My dear Hooker

I am sorry to hear that you did not get my note in time the other day. The Post office people assured me you would have it before 1.30 or 2. P.M and I imagine you were not likely to leave Kew before that time.

I wish you had been at the Anniversary Meeting & Dinner,² because the latter was very pleasant & the former, to me, very disagreeable   My distrust of Sabine³ is as you know, chronic—: and I went determined to keep careful watch on his address—lest some crafty phrase injurious to Darwin should be introduced—⁴ My suspicions were justified— The only part of the address to Darwin written by Sabine himself⁵ containing the following passage

“Speaking generally and collectively we have expressly omitted it (Darwins theory) from the grounds of our award”⁶

Of course this would be interpreted by every body as meaning that after due discussion the council had formally resolved not only to exclude Darwins theory from the grounds of the award but to give public notice through the President that they had done so—and furthermore that Darwins friends had been base enough to accept an honour for him on the understanding that in receiving it he should be publicly insulted—!

I felt that this would never do, and therefore when the resolution for printing the address was moved—I made a speech which I took care to keep perfectly cool & temperate, disavowing all intention of interfering with the liberty of the President to say what he pleased—but exercising my constitutional right of requiring the minutes of council making the award to be read⁷—in order that the Society might be informed whether the conditions implied by Sabine had been imposed or not—

The resolution was read & of course nothing of the kind appeared⁸

Sabine didn’t exactly like it I believe   Both Busk & Falconer protested against the passage to him⁹—and I hope it will be withdrawn when the address is printed¹⁰

If not there will be an awful row—and I for one will shew that old fox no mercy.

Ever yours faithfully | T. H. Huxley