1858 SCIENCE IN THE SATURDAY REVIEW 151 



He undertakes to put in a scientific article in the inter- 

 mediate part between Leaders and Reviews once a fortnight if 

 we will supply him. He is not to mutilate or to alter, but to 

 take what he gets and be thankful. 



The writers to select their own subjects. Now the question 

 is, Will seven or eight of us, representing different sciences, 

 join together and undertake to supply at least one article in 

 three months ? Once a fortnight would want a minimum of six 

 articles in three months, so that if there were six, each man 

 must supply one. 



Sylvester is talked of for Mathematics. I am going to write 

 to Tyndall about doing Physics. Maskelyne and perhaps Frank- 

 land will take Chemistry and Mineralogy. You and I might do 

 Biology ; Ramsay, Geology ; Smyth, Technology. 



This looks to me like a very feasible plan, not asking too 

 much of anyone, and yet giving all an opportunity of saying 

 what he has to say. 



Besides this the Saturday would be glad to get Reviews 

 from us. 



If all those mentioned agree to join, we will meet some- 

 where and discuss plans. 



Let me have a line to say what you think, and believe me, 

 ever yours faithfully, T. H. Huxley. 



In 1858 he read three papers at the Geological and two 

 at the Linnean ; he lectured (February 15) on Fish and 

 Fisheries at South Kensington, and on May 21 gave a 

 Friday evening discourse at the Royal Institution on " The 

 Phenomena of Gemmation." He wrote an article for Todd's 

 Cyclopaedia, on the Tegumcntary Organs, an elaborate paper, 

 as Sir M. Foster says, on a histological theme, to which, 

 as to others of the same class on the Teeth and the Cor- 

 puscula Tactus (Q. /. Micr. Sci. 1853-4), he had been " led 

 probably by the desire, which only gradually and through 

 lack of fulfilment left him, to become a physiologist rather 

 than a naturalist." 



No less important was his more general work for sci- 

 ence. Physiological study in England at this time was 

 dominated by transcendental notions. To put first princi- 

 ples on a sound experimental basis was the aim of the new 

 leaders of scientific thought. To this end Huxley made 



