Life and Letters of Thomas Henry Huxley — Volume 3Huxley, Thomas Henry
History
Life and Letters of Thomas Henry Huxley — Volume 3
Huxley, Thomas Henry
Huxley, Thomas Henry, 1825-1895; Naturalists -- England -- Biography
We want a science of "Eubiotics" to tell us exactly what will happen if
human beings are exclusively actuated by the desire of well-being in
the ordinary sense. Of course the utilitarians have laid the
foundations of such a science, with the result that the nicknamer of
genius called this branch of science "pig philosophy," making just the
same blunder as when he called political economy "dismal science."
"Moderate well-being" may be no more the worthiest end of life than
wealth. But if it is the best to be had in this queer world--it may be
worth trying for.
But you will begin to wish the train had been PUNCTUAL!
Draw comfort from the fact that if error is always with us, it is, at
any rate, remediable. I am more hopeful than when I was young. Perhaps
life (like matrimony, as some say) should begin with a little aversion!
Ever yours very faithfully,
T.H. Huxley.
[Some years before this, a fund for a "Darwin Medal" had been
established in memory of the great naturalist, the medal to be awarded
biennially for researches in biology. With singular appropriateness,
the first award was made to Dr. A.R. Wallace, the joint propounder of
the theory of Natural Selection, whose paper, entrusted to Darwin's
literary sponsorship, caused the speedy publication of Darwin's own
long-continued researches and speculations. The second, with equal
appropriateness, was to Sir J.D. Hooker, both as a leader in science
and a helper and adviser of Darwin.
Huxley's own view of such scientific honours as medals and diplomas was
that they should be employed to stimulate for the future rather than to
reward for the past; and delighted as he was at the poetic justice of
these two awards, this justice once satisfied, he let his opinion be
known that thenceforward the Darwin Medal ought to be given only to
younger men. But when this year he found the Darwin Medal awarded to
himself "for his researches in biology and his long association with
Charles Darwin," he could not but be touched and gratified by this mark
of appreciation from his fellow-workers in science, this association in
one more scientific record with old allies and true friends--to "have
his niche in the Pantheon" next to Hooker and near to Darwin.
It was a rare instance of the fitness of things that the three men who
had done most to develop and to defend Darwin's ideas should live to
stand first in the list of the Darwin medalists; and Huxley felt this
to be a natural closing of a chapter in his life, a fitting occasion on
which to bid farewell to public life in the world of science. Almost at
the same moment another chapter in science reached its completion in
the "coming of age" of "Nature", a journal which, when scientific
interests at large had grown stronger, had succeeded in realising his
own earlier efforts to found a scientific organ, and with which he had
always been closely associated.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account