Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1876-09-07
PROF. HUXLEY.
His Address to the American Scientific
Association.

/
Prof. Huxley addressed the Ameri-
can Scientific Association at its an
nual meeting in Buffalo, N. Y. The
audience was very large and enthusi-
astic. Prof. Huxley replied to the
remarks Of welcome. substantially as
follows: .s-sf-. ---e.,rs 'i'.
Permit me in the first place to Of
fer you my most hearty thanks for
this, Iwouli not say unexpected well
come, because everywhere since I
landed in America it has been Of this
kind; but for this very cordial and
hearty welcome. You win forgive
me If my phraseology is inadequate,
for l have always thought it the high
est eloquence to condense whatever
there is to be said in the fewest
words. I have been told that 1t would
be gratifying to you to have me say
something. but emotion will make my
speaking a difficult task. Also, L
have no scientific matter to commu-
nicate, and am unprepared. Since
my arrival I have discovered that the
special instinct Of curiosity is alto
gether developed here. 1 experienced
it almost Immediately on my arrival
in being interviewed by two active
and intelligent representatives OF
your press, who put to me series of
inquiries OF the deepest and most pro-
found interest, each Of which would
require q treatise in reply; and I am
afraid / had to dismiss them with
scant courtesy. 1t may satisfy their
curiosity II I state briefly some Of my
general impressions Of this country.
@Since my arrival I have learned a
great many things-more. I think,
than ever before In an equal space of
time in my life. In Hngland we have
always taken a lively interest in
America; but 1 think no Englishman
who has not had the good Torture to
visit Amertca has any real conception
OF the activity OF the population. the
enormous distances which separate
the great centres: and least Of all do
! Englishmen understand how identi-
cal is the great basis Of character on
both sides Of the Atlantic. An Eng
lishman with whom have been talk
ing since my arrival says II can not
find that I am abroad The great
features Of your country are all such
as 1 am familiar with In parts Of Eng
land and Scotland. Your beautiful
Hudson reminds me Of Scotch lake.
The marks OF glaciation in your hills
remind me Of those In Scottish high
lands.
Il had heard OF the degeneration OF
your stock from the English type. 1
have not perceived 1t. Some years
ago one OF your most distinguished
men Of letters, equally loved and ad-
mired in England and America, ex-
pressed oan opinion which touched
English feeling somewhat keenlytI
that there was q difference betwesnl
your women and ours after reaching
a certain age. He said our English
women were 1beefy.,, q That is his
word, not mine. Well. / have studied
tbs, aspect of the people, that / have
met here in steamboats, and railway
carriages. and I meet with just the
same faces, the main difference as to
the men being in the way OF shaving.
Though I should be sorry to use the
word which Hawthorne did, yet In
respect to stature for fine, portly
women, I think the average here full
ly as great as on the other side. Some
people talk of the injurious influence
OF climate. I have seen no trace OF
the North American type, fodl
have among you the virtue, which H.
most notable among the savsges. that
Of hospitality, You take us to a
bountifnl- dinnar,-and are not quite
satisfied unless we take away with US
the plates and spoons. Another fea4
ture has impressed itself upon me.
! have visited some ofyour great uni
versiies, and meet men as well
known In the Old World as in the
New Lind certain differences here.
The English universities are the prod
uct Of Government yours Of private
munifeence. 0oThat among US Is al
most unknown. The general action
of an Englishman when he gets riph
is to found an estate and benefit his
family. The general notion Of an
American when fortunate IL to do
something for the good of the people.
and from which benefits shall con-
tinue to flow. The latter is the nobler
ambition.
at Is popu.arly said abroad that
you have no antiquities In America
II you talk about the trumpery OF
three or four thousand years, of his
tory, 1t is true. But, In the large |
sense, as referring to times before
man, made his momentary appear
ance, america is the place to study
the antiquities Of the globe. The
reality OF the enormous amount of
material here has far surpassed my
anticipation. have studied the COL
lection gathered by Prof, March at
New Haven. There is, none like it In |
Europe. not only in extent OF time
covered, but by reason OF its bearing
on the problem OF evolution. Where
as, before this collection was made.
evolution was a matter Of speculative
reasoning, it is now q matter OF fact
and history, as much as the fhonu-d
ments of Egypt. In that collection
are the facts OF the succession of
forms and the history OF their eevolu.
ton. All that now remains to 30
asked is, how? and that is subor.
question. With such mat
ters as this before my mind. you will
excuse me if cannot find thoughts
appropriate to this occasion. / would