i875 LETTERS TO BAYNES 483 



Throughout this period, and for some time later, he was 

 in frequent communication with Thomas Spencer Baynes, 

 Professor of Logic and EngHsh Literature at St. Andrews 

 University, the editor of the new Encyclopedia Britannica, 

 work upon which was begun at the end of 1873. From the 

 first Huxley was an active helper, both in classifying the 

 biological subjects which ought to be treated of, suggesting 

 the right men to undertake the work, and himself writing 

 several articles, notably that on Evolution.* 



Extracts from his letters to Professor Baynes between 

 the years 1873 and 1884, serve to illustrate the work which 

 he did and the relations he maintained with the genial and 

 learned editor. 



Nov. 2, 1873. — I have been spending my Sunday morning in 

 drawing up a list of headings, which will I think exhaust biology 

 from the Animal point of view, and each of which does not in- 

 volve more than you are likely to get from one man. In many 

 cases, i.e. Insecta, Entomology, I have subdivided the subjects, 

 because, by an unlucky peculiarity of workers in these subjects, 

 men who understand zoology from its systematic side are often 

 ignorant of anatomy, and those who know fossils are often weak 

 in recent forms. 



But of course the subdivision does not imply that one man 

 should not take the whole if he is competent to do so. And if 

 separate contributors supply articles on these several subdivi- 

 sions, somebody must see that they work in harmony. 



But with all the good will in the world, he was too hard 

 pressed to get his quota done as quickly as he wished. He 

 suggests at once that " Hydrozoa " and " Actinozoa," in 

 his list, should be dealt with by the writer of the article 

 " Coelenterata." 



Shunting " Actinozoa " to " Coelenterata " would do no 

 harm, and would have the great merit of letting me breathe a 

 little. But if you think better that " Actinozoa " should come 

 in its place under A, I will try what I can do. 



December 30, 1873. — As to Anthropology, I really am afraid 

 to promise. At present I am plunged in Amphibia, doing a lot 



* Others were Actinozoa, Amphibia, Animal Kingdom, and Biology. 



