autobiography and selected essays-第3部分

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afternoony　sort　of　place　from　which　it　is　difficult　to　depart。　　He

worked　as　eagerly　over　the　historic　remains　in　Rome　as　he　would

over　a　collection　of　geological　specimens。　　〃I　begin　to　understand

Old　Rome　pretty　well　and　I　am　quite　learned　in　the　Catacombs；　which

suit　me；　as　a　kind　of　Christian　fossils　out　of　which　one　can

reconstruct　the　body　of　the　primitive　Church。〃　　Florence；　for　a　man

with　a　conscience　and　ill…health；　had　too　many　picture　galleries。

〃They　are　a　sore　burden　to　the　conscience　if　you　don't　go　to　see

them；　and　an　awful　trial　to　the　back　and　legs　if　you　do；〃　he

complained。　　He　found　Florence；　nevertheless；　a　lovely　place　and

full　of　most　interesting　things　to　see　and　do。　　His　letters　with

reference　to　himself　also　are　vigorously　and　entertainingly

expressed。　　He　writes　in　a　characteristic　way　of　his　growing

difficulty　with　his　hearing。　　〃It　irritates　me　not　to　hear；　it

irritates　me　still　more　to　be　spoken　to　as　if　I　were　deaf；　and　the

absurdity　of　being　irritated　on　the　last　ground　irritates　me　still

more。〃　　And　again　he　writes　in　a　more　hopeful　strain；　〃With　fresh

air　and　exercise　and　careful　avoidance　of　cold　and　night　air　I　am

to　be　all　right　again。〃　　He　then　adds：　〃I　am　not　fond　of　coddling；

but　as　Paddy　gave　his　pig　the　best　corner　in　his　cabinbecause

'shure；　he　paid　the　rint'I　feel　bound　to　take　care　of　myself　as　a

household　animal　of　value；　to　say　nothing　of　other　points。〃



Although　he　was　never　strong　after　this　long　illness；　Huxley　began

in　1889　to　be　much　better。　　The　first　sign　of　returning　vigor　was

the　eagerness　with　which　he　entered　into　a　controversy　with

Gladstone。　　Huxley　had　always　enjoyed　a　mental　battle；　and　some　of

his　fiercest　tilts　were　with　Gladstone。　　He　even　found　the　cause　of

better　health　in　this　controversy；　and　was　grateful　to　the　〃Grand

Old　Man〃　for　making　home　happy　for　him。　　From　this　time　to　his

death；　Huxley　wrote　a　number　of　articles　on　politics；　science；　and

religion；　many　of　which　were　published　in　the　volume　called

Controverted　Questions。　　The　main　value　of　these　essays　lies　in　the

fact　that　Huxley　calls　upon　men　to　give　clear　reasons　for　the　faith

which　they　claim　as　theirs；　and　makes；　as　a　friend　wrote　of　him；

hazy　thinking　and　slovenly；　half…formed　conclusions　seem　the　base

thing　they　really　are。



The　last　years　of　Huxley's　life　were　indeed　the　longed…for　Indian

summer。　　Away　from　the　noise　of　London　at　Eastbourne　by　the　sea；　he

spent　many　happy　hours　with　old…time　friends　and　in　his　garden；

which　was　a　great　joy　to　him。　　His　large　family　of　sons　and

daughters　and　grandchildren　brought　much　cheer　to　his　last　days。

Almost　to　the　end　he　was　working　and　writing　for　publication。

Three　days　before　his　death　he　wrote　to　his　old　friend；　Hooker；

that　he　didn't　feel　at　all　like　〃sending　in　his　checks〃　and　hoped

to　recover。　　He　died　very　quietly　on　June　29；　1895。　　That　he　met

death　with　the　same　calm　faith　and　strength　with　which　he　had　met

life　is　indicated　by　the　lines　which　his　wife　wrote　and　which　he

requested　to　be　his　epitaph：





Be　not　afraid；　ye　waiting　hearts　that　weep；

For　still　He　giveth　His　beloved　sleep；

And　if　an　endless　sleep　He　wills；　so　best。





To　attempt　an　analysis　of　Huxley's　character；　unique　and　bafflingly

