88 HUXLEY 



and freedom of thought at their proper estimate. 

 It is here that we may probably find Huxley's ulti- 

 mate claim upon the grateful recollection of the 

 mass of mankind. If honest men to-day can speak 

 their minds and vrvite their thoughts in comparative 

 security from popular abuse and sacerdotal perse- 

 cution, it is Huxley that they have to thank. He 

 it was who fought for Englishmen at large the battle 

 of independence of mind and purpose and thought, 

 once for all. It is almost impossible to realise to- 

 day that any man, much less a man of Huxley's 

 character, could have been so persecuted and so 

 maligned by those who called themselves educated 

 X>eople for simply daring to say in public what he 

 thought and believed about the most important 

 things in the world. The records of his life must 

 be read in detail to appreciate what he was made 

 to suffer. And if Huxley has one claim stronger 

 than any other upon the gratitude of posterity, it is 

 that he fought, in season and out of season, with 

 all the strength of his wonderful vigour for the rights 

 of intellectual freedom. He demanded that human 

 reason should be allowed free play, and that no re- 

 striction should be put upon it, save that of veracity 

 and honesty. Should intellect and reason land a 

 man in conclusions absolutely or apparently contra- 

 dictory to those of the mass of orthodox minds 

 around him, he should, nevertheless, have the right 

 to hold and express them as he thinks fit. 



The fact that we to-day have so largely obtained 

 that intellectual freedom is our heritage from Huxley, 

 and it is priceless. No greater boon was ever given 

 to honest men, and no measure of gratitude to the 



