BISHOP WILBERFORCE AND PROFESSOR HUXLEY "SMASHING" EACH OTHER.

Thames Star, Volume XVI, Issue 5068, 13 April 1885, Page 3

BISHOP WILBERFORCE AND PROFESSOR HUXLEY "SMASHING" EACH OTHER.

1 In 'lecture delivered at Owens College by Professor Boyd Dawkins on the late John Bichard Green, Mr Dawkios said that in 1860 Mr Green attended the .British Association at Oxford, and in a -Tetter he described the passage of arms which occurred between Professor Huxley, the champion of the new mode of knowledge, and Professor Owen, represented by J)r. Samuel Wilberforce, Bishop of Oxford, who stood up for the old obstruct tire dogmatism. Tho following is an extract from the letter, which is da&ed July 3, I860:—"I was intro* to Eobert Chambers (the supposed author of the" Vestiges') the other day, and heard him chuckle over the episcopal defeat I haven't told you that story—have I? On 6aturday merning I met 3., going to, the museum, and he proposed going to section D—the Zoology, &c—to hear the Bishop ©f Oxford 'smash 'Darwin.' 'Smash Darwin! Smash the pyramids !' said I, in great wrath, and muttering something about 'impertinences,' which caused J. to explain that' the bishop was a first class in mathematics, you know, and so has aright to treat on scientific matters, which, of course, silenced my cavils. Well, when Professor D—had ceased bis hour and a half of nasal Tankeeism, up " rose ' Sammivel,' and proceeded to act the smasher. The white chokers, who were abundant, cheered lustily—a sort of' Pitch it into him' cheer, and the smasher got so uproarious aB to pitch into Darwin's friend, JPsrwin being emaihed, and especially.

Professor Huxley. Still the white chokers cheered as Samuel rattled on. • He had been (old that ProfesHor Huxley had said that he didn't reo tho tit mattered mnch to a man whether his grandfather wero an ape or an, ass ; Let tho learned professor speak for himself,' and the like; which being ended—and let me «ay frhet such ' rot 1 nevor fell from episcopal lips before—arose Professor Huxley. Young, cool' quiet, sarcastic, scientific in facts and in treatment, he gave bin lordship such a smashing as he may mpditate on with profit over his portal OfKld!i'K'"Jpn. This was the exordium :•—' I asserted, and I repeat, ihat a man lius no reason to lie ashamed ot itnvieffhad an «po for his grandfather. If there were an ancestor whom I should feel shame in recalling it vvrnld rather Jbe a rann—a man of restless and versatile in LeltacC—who, noteontent.with an equivocal success ia his own sphere of activity, plangeainto scientih'cquestions with which he has no real acquaintance, only to obscure them by an aimless rhetoric, and distrnct tho attention of his hearers from fhe real point at issue by eloqu«nt digressions and skilled appeals to religious prejudice.'" Professor Dawkins added that he sent a copy of the letter a short -time ago to Professor Huxley, who said it represented yery accurately the sentiments he intended to convey.