard nothing of that
either until my return to England in the latter end of the year
1850； when I found that it was printed and published； and that a
huge packet of separate copies awaited me。 When I hear some of my
young friends complain of want of sympathy and encouragement； I am
inclined to think that my naval life was not the least valuable
part of my education。
Three years after my return were occupied by a battle between my
scientific friends on the one hand and the Admiralty on the other；
as to whether the latter ought； or ought not； to act up to the
spirit of a pledge they had given to encourage officers who had
done scientific work by contributing to the expense of publishing
mine。 At last the Admiralty； getting tired； I suppose； cut short
the discussion by ordering me to join a ship； which thing I
declined to do； and as Rastignac；＇14＇ in the Pere Goriot ＇15＇ says
to Paris； I said to London 〃a nous deux。〃 I desired to obtain a
Professorship of either Physiology or Comparative Anatomy； and as
vacancies occurred I applied； but in vain。 My friend； Professor
Tyndall；＇16＇ and I were candidates at the same time； he for the Chair
of Physics and I for that of Natural History in the University of
Toronto； which； fortunately； as it turned out； would not look at
either of us。 I say fortunately； not from any lack of respect for
Toronto； but because I soon made up my mind that London was the
place for me； and hence I have steadily declined the inducements to
leave it； which have at various times been offered。 At last； in
1854； on the translation of my warm friend Edward Forbes； to
Edinburgh； Sir Henry de la Beche； the Director…General of the
Geological Survey； offered me the post Forbes vacated of
Paleontologist and Lecturer on Natural History。 I refused the
former point blank； and accepted the latter only provisionally；
telling Sir Henry that I did not care for fossils； and that I
should give up Natural History as soon as I could get a
physiological post。 But I held the office for thirty…one years；
and a large part of my work has been paleontological。
At that time I disliked public speaking； and had a firm conviction
that I should break down every time I opened my mouth。 I believe I
had every fault a speaker could have （except talking at random or
indulging in rhetoric）； when I spoke to the first important
audience I ever addressed； on a Friday evening at the Royal
Institution； in 1852。 Yet； I must confess to having been guilty；
malgre moi； of as much public speaking as most of my
contemporaries； and for the last ten years it ceased to be so much
of a bugbear to me。 I used to pity myself for having to go through
this training； but I am now more disposed to compassionate the
unfortunate audiences； especially my ever friendly hearers at the
Royal Institution； who were the subjects of my oratorical
experiments。
The last thing that it would be proper for me to do would be to
speak of the work of my life； or to say at the end of the day
whether I think I have earned my wages or not。 Men are said to be
partial judges of themselves。 Young men may be； I doubt if old men
are。 Life seems terribly foreshortened as they look back and the
mountain they set themselves to climb in youth turns out to be a
mere spur of immeasurably higher ranges when； by failing breath；
they reach the top。 But if I may speak of the objects I have had
more or less definitely in view since I began the