Life and Letters of Thomas Henry Huxley — Volume 1Huxley, Thomas Henry
Science
Life and Letters of Thomas Henry Huxley — Volume 1
Huxley, Thomas Henry
Huxley, Thomas Henry, 1825-1895; Naturalists -- England -- Biography
On the practical side, however, Mr. J. Payne said the great difficulty
was the want of teachers; and suggested that if men of science were
really in earnest they would condescend to teach in the schools.
It was to a certain extent in answer to this appeal that Huxley gave his
lectures on Physiography in 1869, and instituted the course of training
for science teachers in 1871.
He concluded his work at Nottingham by a lecture to working men.
The following is in reply to Mr. Spencer who had accused himself of
losing his temper in an argument:--]
26 Abbey Place, Sunday, November 8, 1868.
My dear Spencer,
Your conscience has been treating you with the most extreme and unjust
severity.
I recollect you LOOKED rather savage at one point in our discussion, but
I do assure you that you committed no overt act of ferocity; and if you
had, I think I should have fully deserved it for joining in the
ferocious onslaught we all made upon you.
What your sins may be in this line to other folk I don't know, but so
far as I am concerned I assure you I have often said that I know no one
who takes aggravated opposition better than yourself, and that I have
not a few times been ashamed of the extent to which I have tried your
patience.
So you see that you have, what the Buddhists call a stock of accumulated
merit, envers moi--and if you should ever feel inclined to "d--n my
eyes" you can do so and have a balance left.
Seriously, my old friend, you must not think it necessary to apologise
to me about any such matters, but believe me (d--nd or und--d)
Ever yours faithfully,
T.H. Huxley.
26 Abbey Place, November 11, 1866.
My dear Darwin,
I thank you for the new edition of the "Origin," and congratulate you on
having done with it for a while, so as to be able to go on to that book
of a portion of which I had a glimpse years ago. I hear good accounts of
your health, indeed the last was that you were so rampageous you meant
to come to London and have a spree among its dissipations. May that be
true.
I am in the thick of my work, and have only had time to glance at your
"Historical Sketch."
What an unmerciful basting you give "our mutual friend." I did not know
he had put forward any claim! and even now that I read it black and
white, I can hardly believe it.
I am glad to hear from Spencer that you are on the right (that is MY)
side in the Jamaica business. But it is wonderful how people who
commonly act together are divided about it.
My wife joins with me in kindest wishes to Mrs. Darwin and yourself.
Ever yours faithfully,
T.H. Huxley.
You will receive an elementary physiology book, not for your reading but
for Miss Darwin's. Were you not charmed with Haeckel?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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