On Helping History, 1940s

This series contains notes, manuscripts and typescripts written by Huxley between 1910 and 1974. This series is particularly rich because it details the development of his thought and conveys the variety of his interests. There are poems and short stories written when he was a young man, notes on scientific work and classroom lectures given during the period when he taught biology. (N.B. Among these are a series of lectures he prepared while at Rice.) The series also contains manuscripts and/ or typed copies of articles, book reviews, drafts of letters to editors and public lectures. Of special interest are the manuscripts for the Romanes Lecture (1943), the Kalinga Prize Speech (1953), the Lasker Award Address (1959) and the John Danz Lecture (1962); and those of The Science of Life, The Humanist Frame, From an Antique Land and both volumes of Huxley's autobiography, Memories.

The manuscripts, typescripts and notes are in chronological order. However, many of the notes and manuscript fragments are on undated scraps of paper and some are almost illegible. Therefore, although the greatest care has been taken to ascertain the date for each fragment, it was impossible to accurately place each manuscript or note. The researcher should bear this in mind when using these materials.