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prodigious period during which the ancestors of existing coral
polypes have been undisturbedly at work； and during which；
therefore； the climatal conditions over the coral area must have
been much what they are now。
And all this lapse of time has occurred within the most recent
period of the history of the earth。 The remains of reefs formed by
coral polypes of different kinds from those which exist now； enter
largely into the composition of the limestones of the Jurassic
period；＇126＇ and still more widely different coral polypes have
contributed their quota to the vast thickness of the carboniferous
and Devonian strata。 Then as regards the latter group of rocks in
America； the high authority already quoted tells us：
〃The Upper Helderberg period is eminently the coral reef period of
the palaeozoic ages。 Many of the rocks abound in coral； and are as
truly coral reefs as the modern reefs of the Pacific。 The corals
are sometimes standing on the rocks in the position they had when
growing： others are lying in fragments； as they were broken and
heaped by the waves； and others were reduced to a compact limestone
by the finer trituration before consolidation into rock。 This
compact variety is the most common kind among the coral reef rocks
of the present seas； and it often contains but few distinct
fossils； although formed in water that abounded in life。 At the
fall of the Ohio； near Louisville； there is a magnificent display
of the old reef。 Hemispherical Favosites； five or six feet in
diameter； lie there nearly as perfect as when they were covered by
their flowerlike polypes； and besides these； there are various
branching corals； and a profusion of Cyathophyllia； or cup…
corals。〃*
* Dana； Manual of Geology； p。 272。
Thus； in all the great periods of the earth's history of which we
know anything； a part of the then living matter has had the form of
polypes； competent to separate from the water of the sea the
carbonate of lime necessary for their own skeletons。 Grain by
grain； and particle by particle； they have built up vast masses of
rock； the thickness of which is measured by hundreds of feet； and
their area by thousands of square miles。 The slow oscillations of
the crust of the earth； producing great changes in the distribution
of land and water； have often obliged the living matter of the
coral…builders to shift the locality of its operations； and； by
variation and adaptation to these modifications of condition； its
forms have as often changed。 The work it has done in the past is；
for the most part； swept away； but fragments remain； and； if there
were no other evidence； suffice to prove the general constancy of
the operations of Nature in this world； through periods of almost
inconceivable duration。
NOTES
AUTOBIOGRAPHY
＇1＇
Autobiography： Huxley's account of this sketch； written in 1889； is
as follows： 〃A man who is bringing out a series of portraits of
celebrities； with a sketch of their career attached； has bothered
me out of my life for something to go with my portrait； and to
escape the abominable bad taste of some of the notices； I have done
that。〃
＇2＇
pre…Boswellian epoch： the time before Boswell。 James Boswell
（1740…1795） wrote the famous Life of Samuel Johnson。 Mr。 Leslie
Stephen declares that this book 〃became the first specimen of a new
literary type。〃 〃It is a full…length portrait of a man's domestic
life with enough picturesque detail to enable us to see him through
the eyes of private friendship。 。 。 。〃 A number of biographers
since Boswell have imitated his method； and Leslie Stephen believes
that 〃we owe it in some degree to his example that we have such
delightful books as Lockhart's Life of Scott or Mr。 Trevelyan's
Life of Macaulay。〃
＇3＇
〃Bene qui latuit； bene vixit〃： from Ovid。 He who has kept himself
well hidden； has lived well。
＇4＇
Prince George of Cambridge： the grandson of King George III； second
Duke of Cambridge； and Commander…in…chief of the British Army。
＇5＇
Mr。 Herbert Spencer （18201903）： a celebrated English philosopher
and powerful advocate of the doctrine of evolution。 Spencer is
regarded as one of the most profound thinkers of modern times。 He
was one of Huxley's closest friends。
＇6＇
in partibus infidelium： in the domain of the unbelievers。
＇7＇
〃sweet south upon a bed of violets。〃 Cf。 Twelfth Night； Act I； sc。
I； l。 5。
O； it came o'er my ear like the sweet sound
That breathes upon a bank of violets；
Stealing and giving odour。
For the reading 〃sweet south〃 instead of 〃sweet sound；〃 see Rolfe's
edition of Twelfth Night。
＇8＇
〃Lehrjahre〃： apprenticeship。
Charing Cross School of Medicine： a school connected with the
Charing Cross Hospital in the Strand； London。
＇9＇
Nelson： Horatio Nelson； a celebrated English Admiral born in
Norfolk； England； 1758； and died on board the Victory at Trafalgar；
1805。 It was before the battle off Cape Trafalgar that Nelson
hoisted his famous signal； 〃England expects every man will do his
duty。〃 Cf。 Tennyson's Ode to the Duke of Wellington； stanza VI；
for a famous tribute to Nelson。
＇10＇
middies： abbreviated form for midshipmen。
＇11＇
Suites a Buffon： sequels to Buffon。 Buffon （1707…1781） was a
French naturalist who wrote many volumes on science。
＇12＇
Linnean Society： a scientific society formed in 1788 under the
auspices of several fellows of the Royal Society。
＇13＇
Royal Society： The Royal Society for Improving Natural Knowledge；
the oldest scientific society in Great Britain； and one of the
oldest in Europe。 It was founded by Charles II； in 1660； its
nucleus being an association of learned men already in existence。
It is supposed to be identical with the Invisible College which
Boyle mentions in 1646。 It was incorporated under the name of The
Royal Society in 1661。 The publications of the Royal Society are
called Philosophical Transactions。 The society has close
connection with the government； and has assisted the government in
various important scientific undertakings among which may be
mentioned Parry's North Pole expedition。 The society also
distributes 20；000 yearly for the promotion of scientific
research。
＇14＇
Rastignac： a character in Le Pere Goriot。 At the close of the
story Rastignac says； 〃A nous deux； maintenant〃：Henceforth there
is war between us。
＇15＇
Pere Goriot： a novel of Balzac's with a plot similar to King Lear。
＇16＇
Professor Tyndall （1820…1893）： a distinguished British physicist
and member of the Royal Society。 He explored with Huxley the
glaciers of Switzerland。 His work in electricity； radiant heat；
light and acoustics gave him a foremost place in science。
＇17＇
Ecclesiastical spirit： the spirit manifested by the clergy of
England in Huxley's time against the truths of science。 The clergy
considered scientific t