| Synopsis: |
Thomas Henry Huxley (1825-95), the English biologist and naturalist, was known as 'Darwin's Bulldog', and is best remembered today for his vociferous support for Darwin's theory of evolution. He was, however, an influential naturalist, anatomist and religious thinker, who coined the term 'agnostic' to describe his own beliefs. Almost entirely self-educated, he became an authority in anatomy and palaeontology, and after the discovery of the archaeopteryx, he was the first to suggest that birds had evolved from dinosaurs. He was also a keen promoter of scientific education who strove to make science a paid profession, not dependent on patronage or wealth. Published in 1903, this three-volume work, edited by his son Leonard Huxley, is the second and most complete edition of Huxley's biography and selected letters. Volume 1 covers the period 1825-69, including his expedition to Australasia and the publication of the On the Origin of Species (1859). |