complex　as　it　is；　is　beyond　the　scope　of　this　sketch；　but　to　give

only　the　mere　facts　of　his　life　is　to　do　an　injustice　to　the　vivid

personality　of　the　man　as　it　is　revealed　in　his　letters。　　All　his

human　interest　in　people　and　thingspets；　and　flowers；　and　family…

…brightens　many　pages　of　the　two　ponderous　volumes。　　Now　one　reads

of　his　grief　over　some　backward…going　plant；　or　over　some　garden

tragedy；　as　〃A　lovely　clematis　in　full　flower；　which　I　had　spent

hours　in　nailing　up；　has　just　died　suddenly。　　I　am　more

inconsolable　than　Jonah！〃　　Now　one　is　amused　with　a　nonsense　letter

to　one　of　his　children；　and　again　with　an　account　of　a　pet。　　〃I

wish　you　would　write　seriously　to　M。　　She　is　not　behaving　well

to　Oliver。　　I　have　seen　handsomer　kittens；　but　few　more　lively；　and

energetically　destructive。　　Just　now　he　scratched　away　at　something

M　says　cost　13s。　6d。　a　yard　and　reduced　more　or　less　of　it　to

combings。　　M　therefore　excludes　him　from　the　dining…room　and

all　those　opportunities　of　higher　education　which　he　would　have　in

MY　house。〃　　Frequently　one　finds　a　description　of　some　event；　so

vividly　done　that　the　mere　reading　of　it　seems　like　a　real

experience。　　An　account　of　Tennyson's　burial　in　Westminster　is　a

typical　bit　of　description：





Bright　sunshine　streamed　through　the　windows　of　the　nave；　while　the

choir　was　in　half　gloom；　and　as　each　shaft　of　light　illuminated　the

flower…covered　bier　as　it　slowly　travelled　on；　one　thought　of　the

bright　succession　of　his　works　between　the　darkness　before　and　the

darkness　after。　　I　am　glad　to　say　that　the　Royal　Society　was

represented　by　four　of　its　chief　officers；　and　nine　of　the

commonalty；　including　myself。　　Tennyson　has　a　right　to　that；　as　the

first　poet　since　Lucretius　who　has　understood　the　drift　of　science。





No　parts　of　the　Life　and　Letters　are　more　enjoyable　than　those

concerning　the　〃Happy　Family；〃　as　a　friend　of　Huxley's　names　his

household。　　His　family　of　seven　children　found　their　father　a　most

engaging　friend　and　companion。　　He　could　tell　them　wonderful　sea

stories　and　animal　stories　and　could　draw　fascinating　pictures。

His　son　writes　of　how　when　he　was　ill　with　scarlet　fever　he　used　to

look　forward　to　his　father's　home…coming。　　〃The　solitary　daysfor

I　was　the　first　victim　in　the　familywere　very　long；　and　I　looked

forward　with　intense　interest　to　one　half…hour　after　dinner；　when

he　would　come　up　and　draw　scenes　from　the　history　of　a　remarkable

bull…terrier　and　his　family　that　went　to　the　seaside　in　a　most

human　and　child…delighting　manner。　　I　have　seldom　suffered　a

greater　disappointment　than　when；　one　evening；　I　fell　asleep　just

before　this　fairy　half…hour；　and　lost　it　out　of　my　life。〃



The　account　of　the　comradeship　between　Huxley　and　his　wife　reads

like　a　good　old…time　romance。　　He　was　attracted　to　her　at　first　by

her　〃simplicity　and　directness　united　with　an　unusual　degree　of

cultivation；〃　Huxley's　son　writes。　　On　her　he　depended　for　advice

in　his　work；　and　for　companionship　at　home　and　abroad　when

wandering　in　search　of　health　in　Italy　and　Switzerland。　　When　he

had　been　separated　from　her　for　some　time；　he　wrote；　〃Nobody；

children　or　anyone　else；　can　be　to　me　what　you　are。　　Ulysses

preferred　his　old　woman　to　immortality；　and　this　absence　has　led　me

