ABSTRACT

Sir John Lubbock stepped down as President of the Anthropological Institute at the beginning of 1873. 1 His fellow X-Clubber George Busk, succeeded him, apparently going back on some form of understanding that he would be followed by a former member of the Anthropological Society. 2 Burton remained on the Council, and the atmosphere was toxic, as an undated letter from Ellen Lubbock to Emma Darwin makes clear:

Yesterday I was at the Busks, and Mr Busk was groaning and lamenting over his Presidency of the Anthro – (I never can spell the horrid word) Society – the name irritates him, as it does John, and it isn't the right one. We never wanted to be merged and swallowed whole in and by this mushroom society with no good men in it …. 3