Huxley / G.B. Howes.

  • Howes, Thomas George Bond.
Date:
1895
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Huxley / G.B. Howes. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    IB '<0* HUXLEY. With a Portrait. “ Scientific knowledge is spreading by what the alchemists called a ‘ distillatio per ascensum ” ; and nothing now can prevent it from continuing to distil upwards and permeate English society, until, in the remote future, there shall be no member of the legislature who does not know as much of science as an elementary school-boy ; and even the heads of houses in our venerable ^seats of learning shall acknowledge that natural science is not merely a sort of University back-door through which inferior men may get at their degrees.” The more popular, sensational, and epoch-marking events in the life of our late Dean have been during the last three months amply publicised. Praise unstinted has come from persons popularly believed to have been in opposition to his teachings, and admiration of his marvellous decision of character and clear-headedness has been expressed on all hands. Among his friends he has long been regarded as “ a theologian with an anti-theological purpose,” and he has been not inappropriately termed “ the Apostle Paul of the new teaching.” The popular verdict upon him is that of “ a deeply religious man,” devoted reverent, sincere, ‘a permanent glory of the English race.” Of his scientific attainments, his boldness in the pursuit of truth, his open warfare with orthodoxy, his conquests over superstition and falsehood, we have heard perhaps enough. Of his personality, his consummately artistic nature, his love and devotion, more might be said ; and, the greatness of his life admitted, we now wish for insight into its methods. Writing as one familiar with his daily habits and work in our midst, let me then deal chiefly and briefly with certain of these, of which I know. Huxley’s association with our College dates from the year 1854, when he succeeded Edward Forbes as Professor of Natural History and Palaeontology in the Royal School of Mines. At that time lectures alone were given, and such opportunity as the student had of examining actual objects, was confined to a tete-a-tete with the lecturer after his discourse, and the handling of an occasional drawer full of precious