322 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY cHAP. xni 



in question was restricted to a review of the immense 

 amount of work, most valuable on its positive side, 

 done by Owen (compare the letter of January 18, 

 1893, p. iI73) ; and the re\-iew in Nature remarks of it 

 that the criticism is "so straightforward, searching, 

 and honest as to leave nothing further to be de- 

 sired." 



Besides this piece of work, he had written early in 

 the year a few lines on the general character of the 

 nineteenth century, in reply to a request, addressed 

 to " the most illustrious children of the century," for 

 their opinion as to what name will be given to it by 

 an impartial posterity — the century of Comte, of 

 Darwin or Eenan, of Edison, Pasteur, or Gladstone. 

 He replied : — 



I conceive that the leading characteristic of the 

 nineteenth century has been the rapid growth of the 

 scientifie spirit, the consequent application of scientific 

 methods of investigation to all the problems with which 

 the human mind is occupied, and the correlative rejection 

 of traditional beliefs which have proved their incom- 

 petence to bear such investigation. 



The activity of the scientific spirit has been mani- 

 fested in every region of speculation and of practice. 



ilany of the eminent men you mention have been its 

 effective organs in their several departments. 



But the selection of any one of these, whatever his 

 merits, as an adequate representative of the power and 

 majesty of the scientific spirit of the age woxdd be a 

 grievous mistake. 



Science reckons many prophets, but there is not even 

 a promise of a MessiaL 



