Sir D'Arcy Thompson Oxford

Abstract

ON June 28, Sir D'Arcy Thompson, professor of natural history in the University of St. Andrews, was awarded the honorary degree of doctor of civil law by the University of Oxford. In presenting him to the vice-chancellor, the public orator (Mr. T. F. Higham) said that science and the classics each claim Sir D'Arcy as their own: as doctor of civil law, Sir D'Arcy will himself now be empowered to settle their rival claims. Mr. Higham also stressed the point that Sir D'Arcy has achieved the distinction, never more to be rivalled, of having been for no less than sixty years a professor. On the evening of the same day, Sir D'Arcy was the guest at a dinner party at which the announcement was made of a presentation volume of essays written in his honour, to be published very shortly by the Clarendon Press. Apart from contributors to the volume, there were present the vice-chancellor, Sir David Ross, Prof. E. S. Goodrich, Sir Henry Tizard, Prof. A. C. Dixon and Mr. Kenneth Sisam; and telegrams of congratulation received from many parts of the world were read.