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art。 Huxley believed strongly in the arts as a refining and
helpful influence in education。 He keenly enjoyed good music。
Professor Hewes writes of him that one breaking in upon him in the
afternoon at South Kensington would not infrequently be met 〃with a
snatch of some melody of Bach's fugue。〃 He also liked good
pictures； and always had among his friends well…known artists； as
Alma…Tadema； Sir Frederick Leighton； and Burne…Jones。 He read
poetry widely； and strongly advocated the teaching of poetry in
English schools。 As to poetry； his own preferences are
interesting。 Wordsworth he considered too discursive； Shelley was
too diffuse； Keats； he liked for pure beauty； Browning for
strength； and Tennyson for his understanding of modern science； but
most frequently of all he read Milton and Shakespeare。
As to Huxley's appearance； and as to the impression which his
personality made upon others； the description of a friend； Mr。 G。
W。 Smalley； presents him with striking force。 〃The square
forehead； the square jaw； the tense lines of the mouth； the deep
flashing dark eyes； the impression of something more than strength
he gave you； an impression of sincerity； of solid force； of
immovability； yet with the gentleness arising from the serene
consciousness of his strengthall this belonged to Huxley and to
him alone。 The first glance magnetized his audience。 The eyes
were those of one accustomed to command； of one having authority；
and not fearing on occasion to use it。 The hair swept carelessly
away from the broad forehead and grew rather long behind； yet the
length did not suggest； as it often does； effeminacy。 He was
masculine in everythinglook； gesture； speech。 Sparing of
gesture； sparing of emphasis； careless of mere rhetorical or
oratorical art； he had nevertheless the secret of the highest art
of all； whether in oratory or whatever elsehe had simplicity。〃
Simplicity； directness； sincerity；all these qualities describe
Huxley； but the one attribute which distinguishes him above all
others is love of truth。 A love of truth； as the phrase
characterizes Huxley； would necessarily produce a scholarly habit
of mind。 It was the zealous search for truth which determined his
method of work。 In science； Huxley would 〃take at second hand
nothing for which he vouched in teaching。〃 Some one reproached him
for wasting time verifying what another had already done。 〃If that
is his practice；〃 he commented； 〃his work will never live。〃 The
same motive made him a master of languages。 To be able to read at
first hand the writings of other nations； he learned German；
French； Italian； and Greek。 One of the chief reasons for learning
to read Greek was to see for himself if Aristotle really did say
that the heart had only three chambersan error； he discovered；
not of Aristotle； but of the translator。 It was； moreover； the
scholar in Huxley which made him impatient of narrow； half…formed；
foggy conclusions。 His own work has all the breadth and freedom
and universality of the scholar； but it has； also； a quality
equally distinctive of the scholar； namely； an infinite precision
in the matter of detail。
If love of truth made Huxley a scholar； it made him； also； a
courageous fighter。 Man's first duty； as he saw it； was to seek
the truth； his second was to teach it to others； and； if necessary；
to contend valiantly for it。 To fail to teach what you honestly
know to be true； because it may harm your reputation； or even
because it may give pain to others； is cowardice。 〃I am not
greatly concerned about any reputation；〃 Huxley writes to his wife；
〃except that of being entirely honest and straightforward。〃
Regardless of warnings that the publication of Man's Place in
Nature would ruin his career； Huxley passed on to others what
nature had revealed to him。 He was regardless； also； of the
confusion and pain which his view would necessarily bring to those
who had been nourished in old traditions。 To stand with a man or
two and to do battle with the world on the score of its old
beliefs； has never been an easy task since the world began。
Certainly it required fearlessness and determination to wrestle
with the prejudices against science in the middle of the nineteenth
centuryhow much may be gathered from the reading of Darwin's Life
and Letters。 The attitude of the times toward science has already
been indicated。 One may he allowed to give one more example from
the reported address of a clergyman。 〃O ye men of science； ye men
of science； leave us our ancestors in paradise； and you may have
yours in Zoological gardens。〃 The war was； for the most part；
between the clergy and the men of science； but it is necessary to
remember that Huxley fought not against Christianity； but against
dogma； that he fought not against the past；he had great reverence
for the accomplishment of the past；but against unwillingness to
accept the new truth of the present。
A scholar of the highest type and a fearless defender of true and
honest thinking； Huxley certainly was： but the quality which gives
meaning to his work； which makes it live； is a certain human
quality due to the fact that Huxley was always keenly alive to the
relation of science to the problems of life。 For this reason； he
was not content with the mere acquirement of knowledge； and for
this reason； also； he could not quietly wait until the world should
come to his way of thinking。 Much of the time； therefore； which he
would otherwise naturally have spent in research； he spent in
contending for and in endeavoring to popularize the facts of
science。 It was this desire to make his ideas prevail that led
Huxley to work for a mastery of the technique of speaking and
writing。 He hated both； but taught himself to do both well。 The
end of all his infinite pains about his writing was not because
style for its own sake is worth while； but because he saw that the
only way to win men to a consideration of his message was to make
it perfectly clear and attractive to them。 Huxley's message to the
people was that happiness； usefulness； and even material prosperity
depend upon an understanding of the laws of nature。 He also taught
that a knowledge of the facts of science is the soundest basis for
moral law； that a clear sense of the penalties which Nature
inflicts for disobedience of her laws must eventually be the
greatest force for the purification of life。 If he was to be
remembered； therefore； he desired that he should be remembered
primarily as one who had helped the people 〃to think truly and to
live rightly。〃 Huxley's writing is； then； something more than a
scholarly exposition of abstruse matter； for it has been further
devoted to the increasing of man's capacity for usefulness； and to
the betterment of his life here on earth。
II
SUBJECT…MATTER； STRUCTURE； AND STYLE
From the point of view of subject…matter； structure； and style；
Huxley's essays are admirably adapted to the uses of the student in
English。 The themes of the essays are two； education and science。
In these two subjects Huxley earnestly sought to arouse interest
and to impart knowledge； because he believed that intelligence in
these matters is essential for the advancement of the race in
strength and morality。 Both subjects； therefore； should be
valuable to the student。 In education； certainly； he should be
interested； since it is his main occupation； if not his chief
concern。 Essays like A Liberal Education and The Principal
Subjects of Education may suggest to him the meaning of all his
work； and may suggest； also； the things which it would be well for
him to know； and； even more； a consideration of these subjects may
arouse him to a greater interest and responsibility than he usually
assumes toward his own mental equipment。 Of greater interest
probably will be the subjects which deal with nature； for the ways
of nature are more nearly within the range of his real concerns
than are the wherefores of study。 The story of the formation of a
piece of chalk； the substance which lies at the basis of all life；
the habits of sea animals； are all subjects the nature of which is
akin to his own eager interest in the world。
Undoubtedly the subjects about which Huxley writes will 〃appeal〃 to
the student； but it is in analysis that the real discipline lies。
For analysis Huxley's essays are excellent。 They illustrate 〃the
clear power of exposition；〃 and such power is； as Huxley wrote to
Tyndall； the one quality the people want；exposition 〃so clear
that they may think they understand even if they don't。〃 Huxley
obtains that perfect clearness in his own work by simple
definition； by keeping steadily before his audience his intention；
and by making plain throughout his lecture a well…defined organic
structure。 No X…ray machine is needful to make the skeleton
visible； it stands forth with the parts all nic