Volume Ii Part 48 (1/2)
Down, November 19th, 1881.
I saw in some paper that there would probably be a subscription to pay Dr. Ferrier's legal expenses in the late absurd and wicked prosecution.
As I live so retired I might not hear of the subscription, and I should regret beyond measure not to have the pleasure and honour of showing my sympathy [with] and admiration of Dr. Ferrier's researches. I know that you are his friend, as I once met him at your house; so I earnestly beg you to let me hear if there is any means of subscribing, as I should much like to be an early subscriber. I am sure that you will forgive me for troubling you under these circ.u.mstances.
P.S.--I finished reading a few days ago the several physiological and medical papers which you were so kind as to send me. (769/3. Some of Lauder Brunton's publications.) I was much interested by several of them, especially by that on night-sweating, and almost more by others on digestion. I have seldom been made to realise more vividly the wondrous complexity of our whole system. How any one of us keeps alive for a day is a marvel!
LETTER 770. T. LAUDER BRUNTON TO CHARLES DARWIN. 50, Welbeck Street, London, November 21st, 1881.
I thank you most sincerely for your kind letter and your offer of a.s.sistance to Dr. Ferrier. There is at present no subscription list, as the British Medical a.s.sociation have taken up the case, and ought to pay the expenses. Should these make such a call upon the funds of the a.s.sociation as to interfere with its other objects, the whole or part of the expenses will be paid by those who have subscribed to a guarantee fund. To this fund there are already a number of subscribers, whose names are taken by Professor Gerald Yeo, one of the secretaries of the Physiological Society. They have not subscribed a definite sum, but have simply fixed a maximum which they will subscribe, if necessary, on the understanding that only so much as is required shall be asked from each subscriber in proportion to his subscription. It is proposed to send by-and-by a list of the most prominent members of this guarantee fund to the ”Times” and other papers, and not only every scientific man, but every member of the medical profession, will rejoice to see your name in the list. Dr. Ferrier has been quite worn out by the worry of this prosecution, or, as it might well be called, persecution, and has gone down to Shanklin for a couple of days. He returns this afternoon, and I have sent on your letter to await his arrival, knowing as I do that it will be to him like cold water to a thirsty soul.
LETTER 771. TO T. LAUDER BRUNTON. Down, November 22nd, 1881.
Many thanks for your very kind and interesting letter...
I write now to beg a favour. I do not in the least know what others have guaranteed in relation to Dr. Ferrier. (771/1. In a letter dated November 27th, 1881, Sir Lauder Brunton wrote in reply to Mr. Darwin's inquiry as to the amount of the subscriptions: ”When I ascertain what they intend to give under the new conditions--viz., that the subscriptions are not to be applied to Ferrier's defence, but to the defence of others who may be attacked and to a diffusion of knowledge regarding the nature and purposes of vivisection, I will let you know...”) Would twenty guineas be sufficient? If not, will you kindly take the trouble to have my name put down for thirty or forty guineas, as you may think best. If, on the other hand, no one else has guaranteed for as much as twenty guineas, will you put me down for ten or fifteen guineas, though I should like to give twenty best.
You can understand that I do not wish to be conspicuous either by too little or too much; so I beg you to be so very kind as to act for me. I have a mult.i.tude of letters which I must answer, so excuse haste.
LETTER 772. TO T. LAUDER BRUNTON.
(772/1. The following letter was written in reply to Sir T. Lauder Brunton's suggestion that Mr. Darwin should be proposed as President of the Science Defence a.s.sociation.)
4, Bryanston Street, Portman Square, December 17th, 1881.
I have been thinking a good deal about the suggestion which you made to me the other day, on the supposition that you could not get some man like the President of the College of Physicians to accept the office. My wife is strongly opposed to my accepting the office, as she feels sure that the anxiety thus caused would tell heavily on my health. But there is a much stronger objection suggested to me by one of my relations--namely, no man ought to allow himself to be placed at the head (though only nominally so) of an a.s.sociated movement, unless he has the means of judging of the acts performed by the a.s.sociation, after hearing each point discussed. This occurred to me when you spoke to me, and I think that I said something to this effect. Anyhow, I have in several a.n.a.logous cases acted on this principle.
Take, for instance, any preliminary statement which the a.s.sociation may publish. I might feel grave doubts about the wisdom or justice of some points, and this solely from my not having heard them discussed. I am therefore inclined to think that it would not be right in me to accept the nominal Presidency of your a.s.sociation, and thus have to act blindly.
As far as I can at present see, I fear that I must confine my a.s.sistance to subscribing as large a sum to the a.s.sociation as any member gives.
I am sorry to trouble you, but I have thought it best to tell you at once of the doubts which have arisen in my mind.
LETTER 773. TO LAUDER BRUNTON.
(773/1. Sir T. Lauder Brunton had written (February 12th) to Mr. Darwin explaining that two opinions were held as to the const.i.tution of the proposed Science Defence a.s.sociation: one that it should consist of a small number of representative men; the other that it should, if possible, embrace every medical pract.i.tioner in the country. Sir Lauder Brunton adds: ”I should be very greatly obliged if you would kindly say what you think of the two schemes.”)
Down, February 14th, 1882.
I am very much obliged for your information in regard to the a.s.sociation, about which I feel a great interest. It seems to me highly desirable that the a.s.sociation should include as many medical and scientific men as possible throughout the whole country, who could illumine those capable of illumination on the necessity of physiological research; but that the a.s.sociation should be governed by a council of powerful men, not too many in number. Such a council, as representing a large body of medical men, would have more power in the eyes of vote-hunting politicians than a small body representing only themselves.
From what I see of country pract.i.tioners, I think that their annual subscription ought to be very small. But would it not be possible to add to the rules some such statement as the following one: ”That by a donation of... pounds, or of any larger sum, from those who feel a deep interest in the progress of medical science, the donor shall become a life member.” I, for one, would gladly subscribe 50 or 100 pounds. If such a plan were approved by the leading medical men of London, two or three thousand pounds might at once be collected; and if any such sum could be announced as already subscribed, when the program of the a.s.sociation is put forth, it would have, as I believe, a considerable influence on the country, and would attract the attention of country pract.i.tioners. The Anti-Corn Law League owed much of its enormous power to several wealthy men laying down 1,000 pounds; for the subscription of a good sum of money is the best proof of earnest conviction. You asked for my opinion on the above points, and I have given it freely, though well aware that from living so retired a life my judgment cannot be worth much.
Have you read Mr. Gurney's articles in the ”Fortnightly” and ”Cornhill?”
(773/2. ”Fortnightly Review,” x.x.x., page 778; ”Cornhill Magazine,” XLV., page 191. The articles are by the late Edmund Gurney, author of ”The power of Sound,” 1880.) They seem to me very clever, though obscurely written; and I agree with almost everything he says, except with some pa.s.sages which appear to imply that no experiments should be tried unless some immediate good can be predicted, and this is a gigantic mistake contradicted by the whole history of science.