1893 COMPLETION OF THE ' SPIRULA ' MEMOIR 303 



for morality, the other whether the principle of evol- 

 ution in general can be adopted as an ethical principle. 



The fii-st, of course, I advocate, and have constantly 

 insisted upon. The second I deny, and reject all so-called 

 evolutional ethics based upon it. — I am yours faithfully, 



T. H. Huxley. 

 Thomas Common, Esq. 



HoDESLEA, August 31, 1894. 



Dear Professor Seth — I have come to a stop in the 

 issue of my essays for the present, and I venture to ask 

 your acceptance of the set which I have desired my jsub- 

 lishers to send you. 



I hope that at present you are away somewhere, reading 

 novels or otherwise idling, in whatever may be your pet 

 fashion. 



But some day I want you to read the " Prolegomena " 

 to the reprinted Eomanes Lecture. 



Lately I have been re-reading Spinoza (much read and 

 little understood in my youth). 



But that noblest of Jews must have planted no end of 

 germs in my brains, for I see that what I have to say is 

 in principle what he had to say, in modern language. — 

 Ever yours very faithfully, T. H. Huxlet. 



The following letters with reference to the long 

 unfinished memoir on " Spirula " for the Challenger 

 reports tell their own story. Huxley was very glad 

 to find some competent person to finish the work 

 which his illness had incapacitated him from complet- 

 ing himself. It had been a burden on his conscience ; 

 and now he gladly put all his plates and experience 

 at the disposal of Professor Pelseneer, though he had 

 nothing written and would not write anything. He 



