Huxley: From Devil's Disciple to Evolution's High Priest (Helix Books)

T. H. Huxley (1825–1895) was Darwin's bloody-fanged bulldog. His giant scything intellect shook a prim Victorian society; his “Devil's gospel” of evolution outraged. He put “agnostic” into the vocabulary and cave men into the public consciousness. Adrian Desmond's fiery biography with its panoramic view of Dickensian life explains how this agent provocateur rose to become the century's greatest prophet.Synoptic in its sweep and evocative in its details, Desmond's biography reveals the poverty and opium-hazed tragedies of young Tom Huxley's life as well as the accolades and triumphs of his later years. The drug-grinder's apprentice knew sots and scandals and breakdowns that signaled a genius close to madness. As surgeon's mate on the cockroach-infested frigate __Rattlesnake,__ he descended into hell on the Barrier Reef, but was saved by a golden-haired girl in the penal colony.Huxley pulled himself up to fight Darwin's battles in the 1860s, but left Darwin behind on the most inflammatory issues. He devasted angst-ridden Victorian society with his talk of ape ancestors, and tantalized and tormented thousands-from laborers to ladies of society, cardinals to Karl Marx—with his scintillating lectures. Out of his provocations came our image of science warring with theology. And out of them, too, came the West's new faith-agnosticism (he coined the new word).Champion of modern education, creator of an intellectually dominant profession, and president of the Royal Society, in Desmond's hands Huxley epitomizes the rise of the middle classes as the clawed power from the Anglican elite. His modern godless universe, intriguing and terrifying, millions of years in the making, was explored in his laboratory at South Kensington; his last pupil, H. G. Wells, made it the foundation of twentieth-century science fiction.Touching the crowning achievements and the crushing depths of both the man and his times, this is the epic story of a courageous genius whose life summed up the social changes from the Victorian to the modern age. Written with enormous zest and passion, Huxley is about the making of our modern Darwinian world. T.h. Huxley (1825-1895) Was Darwin's Bloody-fanged Bulldog. His Giant Scything Intellect Shook A Prim Victorian Society; His Devil's Gospel Of Evolution Outraged. He Put Agnostic Into The Vocabulary And Cave Men Into The Public Consciousness. Adrian Desmond's Fiery Biography With Its Panoramic View Of Dickensian Life Explains How This Agent Provocateur Rose To Become The Century's Greatest Prophet. Synoptic In Its Sweep And Evocative In Its Details, Desmond's Biography Reveals The Poverty And Opium-hazed Tragedies Of Young Tom Huxley's Life As Well As The Accolades And Triumphs Of His Later Years. Huxley Pulled Himself Up To Fight Darwin's Battles In The 1860s, But Left Darwin Behind On The Most Inflammatory Issues. He Devastated Angst-ridden Victorian Society With His Talk Of Ape Ancestors, And Tantalized And Tormented Thousands - From Laborers To Ladies Of Society, Cardinals To Karl Marx - With His Scintillating Lectures. Out Of His Provocations Came Our Image Of Science Warring With Theology. And Out Of Them, Too, Came The West's New Faith - Agnosticism (he Coined The Word). Champion Of Modern Education, Creator Of An Intellectually Dominant Profession, And President Of The Royal Society, In Desmond's Hands Huxley Epitomizes The Rise Of The Middle Classes As They Clawed Power From The Anglican Elite. His Modern Godless Universe, Intriguing And Terrifying, Millions Of Years In The Making, Was Explored In His Laboratory At South Kensington; His Last Pupil, H.g. Wells, Made It The Foundation Of Twentieth-century Science Fiction. Part One: The Devil's Disciple -- 1825-1846: Dreaming My Own Dreams -- 1. Philosophy Can Bake No Bread -- 2. Son Of The Scalpel -- 3. The Surgeon's Mate -- 1846-1850: The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea -- 4. Men-of-war -- 5. An Ark Of Promise -- 6. The Eighth Circle Of Hell -- 7. Sepulchral Painted Savages -- 8. Homesick Heroes -- 1850-1858: Lost In The Wilderness -- 9. The Scientific Sadducee -- 10. The Season Of Despair -- 11. The Jihad Begins -- 12. The Nature Of The Beast -- 13. Empires Of The Deep Past -- 1858-1865: The New Luther -- 14. The Eve Of A New Reformation -- 15. Buttered Angels & Bellowing Apes -- 16. Reslaying The Slain -- 17. Man's Place -- 1865-1870: The Scientific Swell -- 18. Birds, Dinosaurs & Booming Guns -- 19. Eyeing The Prize -- Part Two: Evolution's High Priest -- 1870-1884: Marketing The 'new Nature' -- 20. The Gun In The Liberal Armoury -- 21. From The City Of The Dead To The City Of Science -- 22. Automatons -- 23. The American Dream -- 24. A Touch Of The Whip -- 25. A Person Of Respectability -- 26. The Scientific Woolsack -- 1885-1895: The Old Lion -- 27. Polishing Off The G.o.m. -- 28. Christ Was No Christian -- 29. Combating The Cosmos -- 30. Fighting Unto Death -- Afterword: Huxley In Perspective. Adrian Desmond. Originally Published As 2 Separate Volumes: Huxley : The Devil's Disciple And Huxley : Evolution's High Priest. London : M. Joseph, 1994. