AUTOBIOGRAPHY 15 



the Presidency of the Royal Society is the highest. It 

 would be mock modesty on my part, with these and 

 other scientific honours which have been bestowed upon 

 me, to pretend that I have not succeeded in the career 

 which I have followed, rather because I was driven 

 into it than of my own free will; but I am afraid I 

 should not count even these things as marks of success 

 if I could not hope that I had somewhat helped that 

 movement of opinion which has been called the New 

 Reformation. 14 



14 With respect to his part in this movement Huxley wrote 

 to his wife in 1873: "The part I have to play is not to found a 

 new school of thought or to reconcile the antagonisms of the old 

 schools. We are in the midst of a gigantic movement greater 

 than that which preceded and produced the Reformation, and 

 really only the continuation of that movement. . . . But this 

 organisation will be the work of generations of men, and those 

 who further it most will be those who teach men to rest in no 

 lie, and to rest in no verbal delusion. I may be able to help a 

 little in this direction perhaps I may have helped already." 

 -- Life and Letters, 1:427-428. 



