Life and Letters of Thomas Henry Huxley Volume I Part 40

So I have just done giving a set of lectures to working-men on "The Various Races of Mankind," which really would make a book in Miss Emma's sense of the word, and which I have had reported. But when am I to work them up? Twenty-four Hunterian Lectures loom between me and Easter. I am dying to get out the second volume of the book that is not a book, but in vain.

I trust you are better, though the last news I had of you from Lubbock was not so encouraging as I could have wished.

With best wishes and remembrances to Mrs. Darwin.

Ever yours,

T.H. Huxley.

Thanks for "fur Darwin," I had it.

26 Abbey Place, January 15, 1865.

My dear Darwin,

Many thanks for Deslongchamps' paper which I do not possess.

I received another important publication yesterday morning in the shape of a small but hearty son, who came to light a little before six. The wife is getting on capitally, and we are both greatly rejoiced at having another boy, as your G.o.dson ran great risks of being spoiled by a harem of sisters.

The leader in the "Reader" IS mine, and I am glad you like it. The more so as it has got me into trouble with some of my friends. However, the revolution that is going on is not to be made with rose-water.

I wish if anything occurs to you that would improve the scientific part of the "Reader," you would let me know as I am in great measure responsible for it.

I am sorry not to have a better account of your health. With kind remembrances to Mrs. Darwin and the rest of your circle.

Ever yours faithfully,

T.H. Huxley.

Jermyn Street, May 1, 1865.

My dear Darwin,

I send you by this post a booklet none of which is much worth your reading, while of nine-tenths of it you may say as the man did who had been trying to read Johnson's "Dictionary," "that the words were fine, but he couldn't make much of the story." [Probably "A Catalogue of the Collection of Fossils in the Museum of Practical Geology," etc.]

But perhaps the young lady who has been kind enough to act as taster of my books heretofore will read the explanatory notice, and give me her ideas thereupon (always recollecting that almost the whole of it was written in the pre-Darwinian epoch.)

I do not hear very good accounts of you--to my sorrow--though rumours have reached me that the opus magnum is completely developed though not yet born. [On "Pangenesis."]

I am grinding at the mill and getting a little tired. My belongings flourishing as I hope you are.

Ever yours faithfully,

T.H. Huxley.

Jermyn Street, May 29, 1865.

My dear Darwin,

I meant to have written to you yesterday to say how glad I shall be to read whatever you like to send me.

I have to lecture at the Royal Inst.i.tution this week, but after Friday, my time will be more at my own disposal than usual; and as always I shall be most particularly glad to be of any use to you.

Any glimmer of light on the question you speak of is of the utmost importance, and I shall be immensely interested in learning your views.

And of course I need not add I will do my best to upset them. That is the nature of the beast.

I had a letter from one of the ablest of the younger zoologists of Germany, Haeckel, the other day, in which this pa.s.sage occurs:--

"The Darwinian Theory, the establishment and development of which is the object [of] all my scientific labours, has gained ground immensely in Germany (where it was at first so misunderstood) during the last two years, and I entertain no doubt that it will before long be everywhere victorious." And he adds that I dealt far too mildly with Kolliker.

With kindest remembrances to Mrs. Darwin and your family.

Ever yours faithfully,

T.H. Huxley.

[This year, as is seen from the foregoing, he was again in direct communication with Professor Ernst Haeckel of Jena, the earliest and strongest champion of Darwinian ideas in Germany. The latter wished to enlarge his observations by joining some English scientific expedition, if any such were in preparation, but was dissuaded by the following reply. The expected book of Darwin's was the "Pangenesis," and this is also referred to in the three succeeding letters to Darwin himself.]

The Royal School of Mines, Jermyn Street, London, June 7, 1865.

My dear Sir,

Many thanks for your letter, and for the welcome present of your portrait, which I shall value greatly, and in exchange for which I enclose my own. Indeed I have delayed writing to you in order to be able to send the last "new and improved" edition of myself.

I wish it were in my power to help you to any such appointment as that you wish for. But I do not think our government is likely to send out any scientific expedition to the South Seas. There is a talk about a new Arctic expedition, but I doubt if it will come to much, and even if it should be organised I could not recommend your throwing yourself away in an undertaking which promises more frost-bites than anything else to a naturalist.

In truth, though I have felt and can still feel the attraction of foreign travel in all its strength, I would counsel you to stop at home, and as Goethe says, find your America here. There are plenty of people who can observe and whose places, if they are expended by fever or shipwreck, can be well enough filled up. But there are very few who can grapple with the higher problems of science as you have done and are doing, and we cannot afford to lose you. It is the organisation of knowledge rather than its increase which is wanted just now. And I think you can help in this great undertaking better in Germany than in New Zealand.

Darwin has been very ill for more than a year past, so ill, in fact, that his recovery was at one time doubtful. But he contrives to work in spite of fate, and I hope that before long we shall have a new book from him.

By way of consolation I sent him an extract from your letter touching the progress of his views.

I am glad that you did not think my critique of Kolliker too severe. He is an old friend of mine, and I desired to be as gentle as possible, while performing the unpleasant duty of showing how thoroughly he had misunderstood the question.

I shall look with great interest for your promised book. Lately I have been busy with Ethnological questions, and I fear I shall not altogether please your able friend Professor Schleicher in some remarks I have had to make upon the supposed value of philological evidence.

May we hope to see you at the meeting of the British a.s.sociation at Birmingham? It would give many, and especially myself, much pleasure to become personally acquainted with you.

Ever yours faithfully,

T.H. Huxley.

The Royal School of Mines, Jermyn Street, June 1, 1865.

My dear Darwin,

Your MS. [of "Pangenesis"] reached me safely last evening.