SKETCH OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY. 74? 



here established the fundamental law that, in every respect, the ana- 

 tomical differences between man and the highest apes are of less value 

 than those between the highest and the lowest apes. Especially 

 weighty is the evidence adduced, for this law, in the most important 

 of all organs — the brain ; and by this the objections of Prof. Kichard 

 Owen are, at the same time, thoroughly refuted. Not only has the 

 Evolution Theory received from Prof. Huxley a complete demonstra- 

 tion of its immense importance, not only has it been largely advanced 

 by his valuable comparative researches, but its spread among the gen- 

 eral public has been largely due to his well-known popular writings. 

 In these he has accomplished the difficult task of rendering most fully 

 and clearly intelligible, to an educated public of very various ranks, 

 the highest problems of philosophical biology. From the lowest to 

 the highest organisms, from Bathybius up to man, he has elucidated 

 the connecting law of development. 



In these several ways he has, in the struggle for truth, rendered 

 Science a service which must ever rank as one of the highest of his 

 many and great scientific merits. 



No statement of the character and work of Prof. Huxley would be 

 complete that did not recognize his remarkable attainments as a writer. 

 All who have read the masterly papers contained in " Lay Sermons," 

 or the "Critiques and Addresses," will acknowledge his fine and vig- 

 orous command of English, and the literary richness of his style. He 

 has a keen enjoyment of literary excellence, and " keeps up " with 

 poetry, fiction, and the progress of critical thought, notwithstanding 

 his indefatigable scientific investigations. Owing to these traits, Prof. 

 Huxley has a high reputation as a popular scientific teacher ; and 

 even his " Lectures to Working-men " are models of what such dis- 

 courses should be — clear, simple, and attractive, yet carefully accurate 

 and strictly scientific. As a public speaker he is quiet, deliberate, 

 fluent, and, we might almost say, colloquial ; while socially he is ge- 

 nial, witty, and brilliant. He is, moreover, a man of enlarged sympa- 

 thies, in this respect contrasting markedly with many, scientific men, 

 who are swallowed up in their specialties, and never give a thought to 

 any thing beyond them. Prof. Huxley has, however, overworked 

 himself, and damaged his health. We hope he will regain his power, 

 and be able to give this country a season of lecturing, as he has long 

 hoped to do. He is perhaps the only scientific man in England who 

 could revive for us the pleasant experience we had with Prof. Tyndall 

 last year. 



