New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-07
MR.. HUXLEY,S IDEALS.

Mr.. HUxLEY'S IDEALS.
AN INQUIRY RESPECTING THE RESULT TO WHICH
THEY HAVE LED HIM.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
sir: 1t is rather singular that az. W. ST. who IS
coifessedly critic Of no mean rank both rs 10 mat
ter and manner should in his recent letters upon MI
Huxley have omitted that particular feature IN MI
Huxley's mental makeup which gives the charac
teristlc value to his Ideals and methods "G. W. 81
deals somewhat at length with the now celebrated
controversy between Mr. Huxley and Professor waco
rs well as Mr. Gladstone have no desire TO toucn
upon the merits OF that question. Your correspon
dent has taken brief for Mr. Huxley. To his nina
there is but side to this controversy. II does not
require over much familiarity With the literature OF
the subject to discover that many agree with "G W.
s. as to their being but one side. but disagree WIFI
him to which that side Is.
As Imatter OF fact there are two sides SO far as
sc W. So pleads his case, he pleads II as he always
does. lie pleads It well. As careful ana ]udiciouS
criticism, however, it needs experimenting IL Is no
particular praise to say OF Mr. Huxley that ne mas
~courageu: that he has perfect sincerity: or even
that he has "unnncng fidelity to Truth and to his own
IDEAL Nor does his honest THINKING or his "in-
tellectl energy, particularly diferentate Mr.. Hulk
lev from the rest. Courage, sincerity, fidelity I'd
truth in the abstract unGinchng fidelity to ones own
ideal are by means rare factors at least III INC
| religious world. Luther and Ioyola had them. Inc
very Apostles, whom MI. Huxley patrohkes' mas "o'
Falslty. well as truth; error, as wei Us accuracy
! have had their martyrs.
II IS interesting of course, but it Is by no means
final to be told that Mr. Huxley Is all that g. W. s.
afirms. Nor is it particularly important whether IN
this or that ones estimation, Professor waco or Mr
! Gladstone or Mr. Huxley IS downed in contro-
vcrsy. which ends nowhere except in the glee OF
assumed champions. But 1t would be OF The utmost
volue 70 have careful though friendly critics es-
innate Of the net results OF Mr. Iuxeys courage and
perfect sincerity applied, not to Professor "ace p'
70 Mr. Huxley himself. lie has given US Mr.. lux
ley's salient mental and literary qualities. lit mas
STAMPED short of testing the value OF Mr.. fiuxleyS
methods and ideals by giving their chects upon ms
deeper convictions. Why not have done this II
is true in science as well religion, in the natural
~ well as in the spiritual world, that by their fruits
ye shall know them"
We have for the last 800 years been testing the
value OF the spiritual supernatural methois as eA-
hibited in the life and teachings OF Our LORD Prac-
tically they have been mixed with much error But
on the whole they work and survive to-day, BECAUSE
in all the complexities Of actual existence they are
| best fitted to Ontve all true devatlons from Hhl
who is the Lord Of life. But what are the coniesseu
fruits OF Mr.. HuXley's life and teachingsF MI huN-
lev's courage sincerity, fidelity to his ideal, honest
thinking and Intellectual energy arc common 10
| thousands who hold 10 the supernatural as well as
"a those who hold exclusively to the natural what
ever difference in irutage IS dlscernibh must there
for, be due directly TO the IDEAL itself TO wmch one
| is true 1t IS well that Mr. Huxley Is all that nc
is but especially helpful that he Is 50 faithful 10 his
| ideal A fool or an ignoramus, or a schemer or a
,caInc might be so false his IDEAL as to give us no
valid ,ght to hold his ideal responsible for its seeming
nc,ults Hut with Mr.. Huxley II is not So We grant
that he is unninchincly faithful to his own IDEAL.