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 751-782) And Index. T.H. Huxley (1825-1895) was Darwin's bloody-fanged bulldog. His giant scything intellect shook a prim Victorian society; his "Devil's gospel" of evolution outraged. He put "agnostic" into the vocabulary and cave men into the public consciousness. Adrian Desmond's fiery biography with its panoramic view of Dickensian life explains how this agent provocateur rose to become the century's greatest prophet. Synoptic in its sweep and evocative in its details, Desmond's biography reveals the poverty and opium-hazed tragedies of young Tom Huxley's life as well as the accolades and triumphs of his later years. Huxley pulled himself up to fight Darwin's battles in the 1860s, but left Darwin behind on the most inflammatory issues. He devastated angst-ridden Victorian society with his talk of ape ancestors, and tantalized and tormented thousands - from laborers to ladies of society, cardinals to Karl Marx - with his scintillating lectures. Out of his provocations came our image of science warring with theology. And out of them, too, came the West's new faith - agnosticism (he coined the word). Champion of modern education, creator of an intellectually dominant profession, and president of the Royal Society, in Desmond's hands Huxley epitomizes the rise of the middle classes as they clawed power from the Anglican elite. His modern godless universe, intriguing and terrifying, millions of years in the making, was explored in his laboratory at South Kensington; his last pupil, H.G. Wells, made it the foundation of twentieth-century science fiction. Touching the crowning achievements and the crushing depths of both the man and his times, this is the epic story of a courageous genius whose life summed up the social changes from the Victorian to the modern age. Written with enormous zest and passion, Hexley is about the making of our modern Darwinian world. -- from dust jacket T. H. Huxley (1825-1895) was Darwin's bloody-fanged bulldog. His giant scything intellect shook a prim Victorian society; his "Devil's gospel" of evolution outraged. He put "agnostic" into the vocabulary and cave men into the public consciousness. Adrian Desmond's fiery biography with its panoramic view of Dickensian life explains how this agent provocateur rose to become the century's greatest prophet. Synoptic in its sweep and evocative in its details, Desmond's biography reveals the poverty and opium-hazed tragedies of young Tom Huxley's life as well as the accolades and triumphs of his later years. Huxley pulled himself up to fight Darwin's battles in the 1860s, but left Darwin behind on the most inflammatory issues. He devastated angst-ridden Victorian society with his talk of ape ancestors, and tantalized and tormented thousands - from laborers to ladies of society, cardinals to Karl Marx - with his scintillating lectures. Out of his provocations came our image of science warring with theology. And out of them, too, came the West's new faith - agnosticism (he coined the word). Champion of modern education, creator of an intellectually dominant profession, and president of the Royal Society, in Desmond's hands Huxley epitomizes the rise of the middle classes as they clawed power from the Anglican elite. His modern godless universe, intriguing and terrifying, millions of years in the making, was explored in his laboratory at South Kensington; his last pupil, H. G. Wells, made it the foundation of twentieth-century science fiction. T.H. Huxley was Darwin's bulldog. He shook Victorian society, his "Devil's gospel" of evolution outraged them. He put "agnostic" into the vocabulary and "cave men" into the public consciousness. This is the story of a man whose life summed up the social changes from the Victorian to the modern age. Reveals the life story of the scientist who championed evolution and put the word "agnostic" into the vocabulary of Western civilization