CHAPTER VIII 



THE PLACE OF HUXLEY 



Such are the opinions and estimates of the value 

 of Huxley's work and character in the words 

 of some of those who knew him best. But since 

 those words were written, a good many years have 

 gone by, and we are not quite sure whether they 

 represent to-day the real value of Huxley's life to 

 the world. Such an estimate is always difficult to 

 form when one is very close to the event, and while 

 we would be the last to detract one single word from 

 those opinions, we may still be permitted to think 

 that they do not necessarily represent the value of 

 Huxley to us to-day. The times he lived in were 

 so strenuous, and the controversies in which he was 

 engaged were so bitter, that the really sohd work 

 which he did for science on the one hand was apt to 

 be overlooked ; and the quite temporary importance 

 of the controversies was exaggerated on the other. 

 Far be it from us to belittle the great part that 

 Huxley took in securing the acceptance of Darwin's 

 work. But it may be pointed out that, after aU, 

 what Huxley did in this case was simply to hasten 

 the inevitable end. True, tliat ^vas a very important 

 matter, and in doing that he did good service. But 

 Dar\nn's work depended for its immortality on no 



