2q6 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY chap, xxii 



He sent the MS. to Sir M. Foster on June 16; the 

 book itself appeared in December. The chapter in question 

 was restricted to a review of the immense amount of work, 

 most valuable on its positive side, done by Owen (compare 

 the letter of January 16, 1893) ; and the review in Nature 

 remarks of it that the criticism is " so straightforward, 

 searching, and honest as to leave nothing further to be 

 desired." 



Besides this piece of work, he had written early in the 

 year a few lines on the general character of the nineteenth 

 century, in reply to a request, addressed to " the most 

 illustrious children of the century," for their opinion as to 

 what name will be given to it by an impartial posterity — 

 the century of Comte, of Darwin or Renan, of Edison, 

 Pasteur, or Gladstone. He replied : — 



I conceive that the leading characteristic of the nineteenth 

 century has been the rapid growth of the scientific spirit, the 

 consequent application of scientific methods of investigation to 

 all the problems with which the human mind is occupied, and the 

 correlative rejection of traditional beliefs which have proved 

 their incompetence to bear such investigation. 



The activity of the scientific spirit has been manifested in 

 every region of speculation and of practice. 



Many of the eminent men you mention have been its effect- 

 ive organs in their several departments. 



But the selection of any one of these, whatever his merits, 

 as an adequate representative of the power and majesty of the 

 scientific spirit of the age would be a grievous mistake. 



Science reckons many prophets, but there is not even a 

 promise of a Messiah. 



The unexampled increase in the expenditure of the 

 European states upon their armaments led the Arbitration 

 Alliance this year to issue a memorial urging the Govern- 

 ment to co-operate with other Governments in reducing 

 naval and military burdens. Huxley was asked to sign 

 this memorial, and replied to the secretary as follows : — 



Hodeslea, Eastbourne, June 21, 1894. 

 Dear Sir — I have taken some time to consider the memorial 

 to which you have called my attention, and I regret that I do not 

 find myself able to sign it. 



