THE PLACE OF HUXLEY 87 



man's advocacy, not even Huxley's. In the ultimate 

 resort it must stand by one test only, namely, its 

 truth or falsehood. So that in time to come, when 

 Dar\Wn's work has taken for many years its recog- 

 nised place in the realm of science, it will be a matter 

 of very little importance what attitude to it was 

 adopted by Mi*. Gladstone, Bishop Wilberforce, or 

 even Huxley. His controversial work, however 

 great it was, and important as it seems, was of 

 temporary value only. 



There remain, however, two other aspects of 

 Huxley's life upon which, in our judgment, his 

 ultimate claim to fame vrill rest. One of these will 

 be remembered long after his controversial papers 

 are forgotten, though possibly by a more restricted 

 number than listened to and read his arguments. 

 We refer to Huxley's purely scientific contributions, 

 to biology, and comparative anatomy. From the 

 nature of the case these do not appeal to the general 

 public. Also from the nature of the case his original 

 work in these directions will be prominent and last- 

 ing. None but those who are actually engaged in 

 this kind of work can realise the immense value 

 of Huxley's original researches, which were contri- 

 buted in numerous papers to the Transactions of the 

 Koyal Society, and the facts of which have since 

 found their way into the various text-books of the 

 subjects. That is one aspect of Huxley's work 

 which will always live — ^but which will live to be 

 associated with him only in the minds of the initiated. 



Will the mass of Huxley's countrymen, then, in 

 time forget his name ? Never so long as there is 

 left a single man who values honesty of purpose 



