lx 



subsequent development of the school at South Kensington made 

 Hnxley's hands very full. In particular, he spent much time and 

 energy in so organising a course of lectures which he was called 

 upon to give to selected teachers of the classes examined by the 

 Science and Art Department (he had for many years been examiner 

 in zoology and physiology for the Department) as to make it a model 

 of instruction in the general principles of biology. In that course he 

 selected certain topics relating to the structure and life history of 

 both plants and animals which he judged most fundamental and 

 illustrative. He gave early in the forenoon an expository lecture, 

 illustrated by a few diagrams, but chiefly his own admirable black 

 board sketches ; the rest of the day his four demonstrators, W. 

 Thiselton Dyer, Michael Foster, E. Ray Lankester, and William 

 Rutherford, did their best to make each member of the class see for 

 himself or herself, so far as w r as possible, the actual thing of which 

 the master had spoken. Each lecture, it need hardly be said, was a 

 model of clear, incisive, suggestive exposition ; the young demon- 

 strators, w T ho had as yet their spurs to win, did their best to make 

 their work worthy of their chief ; and whether they succeeded in 

 teaching much or little, at least learnt much. This course of lectures, 

 subsequently repeated with various modifications, became a pattern 

 for biological instruction in England ; it is not too much to say that it 

 brought about a revolution in the teaching of biology in this country. 



In 1871 the post of Secretary to the Royal Society became vacant, 

 through the resignation of William Sharpey, and the Fellows learnt 

 Avith gla,d surprise that Huxley, whom they looked to rather as a not 

 distant President, was williug to undertake the duties of the office. 

 For the ten years 1871-80 no small portion of his time and thought 

 were (under first his old friend Hooker, and then Spottiswoode, as 

 President) devoted to the interests of the Society ; for he had formed 

 a very high ideal of the duties of the Society as the head of science 

 in this country, and was determined that it should not at least fall 

 short through any lack of exertion on his part. 



As was said above, one guiding principle in Huxley's life was the 

 deep conviction that science was meant not for men of science alone, 

 but for all the world : and that not in respect to its material benefits 

 only, but also, and even more, for its intellectual good. It was for 

 this reason chiefly that in 1870, on the new educational departure 

 then made, he consented to become a candidate for the London School 

 Board, and, being elected, made himself felt in that assembly as he 

 did in others, bringing to bear on its deliberations all the influence of 

 a man, not only acute and learned, but wise and just. 



In spite of the great amount of work which, ever since he landed 

 from the " Rattlesnake," he had daily got through, in the midst of all 

 the distractions of London life, he was never really a robust man ; 