What then are the fruits | do not OF course,
speak Of Mr.. IIuxeys private iife nave no can
10 bring It into account. In fact, know aosoiues
nothing OF it. 1t is his own, and not the puohc
uosses-ion. refer wholly TO that deeper, more char'
actcristic life Of thought, feeling and faith, which he
I himself has made public. These are his words OF
n mart OF them: know study which Is so uh'
torolv soddeninc As that Of the evolution Of human
Itv a. It Is set forth in the annals OF history g
had. and have. The finest conviction thal h'Nc'
left the .vcace VIA the straight road and that this
road led no. mere else but the dark depths Of
a wild aud tangled forest. And though nave io"n'
l,orslris and lions in the path; though have Llauc
abundant acquaintance with the hungry VOL
and though no friendly spectre has ever offered his
| guidance was ard am minded to go straight Oh
until I either come out on the other side OF the
wood lind there Is no other sac 10 H. AT ie" "'"
aitainsbc TO me-
IN. annals OF the world reduced to unutterablc
sadness The lesson OF existence lost In hopeless
tande Of distriISt and doubt Mr.. lIuNey'S results
AR in 40 logical due 10 his courng', his SIN
certify or nnnnchng fidelity to truth. But they are
|
hts ideals lie l. on Precisely the same road which
led the preacher OF old to exclaim VANITY of
voniticS all Is vanity" lie Is Oh the old road In
which Pyrrho WIS OF lost. lie IS trying 10 measure
Gods universe by Mr. Iiuxlcys mind. Instead OF by
tic >-ind Of Christ. The task IS too much for him.
II fell once within my experience 20 know another
pcr,on who had been among lcopnrds and lions, and
had been unable 10 keep the wolves outside the door
70 her also human history studied at short range had
dcveoncd t,elf in unutterablc sadness. Her husband
had wears before bctn killed in street accident. Sho
had been LETT snglch handed with several small children
All died save one lie had been imprisoned for crime.
The mother. dying with an incurable disease ana
weakened by repeated suffering until she was more
than half blind had been reduced TO the Nearest
povcrty And vet she had found her way out, a
verace via" indeed. IL IL the literal and simple fact
TINT in spite Of pain and poverty a, Mnl Us
fst nppr A. hing death. she WAS absolutely ana DannsN
f ~ peace and hope, which she attributed Ia the love
Mr. Huxley Is man of many years Of many honors
and much consideration He has been persistent
follower Of HI, ideal We have read his reading Of
NE lie IA, uncovered for u in hTurau'e ,Pr e,
nj, own inner convictions. What Is MS OUTLOOK :
Eighteen centuries ago there lived another man near
to Mr. IuNley'S years. also man Of experience on
learning Of devotion TO an IDEAL To- wch lie hai peer!
nnainrhngy faithful lie. too. had been. bur not
nguratvcy. among lions lie, too. wrote g me world
II the way. the veface via which he had chosen.
We have read Mr. IIuxlcy's words: LET uS rcaf ms
mans: 81 have fought good fight. have finished
nv course have kept the faith henceforth mere -
laid mn for me a crown OF righteousness. when the
lord the righteous judge. shall give me at that daN
and not me only, but unto all them also that low
His Appearing -, -.
ANY criticism Of Mr. IIuyey's relations 10 the great
religious questions II the dly which insists with rather
peculiar emphasis upon that which he holds In common
with All good and men everywhere, ana faI> u
cnnc.niran attention on the actual results OF mat
wherein Mr. Huxley differ, in method and ideals Win
tb others l. criticism which rally fails Ia crlticiSe
After All i said the almost nnn" contrast between
the sheer hewlldcrmcn and unuttciabl" sadness when
l. the net result Mr. IIu Nleys ideal and mthSd and
Tho uncomfortable faith ana glad hone which Is the net
resrlt NJ 81 pnnl'S IDEAL and method. Is contrast
which must be- drawn. and when drawn cannot be
Justly ignored 80, v" W. H.
| Morristown y. j.. July 20, lsp2
TORMFNTED By THE STEAM WHISTLES.
Tothc Editor Of + = TIL ID une.
nd he whereby