54 THOMAS HENRY HUXLEY 



as illustrating the love of fair-play which is character- 

 istic of a British audience, it is worth noting that on 

 this occasion he was applauded almost as warmly as his 

 antagonist on the conclusion of his speech. Though the 

 personal tone imparted to the discussion, and for which he 

 was not responsible, was distinctly repugnant to him, it 

 must be confessed that he was essentially a fighting man, 

 who rejoiced in " smiting the Amalekites," to use his own 

 expression. "Without his keen support at this critical 

 juncture it is possible that the most luminous biological 

 theory of the last century might have been considerably 

 retarded in its progress, much to the detriment of science 

 and intellectual advance in general. 



The vigorous essay on " The Origin of Species " (Coll. 

 Essays, ii, p. 22), belonging to the same year, was a 

 further important contribution to the promulgation and 

 defence of Darwinism, of which the following well- 

 known passages will always be quoted : — 



" In this nineteenth century, as at the dawn of modern 

 physical science, the cosmogony of the semi-barbarous Hebrew 

 is the incubus of the philosopher and the opprobrium of the 

 orthodox. ... It is true that if philosophers have suffered, 

 their cause has been amply revenged. Extinguished theologians 

 lie about the cradle of every science as the strangled snakes 

 about that of Hercules ; and history records that whenever 

 science and orthodoxy have been fairly opposed, the latter has 

 been forced to retire from the lists, bleeding and crushed, if not 

 annihilated ; scotched, if not slain." 



And, after alluding to the recurrence of untenable 

 idea : — 



" Philosophers, on the other hand, have no such aggressive 

 tendencies. With eyes fixed on the noble goal to which ' per 

 aspera et ardua ' they tend, they may, now and then, be stirred 

 to momentary wrath by the unnecessary obstacles with which 

 the ignorant or the malicious encumber, if they cannot bar, the 



