a man like Huxley who looked upon the history of the world
and man's place in the world with a keen scientific mind. Added to this
scientific bent of mind, moreover, Huxley had a deep appreciation for
the picturesque in nature and life. Bits of description indicate
his enjoyment in this vacation. He writes of his entrance to the
Mediterranean, "It was a lovely morning, and nothing could be grander
than Ape Hill on one side and the Rock on the other, looking like great
lions or sphinxes on each side of a gateway." In Cairo, Huxley found
much to interest him in archaeology, geology, and the every-day life of
the streets. At the end of a month, he writes that he is very well and
very grateful to Old Nile for all that he has done for him, not the
least "for a whole universe of new thoughts and pictures of life." The
trip, however, did no lasting good. In 1873 Huxley was again very ill,
but was under such heavy costs at this time that another vacation was
impossible. At this moment, a critical one in his life, some of his
close scientific friends placed to his credit twenty-one hundred pounds
to enable him to take the much needed rest. Darwin wrote to Huxley
concerning the gift: "In doing this we are convinced that we act for the
public interest." He assured Huxley that the friends who gave this felt
toward him as a brother. "I am sure that you will return this feeling
and will therefore be glad to give us the opportunity of aiding you in
some degree, as this will be a happiness to us to the last day of
our lives." The gift made it possible for Huxley to take another long
vacation, part of which was spent with Sir Joseph Hooker, a noted
English botanist, visiting the volcanoes of Auvergne. After this trip
he steadily improved in health, with no other serious illness for ten
years.

In 1876 Huxley was invited to visit America and to deliver the inaugural
address at Johns Hopkins University. In July of this year accordingly,
in company with his wife, he crossed to New York. Everywhere Huxley
was received with enthusiasm, for his name was a very familiar one. Two
quotations from his address at Johns Hopkins are especially worthy of
attention as a part of his message to Americans. "It has been my fate to
see great educational funds fossilise into mere bricks and mortar in the
petrifying springs of architecture, with nothing left to work them.
A great warrior is said to have made a desert and called it peace.
Trustees have somet