A Bigot Extinguished

Professor Huxley is a leading exponent of the views of Mr. Darwin. Just after the "Oriyin of Species" was first published. the subject eamo up at the Oxford meeting of the Uritish Assonia tion, in whieli Samuel Wilberforce, the Bishop of Uxfcrd, partioipated. The Bishop is a m;iu of elegaDt, olcaginous raanners, who has acquired the tobriquel of "Soapy Saín," which he wears vury good-naturedly. A l;idy onee osked bira how he oame by this ourious title, 4o which he neatly replied that "It must b beeause I so often get into hot water, and always coiue out with clean tndi." The Bishop closed a aarcastic speech gainst the Darwinians by turuiug to Professor Huxley, tlicir leading repreMDtativc, and blandly askiug, in ihe presence of the largo audieneo : "Is the loArned gentleman rcally willing to have II go fortL.tu tho world that he belicves Limself to be descended frota a monkey?" ProfefBOf Huxloy rose und replied, in bis quiet nianner : "It seems to me tbftt the loained Bishop liardly ppreóiates our duty aud position as men of science. We are not tare ta inquire whut we would prefer, but what 8 true. Tha progrese of ecience froui the begiuning has been a conflict with oíd prejudices. The true origin oí' man 8 not a question of likcs or dielikos, to be setiled by coüsulting the feelings, but it is a question of evidenoe, to be sottled by striet sciontiñe investigation. But, as (he learuod Bishop is curious to know my date cf feeling upon the subject, I have no hesitation ín saying, thut were it a matter of choico vith me (which clearly it is uot) whethor I should be descended from a rospectablo monkey, orfroin a Bishop of the Englisb Ghurch who can put his brains to uo butter use thaa to ridicule science aud raisrepresent its cu 1 ti vators, I uould certainly choose tke monkey " The storm of applause which foüowed showed that the hit wi8 appreciated, and Iíuxley was afterwarda kiiuwn 3 'the mau who had extinguished 'Soapy Saín.' "