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also; a lectureship at St。 Thomas' Hospital; and he was asked to

give various other lecture courses。  He thus found himself able to

establish the home for which he had waited eight years。  In July;

1855; he was married to Miss Heathorn。



The succeeding years from 1855 to 1860 were filled with various

kinds of work connected with science: original investigation;

printing of monographs; and establishing of natural history

museums。  His advice concerning local museums is interesting and

characteristically expressed。  〃It 'the local museum if properly

arranged' will tell both natives and strangers exactly what they

want to know; and possess great scientific interest and importance。

Whereas the ordinary lumber…room of clubs from New Zealand; Hindu

idols; sharks' teeth; mangy monkeys; scorpions; and conch shells

who shall describe the weary inutility of it?  It is really worse

than nothing; because it leads the unwary to look for objects of

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 vol

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