says, "the
spectacle of a man who had given up the cherished purpose of his life
. . . would, before long years were over our heads, be infinitely more
painful." He declares that he is hemmed in by all sorts of difficulties.
"Nevertheless the path has shown itself a fair one, neither more
difficult nor less so than most paths in life in which a man of energy
may hope to do much if he believes in himself, and is at peace within."
Thus relieved in mind, he makes his decision in spite of adverse fate.
"My course of life is taken, I will not leave London--I WILL make myself
a name and a position as well as an income by some kind of pursuit
connected with science which is the thing for which Nature has fitted me
if she has ever fitted any one for anything."

But suddenly the long wait, the faith in self, were justified, and the
turning point came. "There is always a Cape Horn in one's life that
one either weathers or wrecks one's self on," he writes to his sister.
"Thank God, I think I may say I have weathered mine--not without a good
deal of damage to spars and rigging though, for it blew deuced hard on
the other side." In 1854 a permanent lectureship was offered him at the
Government School of Mines; also, a lectureship at St. Thomas' Hospital;
and he was asked to give various other lecture courses. He thus found
himself able to establish the home for which he had waited eight years.
In July, 1855, he was married to Miss Heathorn.

The succeeding years from 1855 to 1860 were filled with various kinds
of work connected with science: original investigation, printing of
monographs, and establishing of natural history museums. His advice
concerning local museums is interesting and characteristically
expressed. "It [the local museum if properly arranged] will tell both
natives and strangers exactly what they want to know, and possess great
scientific interest and importance. Whereas the ordinary lumber-room
of clubs from New Zealand, Hindu idols, sharks' teeth, mangy monkeys,
scorpions, and conch shells--who shall describe the weary inutility of
it? It is really worse than nothing, because it leads the unwary to look
for objects of science elsewhere than under their noses. What they want
to know is that their 'America is here,' as Wilhelm Meister has it."
During this period, also, he began his lectures to workingmen, calling
them Peoples' Lectures. "POPULAR lectures," he said, "I hold to be an
abomination unto the Lord." Work