New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-11-16
HUXLE pSCOLLECTEDWORKS
THE FIRST VOLUME DEALS WITH METH
DDS AND RESULTS.

METHOD AND RESULTS Essays BY Thomas ma
i: Huxley, PIP: VII; 49, p g., Appleton Co.
Although Huxley's writings have apparently
been less systematic than those Of other scien-
tifc teachers, published as they were almost at
random. and often as parts incidental to con-
troversy. yet when they are read collectively
they will be found to have that relation to each
other which is characteristic Of a wonderfully
acute and logical mind. Many of his brief es-
saws deserve to outlive far more pretentious
works From the first he took the ground that
the past had its lessons for the investigators OF
the present He might we'll quote the axiom OF
the French author that there is no way Of judy
ing what has happened what win happen
except by the light of what Is happening now
But he would add to that the proposition that
the best witnesses as to what has happened IN
the past are the deep trained thinkers OF the
past The discussion preserved in this voiume
upon the method Of Descartes might well nave
been a surprise to a generation which was 100
ready to say. with the acute but narrow Chnoro'
that the whole history Of science belonged 10
period almost within the memory OF living men,
For to Huxley the figure Of Descartes. venera-
BILE still after the lapse Of almost three hundreu
years. is that of a seer who foreknew the tenden-
cies Of ages, whose presages are even yet not all
completed. Nobody has put mere clearly or
more practically than he the point that Des-
cartes opened the way both to modern idealism
and to modern materialism. And IT Is ne VINO
instead of wasting his time in reconciling the
irreconcilable. quietly, though in measured
tones approves both idealism and materialsm
in moderation. The Cartesian STEM he says.
divides into two main branches which grow
in opposite ways, and bear flowers which look
thaxy
branch is sound and healthy. and has as much
life and vigor the other
Though the earliest of the essays in this vol
ume ION the Advsableness of Improving Nat
ural Knowledge and another, ION the Physical
Basis of Life" are, In substance parts of an
address delivered at Edinburgh in 1868, the
author still maintains the views expressed in
them, and he leaves his readers to decide
whether that is evidence Of the soundness or MS
opinions, or of his having made no progress In
wisdom for the last quarter of century Be-
tween the two pieces mentioned comes an artl-
cle dated 1867, unusually long for Mr. Huxley
on 1.-THE Progress of Science" One cannot help
regretting that this work has not been continued
down to the present day. The study of Des-
cartes's method belongs to the year 1870. and 1t
was followed in 1874 by tentative defence OF
the hypothesis maintained by Descartes and his
disciples that animals are auto mata. Huxley
doubtless carries the idea further than Des-
cartes; but, then, he has no fear before his eyes
of being tortured by the Inquisition or burned
by the Civil Power An essay on Admins
trative Nihilism' belongs to 1871, and three
1.-The Natural Inequality of Men," a refutation of
Rousseau's doctrines as newly revived in Eng
land; Natural Rights and Political Rights"
largely a criticism Of Henry Georges theories.
and Government, Anarchy or Recommendation"
a conservative study of political theories since
the time of Hobbies, belong to the year 1890 The
upshot of the last essay is that political specu-
lators who. while ignoring the conditions of over
population, promise a millennium Of equality and
fraternity, are reckoning sadly without their
host, or rather hostess. Dame Nature"
The volume is of convenient size and is hand
somely printed. 1t will be worth the while of
some observant man who is young enough to
count on a proper lease Of life to watch the
relative change in the general estimate placed
on some great names in science in the next
quarter of a century. The conjecture may be
ventured that Huxley's fame will suffer less
than that of others