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science elsewhere than under their noses。 What they want to know
is that their 'America is here;' as Wilhelm Meister has it。〃
During this period; also; he began his lectures to workingmen;
calling them Peoples' Lectures。 〃POPULAR lectures;〃 he said; 〃I
hold to be an abomination unto the Lord。〃 Working…men attended
these lectures in great numbers; and to them Huxley seemed to be
always able to speak at his best。 His purpose in giving these
lectures should be expressed in his own words: 〃I want the working
class to understand that Science and her ways are great facts for
themthat physical virtue is the base of all other; and that they
are to be clean and temperate and all the restnot because fellows
in black and white ties tell them so; but because there are plain
and patent laws which they must obey 'under penalties。'〃
Toward the close of 1859; Darwin's 〃Origin of Species〃 was
published。 It raised a great outcry in England; and Huxley
immediately came forward as chief defender of the faith therein set
forth。 He took part in debates on this subject; the most famous of
which was the one between himself and Bishop Wilberforce at Oxford。
The Bishop concluded his speech by turning to Huxley and asking;
〃Was it through his grandfather or grandmother that he claimed
descent from a monkey?〃 Huxley; as is reported by an eye…witness;
〃slowly and deliberately arose。 A slight tall figure; stern and
pale; very quiet and grave; he stood before us and spoke those
tremendous words。 。 。 。 He was not ashamed to have a monkey for an
ancestor; but he would be ashamed to be connected with a man who
used great gifts to obscure the truth。〃 Another story indicates
the temper of that time。 Carlyle; whose writing had strongly
influenced Huxley; and whom Huxley had come to know; could not
forgive him for his attitude toward evolution。 One day; years
after the publication of Man's Place in Nature; Huxley; seeing
Carlyle on the other side of the street; a broken; pathetic figure;
walked over and spoke to him。 The old man merely remarked; 〃You're
Huxley; aren't you? the man that says we are all descended from
monkeys;〃 and passed on。 Huxley; however; saw nothing degrading to
man's dignity in the theory of evolution。 In a wonderfully fine
sentence he gives his own estimate of the theory as it affects
man's future on earth。 〃Thoughtful men once escaped from the
blinding influences of traditional prejudices; will find in the
lowly stock whence man has sprung the best evidence of the
splendour of his capacities; and will discover; in his long
progress through the past; a reasonable ground of faith in his
attainment of a nobler future。〃 As a result of all these
controversies on The Origin of Species and of investigations to
uphold Darwin's theory; Huxley wrote his first book; already
mentioned; Man's Place in Nature。
To read a list of the various kinds of work which Huxley was doing
from 1870 to 1875 is to be convinced of his abundant energy and
many interests。 At about this time Huxley executed the plan which
he had had in mind for a long time; the establishment of
laboratories for the use of students。 His object was to furnish a
more exact preliminary training。 He complains that the student who
enters the medical school is 〃so habituated to learn only from
books; or oral teaching; that the attempt to learn from things and
to get his knowledge at first hand is something new and strange。〃
To make this method of teaching successful in the schools; Huxley
gave practical instruction in laboratory work to school…masters。
〃If I am to be remembered at all;〃 Huxley once wrote; 〃I would
rather it should be as a man who did his best to help the people
than by any other title。〃 Certainly as much of his time as could
be spared from his regular work was given to help others。 His
lectures to workingmen and school…masters have already been
mentioned。 In addition; he lectured to women on physiology and to
children on elementary science。 In order to be of greater service
to the children; Huxley; in spite of delicate health; became a
member of the London School Board。 His immediate object was 〃to
temper book…learning with something of the direct knowledge of
Nature。〃 His other purposes were to secure a better physical
training for children and to give them a clearer understanding of
social and moral law。 He did not believe; on the one hand; in
overcrowding the curriculum; but; on the other hand; he 〃felt that
all education should be thrown open to all that each man might know
to what state in life he was called。〃 Another statement of his
purpose and beliefs is given by Professor Gladstone; who says of
his work on the board: 〃He resented the idea that schools were to
train either congregations for churches or hands for factories。 He
was on the Board as a friend of children。 What he sought to do for
the child was for the child's sake; that it might live a fuller;
truer; worthier life。〃
The immense amount of work which Huxley did in these years told
very seriously on his naturally weak constitution。 It became
necessary for him finally for two successive years to stop work
altogether。 In 1872 he went to the Mediterranean and to Egypt。
This was a holiday full of interest for a man like Huxley who
looked upon the history of the world and man's place in the world
with a keen scientific mind。 Added to this scientific bent of
mind; moreover; Huxley had a deep appreciation for the picturesque
in nature and life。 Bits of description indicate his enjoyment in
this vacation。 He writes of his entrance to the Mediterranean; 〃It
was a lovely morning; and nothing could be grander than Ape Hill on
one side and the Rock on the other; looking like great lions or
sphinxes on each side of a gateway。〃 In Cairo; Huxley found much
to interest him in archaeology; geology; and the every…day life of
the streets。 At the end of a month; he writes that he is very well
and very grateful to Old Nile for all that he has done for him; not
the least 〃for a whole universe of new thoughts and pictures of
life。〃 The trip; however; did no lasting good。 In 1873 Huxley was
again very ill; but was under such heavy costs at this time that
another vacation was impossible。 At this moment; a critical one in
his life; some of his close scientific friends placed to his credit
twenty…one hundred pounds to enable him to take the much needed
rest。 Darwin wrote to Huxley concerning the gift: 〃In doing this
we are convinced that we act for the public interest。〃 He assured
Huxley that the friends who gave this felt toward him as a brother。
〃I am sure that you will return this feeling and will therefore be
glad to give us the opportunity of aiding you in some degree; as
this will be a happiness to us to the last day of our lives。〃 The
gift made it possible for Huxley to take another long vacation;
part of which was spent with Sir Joseph Hooker; a noted English
botanist; visiting the volcanoes of Auvergne。 After this trip he
steadily improved in health; with no other serious illness for ten
years。
In 1876 Huxley was invited to visit America and to deliver the
inaugural address at Johns Hopkins University。 In July of this
year accordingly; in company with his wife; he crossed to New York。
Everywhere Huxley was received with enthusiasm; for his name was a
very familiar one。 Two quotations from his address at Johns
Hopkins are especially worthy of attention as a part of his message
to Americans。 〃It has been my fate to see great educational funds
fossilise into mere bricks and mortar in the petrifying springs of
architecture; with nothing left to work them。 A great warrior is
said to have made a desert and called it peace。 Trustees have
sometimes made a palace and called it a university。〃
The second quotation is as follows:
I cannot say that I am in the slightest degree impressed by your
bigness or your material resources; as such。 Size is not grandeur;
territory does not make a nation。 The great issue; about which
hangs true sublimity; and the terror of overhanging fate; is; what
are you going to do with all these things? 。 。 。
The one condition of success; your sole safeguard; is the moral
worth and intellectual clearness of the individual citizen。
Education cannot give these; but it can cherish them and bring them
to the front in whatever station of society they are to be found;
and the universities ought to be; and may be; the fortresses of the
higher life of the nation。
After the return from America; the same innumerable occupations
were continued。 It would be impossible in short space even to
enumerate all Huxley's various publications of the next ten years。
His work; however; changed gradually from scientific investigation
to administrative work; not the least important of which was the
office of Inspector of Fisheries。 A second importa