Thomas Henry Huxley’s lecture tour of the United States, 1876

In the last half of the 19th century the English biologist-educator—rhetorician, Thomas Henry Huxley (1825—95), was a leading expositor and advocate of science, and of Darwinism in particular. At scientific meetings and conventions, in classroom lectures, public presentations, commemorative addresses, after-dinner speeches, books and essays, articles, book reviews and letters to newspapers, he clarified and defended the world of science, often duelling en route with orthodox theology and the older conservative scientists. Friend and foe attested to his rhetorical expertise. His fame and influence was by no means limited to Great Britain, for the European continent and the United States soon knew him well, and indeed the English-speaking world and other areas also came to know of his works.