342 



LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY chap, xix 



The last of the series, addressed to the secretary of a 

 free-thought association, expresses his firmly rooted disgust 

 at the use of mere ribaldry in attacking the theological 

 husks which enclose a religious ideal. 



May 22, 1892. 

 Dear Sir — I regret that I am unable to comply with the 

 wish of your committee. For one thing, I am engaged in work 

 which I do not care to interrupt, and for another, I always 

 make it a rule in these matters to " fight for my own hand." 1 

 do not desire that anyone should share my responsibility for 

 what I think fit to say, and I do not wish to be responsible for 

 the opinions and modes of expression of other persons. 



I do not say this with any reference to Mr. , who is a 



sober and careful writer. But both as a matter of principle and 

 one of policy, I strongly demur to a great deal of what appears 

 as " free thought " literature, and I object to be in any way 

 connected with it. Heterodox ribaldry disgusts me, I confess, 

 rather more than orthodox fanaticism. It is at once so easy ; 

 ' so stupid; such a complete anachronism in England, and so 

 thoroughly calculated to disgust and repel the very thoughtful 

 and serious people whom it ought to be the great aim to attract. 

 Old Noll knew what he was about when he said that it was of 

 no use to try to fight the gentlemen of England with tapsters 

 and serving-men. It is quite as hopeless to fight Christianity 

 with scurrility. We want a regiment of Ironsides. 



This summer brought Huxley a most unexpected dis- 

 tinction in the shape of admission to the Privy Council. 

 Mention has already been made (Vol. I. p. 386) of his rea- 

 sons for refusing to accept a title for distinction in science, 

 apart from departmental administration. The proper recog- 

 nition of science, he maintained, lay in the professional rec- 

 ognition of a man's work by his peers in science, the mem- 

 bers of the learned societies of his own and other countries. 



But, as has been said, the Privy Councillorship was an 

 office, not a title, although with a title attaching to the office ; 

 and in theory, at least, a scientific Privy Councillor might 

 some day play an important part as an accredited repre- 

 sentative of science, to be consulted officially by the Govern- 

 ment, should occasion arise. 



Of a selection of letters on the subject, mostly answers 