to　see　that　he　was　as　wise　in　that　as　in　other　things。〃　　Again　he

writes；　〃Against　all　trouble　（and　I　have　had　my　share）　I　weigh　a

wife…comrade　'trew　and　fest'　in　all　emergencies。〃



The　letters　also　give　one　a　clear　idea　of　the　breadth　of　Huxley's

interests；　particularly　of　his　appreciation　of　the　various　forms　of

art。　　Huxley　believed　strongly　in　the　arts　as　a　refining　and

helpful　influence　in　education。　　He　keenly　enjoyed　good　music。

Professor　Hewes　writes　of　him　that　one　breaking　in　upon　him　in　the

afternoon　at　South　Kensington　would　not　infrequently　be　met　〃with　a

snatch　of　some　melody　of　Bach's　fugue。〃　　He　also　liked　good

pictures；　and　always　had　among　his　friends　well…known　artists；　as

Alma…Tadema；　Sir　Frederick　Leighton；　and　Burne…Jones。　　He　read

poetry　widely；　and　strongly　advocated　the　teaching　of　poetry　in

English　schools。　　As　to　poetry；　his　own　preferences　are

interesting。　　Wordsworth　he　considered　too　discursive；　Shelley　was

too　diffuse；　Keats；　he　liked　for　pure　beauty；　Browning　for

strength；　and　Tennyson　for　his　understanding　of　modern　science；　but

most　frequently　of　all　he　read　Milton　and　Shakespeare。



As　to　Huxley's　appearance；　and　as　to　the　impression　which　his

personality　made　upon　others；　the　description　of　a　friend；　Mr。　G。

W。　Smalley；　presents　him　with　striking　force。　　〃The　square

forehead；　the　square　jaw；　the　tense　lines　of　the　mouth；　the　deep

flashing　dark　eyes；　the　impression　of　something　more　than　strength

he　gave　you；　an　impression　of　sincerity；　of　solid　force；　of

immovability；　yet　with　the　gentleness　arising　from　the　serene

consciousness　of　his　strengthall　this　belonged　to　Huxley　and　to

him　alone。　　The　first　glance　magnetized　his　audience。　　The　eyes

were　those　of　one　accustomed　to　command；　of　one　having　authority；

and　not　fearing　on　occasion　to　use　it。　　The　hair　swept　carelessly

away　from　the　broad　forehead　and　grew　rather　long　behind；　yet　the

length　did　not　suggest；　as　it　often　does；　effeminacy。　　He　was

masculine　in　everythinglook；　gesture；　speech。　　Sparing　of

gesture；　sparing　of　emphasis；　careless　of　mere　rhetorical　or

oratorical　art；　he　had　nevertheless　the　secret　of　the　highest　art

of　all；　whether　in　oratory　or　whatever　elsehe　had　simplicity。〃



Simplicity；　directness；　sincerity；all　these　qualities　describe

Huxley；　but　the　one　attribute　which　distinguishes　him　above　all

others　is　love　of　truth。　　A　love　of　truth；　as　the　phrase

characterizes　Huxley；　would　necessarily　produce　a　scholarly　habit

of　mind。　　It　was　the　zealous　search　for　truth　which　determined　his

method　of　work。　　In　science；　Huxley　would　〃take　at　second　hand

nothing　for　which　he　vouched　in　teaching。〃　　Some　one　reproached　him

for　wasting　time　verifying　what　another　had　already　done。　　〃If　that

is　his　practice；〃　he　commented；　〃his　work　will　never　live。〃　　The

same　motive　made　him　a　master　of　languages。　　To　be　able　to　read　at

first　hand　the　writings　of　other　nations；　he　learned　German；

French；　Italian；　and　Greek。　　One　of　the　chief　reasons　for　learning

to　read　Greek　was　to　see　for　himself　if　Aristotle　really　did　say

that　the　heart　had　only　three　chambersan　error；　he　discovered；

not　of　Aristotle；　but　of　the　translator。　　It　was；　moreover；　the

scholar　in　Huxley　which　made　him　impatient　of　narrow；　half…formed；

foggy　conclusions。　　His　own　work　has　all　the　breadth　and　freedom

and　universality　of