Page:Pioneer work in opening the medical profession to women - autobiographical sketches (IA b28145227).pdf/261

 remark by far was made by Holyoake, who, returning from a secularist meeting of Bristol working men, was at once accosted by our host: 'Now, Holyoake, pray let us have your famous demonstration of the non-existence of a God.' Mr. Holyoake accepted the demand, and thought for some time in a profound silence; then, with a puzzled face, he suddenly burst out: 'Upon my word, Bicknell, I have really quite forgotten it!'

Mr. Kingsley once said to me, pointing to Holyoake: 'That man, many years ago, I put into prison for blasphemy; now I am begging him to come down and visit me at Eversley!' Our breakfast of all the religions as an active contest was a failure. The hostile forces met together, but, instead of fighting, they fraternised!

It was during this visit to Bristol in 1869 that the curious experience, already referred to on page 4, occurred, when I visited the house where my early childhood was spent.

On settling in London as a physician, I resided for some time with my valued friend Barbara Leigh Smith, then Madame Bodichon, at whose house in Blandford Square I met her wide and varied circle of literary and artistic friends and many leaders of social reform. Herbert Spencer, Dante Rossetti, Mrs. Lewes, the Peter Taylors, Mrs. Crawshay, Miss Goldsmid, Miss Cobbe, and Keshub Chunder Sen represent a few of the persons I was privileged to meet.

At this time I had engaged medical consultation