338 LITE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY cHAP. XIII 



For, wliatever they ought to do, it is quite certain the 

 majority of men will act as if the attainment of certain 

 positive and negative pleasures were the end of action. 



We want a science of "Eubiotics" to teU us exactly 

 what will happen if human beings are exclusively actuated 

 by the desire of well-being in the ordinary sense. Of 

 course the utilitarians have laid the foundations of such 

 a science, with the result that the nicknamer of genius 

 called this branch of science "pig philosophy," making 

 just the same blunder as when he called political economy 

 '• dismal science." 



" Moderate well-being " may be no more the worthiest 

 end of life than wealth. But if it is the best to be had 

 in this queer world — it may be worth trying for. 



But you will begin to wish the train had been 

 punctual ! 



Draw comfort from the fact that if error is always 

 with us, it is, at any rate, remediable. I am more hopeful 

 than when I was young. Perhaps life (like matrimony, 

 as some say) should begru with a little aversion ! — Ever 

 yours verj- faithfully, T. H. Huxley. 



Some years before this, a fund for a "Darwin 

 Medal " had been established in memory of the great 

 naturalist, the medal to be awarded biennially for 

 researches in biology. With singular appropriateness, 

 the first award was made to Dr. A. R. Wallace, the 

 joint propounder of the theory of Natural Selection, 

 whose paper, entrusted to Darwin's literary sponsor- 

 ship, caused the speedy publication of Darwin's own 

 long -continued researches and speculations. The 

 second, with equal appropriateness, was to Sir J. D. 

 Hooker, both as a leader in science and a helper and 

 adviser of Darwin. 



