[And here I may give a letter which refers to the movement for technical education, and the getting the City Companies under way in the matter.  In the words of Mr. George Howell, M.P. (who sent it to the “Times” (July 3, 1895) just after Huxley’s death), it has an additional interest “as indicating the nature of his own epitaph”; as a man “whose highest ambition ever was to uplift the masses of the people and promote their welfare intellectually, socially, and industrially.”]

4 Marlborough Place, N.W., January 2, 1880.

Dear Mr. Howell,

Your letter is a welcome New Year’s gift.  There are two things I really care about—­one is the progress of scientific thought, and the other is the bettering of the condition of the masses of the people by bettering them in the way of lifting themselves out of the misery which has hitherto been the lot of the majority of them.  Posthumous fame is not particularly attractive to me, but, if I am to be remembered at all, I would rather it should be as “a man who did his best to help the people” than by other title.  So you see it is no small pleasure and encouragement to me to find that I have been, and am, of any use in this direction.

Ever since my experience on the School Board, I have been convinced that I should lose rather than gain by entering directly into politics...But I suppose I have some ten years of activity left in me, and you may depend upon it I shall lose no chance of striking a blow for the cause I have at heart.  I thought the time had come the other day at the Society of Arts, and the event proves I was not mistaken.  The animal is moving, and by a judicious exhibition of carrots in front and kicks behind, we shall get him into a fine trot presently.  In the meantime do not let the matter rest...The (City) companies should be constantly reminded that a storm is brewing.  There are excellent men among them, who want to do what is right, and need help against the sluggards and reactionaries.  It will be best for me to be quiet for a while, but you will understand that I am watching for the turn of events.

I am, yours very faithfully,

T.H.  Huxley.

[This summer, too, he delivered a course on Biology for Teachers at South Kensington, and published not only his “American Addresses,” but also the “Physiography,” founded upon the course delivered seven years before.  The book, of which 3386 copies were sold in the first six weeks, was fruitful in two ways; it showed that a geographical subject could be invested with interest, and it set going what was almost a new branch of teaching in natural science, even in Germany, the starting place of most educational methods, where it was immediately proposed to bring out an adaptation of the book, substituting, e.g. the Elbe for the Thames, as a familiar example of river action.