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Thomas Henry Huxley. 



By G. B. Howes. 

 With a photograph. 



Thomas Henbt Huxxet was born at Ealing, Middlessex, May 4th 1825, 

 and died at Eastbourne, Sussex, June 29'h 1895, the immediate cause of 

 death being pericarditis, consequent on nephritis following an attack of 

 "influenza". His father was a Master in a public school at Ealing, but 

 he regarded himself as "physically and mentally the son of his mother". 

 His early education was principally obtained at home. His training he 

 owed to his own zeal and industry. On leaving school he wished to 

 become a mechanical engineer. 



In 1842 young Huxley entered the Charing Cross Hospital, London, 

 as a medical student, and came at once under the influence of Whaeton 

 Jones. While still a student he published, in the "Medical Times and 

 Gazette", his first paper, viz. that upon the root sheath of the hair. In 

 1845 he graduated M. B. of London, and practiced for a short time in 

 one of the poorest districts in that city. In 1846 he entered the Navy 

 and, after a short service in Nelson's famous ship the "Victory", was 

 enrolled Assistant Surgeon of H. M. S. "Rattlesnake", under command of 

 Captain Owen Stanley, commissioned for a voyage of survey in the 

 Southern Seas. This event was due to the influence of Sir John Richard- 

 son, the famous arctic traveller and companion of Feanklin, author of 

 the "Fauna Boreali-Americana". The inner route between the Barrier 

 Reef and the Coast of Australia and New Guinea having been explored, 

 the Rattlesnake set out on a voyage of circum-navigation ; and on the 

 return, in 1850, Huxlet found himself welcomed as an authority among 

 Zoologists, as the result of the splendid work he had sent home during 

 the cruise. His monograph on „The Anatomy and Affinities of the 

 Families of the Medusae", published in 1849, had set a seal to his fame. 



In 1853 HuxLEr retired from the Navy and succeeded Edwaed Foebes 

 as Professor of Natural History in the Royal School of Mines, London, 

 and, as Hon. Dean and Professor of Biology in the Royal College of 

 Science, he retained the post until the day of his death. He was elected 

 a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1851, and 22 years later received the 

 crowning honour of his professional life, the election to its Presidentship. 

 He was for two years President of the Geological Society of London and 

 was also President of the Ethnological Society. His contributions to the 

 branch of science which the latter afi'ects are among the most enduring 

 of their kind. He was a President of the British Association, for 2 years 

 a Member of the School Board for London, and in each and every voca- 

 tion he distinguished himself by his brilliant accomplishments. All that 

 he did bore the mark of power and originality, and it is difficult to 

 conceive what might have happened had his youthful desire to be an 

 engineer been realized. Huxley served on Royal Commissions of Inquiry 

 into the Advancement of Science, Vivisection, Contagious disease, and 

 Fisheries; and at the time of his death he was a Member of H. M. 

 Privy Council. Among the honours bestowed upon him by Universities 

 and other bodies at home and abroad, were degrees conferred by the 



