188 Mr. Huxley, on Natural History, [Feb. 15, 



The scientific calling, like all others, must be submitted to these 

 tests, if we desire fairly to estimate its dignity and worth ; and as 

 the object of the present discourse is to set forth such an estimate of 

 the science of Natural History, it will be necessary to consider — 

 Firstly, its scope and range as mere knowledge; Secondly, the 

 amount to which the process of acquiring Natural History know- 

 ledge strengthens and developes the powers of the gainer, — its 

 position, that is, as discipline; Thirdly, the extent to which it 

 enables him, so to speak, to turn one part of the universe against 

 another, in order to attain his own ends ; and this is what is com- 

 monly called the poiver of science. 



There can be little doubt as to whicli is the highest and noblest 

 of these standards of value. Science, as power, indeed, showers daily 

 blessings upon our practical life ; and science, as knowledge, opens 

 up continually new sources of intellectual delight. But neither 

 knowing nor enjoying are the highest ends of life. Strength — 

 capacity of action and of endurance — is the highest thing to be 

 desired ; and this is to be obtained only by careful discipline of all 

 the faculties, by that training which the pursuit of science is, above 

 all things, most competent to give. 



First, let us regard Natural History as mere Knowledge. 

 The common conception of the aims of a naturalist of the pre- 

 sent day does him great injustice, although it might perhaps fairly 

 apply to one of a century and a half ago ; when natural history, 

 which began in the instinctive observation of the habits, and the 

 study of the forms, of living beings, had hardly passed beyond the 

 stage of more or less accurate anecdotes, and larger or smaller col- 

 lections of curiosities. 



The difference between the ancient naturalist and his modern 

 successor, is similar to that between the Chaldaean watcher of the 

 stars and the modern astronomer ; but the scientific progress of the 

 race is epitomized in that of the individual, and may be best exem- 

 plified, perhaps, by tracing out the lines of inquiry into which any 

 person of intelligence, who should faithfully attempt to solve the 

 various problems presented by any living being, however simple and 

 however humble, would necessarily be led. By the investigation of 

 habits, the inquirer is insensibly led into Physiology, Psychology, 

 Geographical and Geological distribution ; by the investigation of 

 the relations of forms, he is no less necessarily impelled into system- 

 atic Zoology and Botany, into Anatomy, Development, and Mor- 

 phology, or Philosophical Anatomy. Now each of these great 

 sciences is, if followed out into all its details, the suflftcient occupa- 

 tion of a lifetime ; but in their aggregate only, are they the equivalent 

 of the science of natural history : and the title of naturalist, in the 

 modern sense, is deserved only by one who has mastered the princi- 

 ples of all. 



So much for the range of natural history. If we consider, not 

 merely the number, but the nature of the problems which it presents. 



