New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-10-03
MIR. HUXLEY'S ESSAYS. i
I.

THE RELIGION OF DOCBT-IhE RESO.
LUTON OF Observation-Disclosures y
OF THE ARISTOTELIAN TO
PLATO-THE DEMAGOGUE
AS PROSECUTOR.
London, September II.
The ninth and concluding volume OF Mr. HUI
leys collected writings has been published BY
Messrs Macmillan aid his scientific legacy t.
the world is now. suppose, complete. 1t is not
however, to be understood that these nine vol.
umes comprise all the previously published works
of the author. They do not Special treatisea
like that on the Crayish, and the purely scien.
tinc work in physiology and other subjects, are
not included. The aim OF the present edition
seems to have been reissue all those essays
and addresses which were intended primarily for
the general public, rather than for the lesser
world Of science, together with some OF those de.
livered before scientific bodies, yet not limited
in interest by a purely technical treatment OF
the questions discussed This however the
reader Is left TO infer The plan In pursuance
of which writings have been included or ex.
cludcd Is not stated. nor are we told what vol
umcs are here reproduced, nor whether all the
contents OF each existing volume may here b
found The Information would be the more
useful since the essays have been rearranged
regrOuped, and no appear III '"S "huet
to which we have grown used
The devout Huxleian who has hitherto nat
tered himself that he possessed all the writing
OF his master must nevertheless buy THIS edition
for the sake OF the Prefaces. Each volume
has q Preface of It's own. longer or shorter.
Some of these are merely photographed, some
are autobiographica: in some you find In con.
else and luminous form the authors last word
on the problems OF science or life OF theology OF
of philosophy toward the solution OF which ne
has s,riven in the volume itself. Pretdces nave
before now made figure in literature, ana some
Of them remain celebrated. Among more mod.
ern writer's the younger Dumas and Matthew
Arnold are pre-emnent In the peculiar gifts
which go to the making OF good Preface.
Arnold's are known to al his admirers Those
OF Alexander Dumas fits were composed for
privately printed edition OF his plays. OF winch
100 copies and no more were Issued Inc EDITION
Is therefore scarce You may ouy the seven
volumes Of his dramatic works Tor something
less than 90 francs in their ordinary shape IN
the edition with the Prefaces you VIII De asKeo
to nay five or six hundred; a considerable df.
ference In the present issue OF Mr' huSIeys
writings will be foLni moreover, other matter
not included in any Of his own books; such a
the fragment Of Autobiography, with which the
salvation Army. entitled Social Diseases and
Worse Remedies" which ends the last volume.
Autobiograph!cal, in one sense, all MI
tIuxlev's writings are. He would not thank me
for that remark should ne ever see H. he
probably unaware how true II is; in other words
how on every page OF every O:e Of his DOCKS 10
IMPRESSED the individuality Of the writer. Whether
he is discussing science OF religion, hndlng Ms
way through the most abstract problems OF meta
physics or crumpng w an Antagonist you Iee
the presence Of the MAJ Huxley. Ih's "'ah'
place in nature is not doubtful. science mas
claimed him for her own aid he mas done to'
science kind u work Of which none other mas
shown himself equally capable. But he Is o''n
writer and a born fighter. The but Is out "
place IL Is In part because he Is born "riI1
and born fighter that he has been able TO oner
20 Science some service OF which. during the iasI
thre,. decades or 50. she has been in great neea'
yet has found 90 few TO perform for her.
do not forget that Mr.. Huxley has declares
that. at twenty years Of age and for many years
afterward, he detested the trouble Of writing.
and would take NJ pains over it, That has been
equally true Of many others who. later III !iIe
have won fame as writer's. The time came when.
whether they detested the trouble or not, they
did take the pains without which little or no good
writing is ever done AS to the fighting, thai
needs no comment. Mr.. Huxley may fairy say
that most OF his has been done in repelling at
tacks He did not begin But his idea OF defence
has always been that which in warfare is KNOWN
as the aggres sive-defensive. You hear me
trumpet note in the sentence which concludes me
Preface 10 the first volume. After explaining
that so far as the substance OF the reprntea
essays goes he finds nothing to alter even IN me
Oldest, bearing date 1867; he adds:
Whether that is evidence OF the soundness OK
my opinions or of my having made no progress
In wisdom for the last quarter Of century muS
be left for the courteous reader 10 decide
The touch Of humility in the phrase VIII de.
ceive nobody Mr. Huxley is as convinced as
ever that he was and is right and as READY AZ
ever to do battle for the right. 1t is plain thai
he. like Describes, and perhaps in measure De-
cause of Describes early made the resolution to
take nothing for truth without clear knowledge
that it is such" lie puts that at the head Of his
latest confession 81 scientific faith The great
practical effect Of II is 10 his mind the sanct''
fca;ion of doubt He might have found that
sanctification a good deal farther back than
Descartes: in Montague, Of whom Pascal SAID:
He puts everythi in doubt. doubt so uni
yersai that IL gets the better OF itself, ana ne
doubts whether he doubts; and doubling even
this last proposition. his uncertainty reVoW ,,.
about itself in A perpetual circle. never sun
setting himself alike against those who in-
sist that everyth hing u uncertain. ana thoSe
who assert that everything is not so; because
he will pledge himself 10 nothing
But scepticism for its own sake or as an at
titude of mind was not To the taste of DescarteS
nor is 1t OF MIR Huxley. The modern agnostic'
borrowing from his great predecessor Of the sew
enteenth century. has something 10 add lie
deduces from this maxim. 70 take nothing Tor
truth without clear knowledge that II Is sucn'
not merely the sanctitcation Of doubt. but some
much larger conclusions. Among them are
The recognition that the profession OF beliet IN
propositions. OF the truth Of which there Is no