The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-02-11
RECENT PUBLICATIONS.
Life and Letters OF Thomas Henri!
Huxley, by His Son.

Huxley, by His Son.
The appearance of the l-ong-expected
Life and Letters of Thomas Huxley" by
his son. Leonard Huxley Cd. Appleton *
Co., New York;, sets forth a wealth of ma
terial Illuminating the history of English
science during the reign Of Victoria and
the part taken in it by its most striking
and picturesque individuality. OF course as
with all lives and letters" the letters are
the most valuable part of the thousand
pages of these two volumes. The son and
editor was not a scientific man, and this
may be a boon for the general reader. The
work has been well and lovingly done, and
while the letters might nave been still fur
ther condensed or many of them omitted,
the scientific reader will prefer the book
as 1t is. Fol the value of the letters Of
such men is that their inmost opinions
on scientific matters are frequently stated
in the compass of a brief sentence. To
some f~riend-Hooker, Darwin or Ray Lam
kester-Huxley gives the real core of the
matter with all accessories and explanations
stripped away Thus Huxley sits down upon
those who. following weissmann, gave
credence to the old notion of Lamarck
that the inherited effect of use and disuse''
was a cause of evolution rather than mat
ural selection" according to Darwin. Hux-
ley took no part in this discussion. but
wrote TO Sir Joseph Hooker, in 1889, when
the Weissmann school was dominant with
their new views as to the real factors of
organic evolution. Why do not these peo-
pie who talk about the direct influence of
conditions try to explain the structure Of
orchids on that tack? Orchids, at any rate,
can't try to improve themselves by taking
shots at insects heads with pollen bags,
as Lamarck's CRATES tried to stretch their
necks!" And so, in a thousand instances,
the gist OF the matter is struck of at white
heat.
For those who only wish a general but
accurate survey of Professor Huxley's life
and work sufficient will be found in the
briefer compass of the Huxley volume by
Mitchell in G. p. Putnams Sons Leaders
in Science Series" QsD) There is also the
of T. H. Huxley published by the Mac
millans and edited by the eminent physiol-
ogist, Sir Michael Foster, and Professor E.
Ray Lancaster.
knowledge of the man in his books and lee
lures covering the entire field of biology,
education and polemics. His WORKS on
elementary science marked a new depart
ure in nature teaching. Many of them
were and still are standard textbooks
in the public schools. The writer recalls
that in 1871 Professor Burt G. Wilder, Of
Cornell University, had his classes of over
zoo freshmen use Huxley's Elementary
Physiology QS66) as a textbook, laying
stress upon the authors statement that he
had attempted to write a book for boys
and girls in English schools which would
not have to be corrected as physiological
knowledge increased, but would only re-
quire additions. This statement was char
acteristic of Professor Huxley's love of
truth. In 1870 he brought out a college
Animals" followed in 1877 by the COM
Elementary volume on Anatomy of the In
vertebrated Animals" These books are
still standard college books. All of Hux-
the United States by the Appletons, and
were approved by Professor Youmans In
the Popular Science Monthly. Professor
Huxley was a leader in biological teaching
also, the first and only college textbook
for years used In this country being "Hux-
ley and Martins Biology" the predecessor
of scores of books OF that nature. When
the biology fad was at its height out
came his "Crayfsh, al Introduction. tC
the Study of Zoology" which caused the
death and dissection of thousands of cray.
fish. and occupied a place by the side
OF the poets on the tables of women and
men who went in for the new nature cult
leading feature in education. For the
teachers in the public schools there wa.
the Introduction TO Science Primers.
Professor Huxley.
In polemics we have his Lay Sermons
Addresses and Reviews" his Hume" IL
the English Men of Letters series. In thes,
he showed his greatest power. and they
aroused the antagonism OF the clericist.
and theologians beyond measure. For IN
expression of his belief In matters of the
ology, and gave name TO a sect that hat
and always will exist. He was the grea
apostle of evolution in England as AS,
Gray was in the United States, and tool
pleasure In being known as the "bull-dol
of Darwin" But, after all. he was onl,
talking to the galleries in such expressions
Hc recognized evolution as soon as h
read the famous papers OF Wallace an
Darwin. and espoused the principle rattle
than the man. Huxley was too Independent
TO make any sect. school or man hi
Volume 2, Page SIS, he says: Author
t;es.' schools and disciples are the ours
% science, and do more TO interfere wit
the work OF the scientific spirit than a
IT. enemies"
The Life and Letters" throw great ligh
on the now historic scene at the Oxfor
meeting of the British association in 1S6
The discussion with Bishop Wherefore
was. on Huxley's part, not only a hgh
for fair play for evolution, but for freedor
for the expression Of truth, however ur
and eloquent churchman Of his tim,
sometimes known as ."Soapy Sam" VIII
jcered Huxley for advocating, e~volutio
and wished 10 know whether he elaine
his monkey descent from his grant
mother or grandfather. provoked the n
tort from Huxley; Il asserted, and I r.
peat that a. man has no reason to /
ashamed OF having an ape for his granC
father. IL there were an ancestor whom
she uld feel shame in recalling IL woul
rather be a mana man of restless an
versatile inteilect-who not content wit
an ~equivocal success In mis- own sphere {
activity. plunges into scientific question
with which he has no real acquafnfarc
: only TO obscure them by an aimles