HUXLEY AND EVOLUTION. 323 



of the mental furniture, even of savages; and the infer- 

 ence from -this is, that when a scientist studiously con- 

 ceals his religious beliefs he is suppressing a part of his 

 nature to copy a fashion, or to gratify a fancy for making 

 an exhibition of an uusymmetrical mentality, as Chinese 

 women pride themselves in half-suppressed feet, and our 

 own women used to fancy a half-developed waist. It is 

 not, of course, necessary for a scientist to make a parade 

 of his religious beliefs; it sometimes becomes an unpleas- 

 ant spectacle; but when he has never once made an 

 unreserved avowal of such belief; when he has been ex- 

 tensively misconstrued, and half the world is on tip-toe 

 of curiosity to learn his real opinions, persistent conceal- 

 ment looks so much like a desire to pique curiosity, or 

 defy misconstruction, or court public mention, that indeed, 

 public impatience must be excused. But it is to be hoped, 

 in any event, that American dissentients from Professor 

 Huxley's scientific or theological or non-committal positions 

 will afford him no ground to complain of contemptuous 

 criticism and misquotation.* 



Before proceeding to the consideration of the " Direct 

 Evidences of Evolution," as presented by Professor Hux- 

 le} T , we desire to enter our dissent from some of his pre- 

 liminary positions. 



1. The Miltonic conception of the creation is not entirely 

 the 'biblical one. Professor Huxley, in his first lecture, 

 has presented us two " hypotheses " concerning the origin 

 of the existing order of nature, which he pronounces 



* Those who feel curious to know more of Professor Huxley's thcology 

 may discover some faint light in a perusal of the article entitled k; School 

 Boards/' in Critiques and Addresses. It will be noticed by the readers of Hux- 

 ley's writings that he employs the word " theology " to signify a body of ecclesi- 

 astical principles and practices, and not the science of God. 



