Aldous Huxley was an essayist with a breadth of interest that spanned diverse topics such as nature, psychology, and politics. Yet, despite this wide-ranging curiosity, Huxley often used specific subjects as a lens through which to explore broader opinions. Some of these opinions, reflective of his individual biases, occasionally appear as prejudices, challenging the reader to critically engage with his assertions.

Critical Views on Religion

Huxley’s essay on his journey "Between Peshawar and Lahore" exemplifies his critical stance on religion. On the surface, it is a travelogue detailing a railroad journey through India, yet it quickly transforms into a critique of Indian religion and, by extension, all religious belief. Encountering an Indian mystic on the train, Huxley observes the guru's unspiritual demeanor, which he uses as a springboard for a more extensive condemnation of religious devotion. He remarks on the guru's lack of cleanliness and the irrational attention he receives, which ignites Huxley’s disdain for what he perceives as religion's tendency to venerate the mindless and subservient.

Despite his harsh critique, Huxley exhibits a pragmatic understanding of religion’s societal role, akin to Voltaire’s perspective. While he wishes for a rationalist society, he concedes that religion serves a function for humanity, acknowledging that irrationalities would persist even if religion were abolished. Thus, his critique is not of religion’s function but its nature.

Perspectives on Love and Sexuality

In his essays, Huxley also addresses the concept of love, juxtaposing two conflicting ideals: the Christian moral interpretation and the Romantic notion rooted in nineteenth-century ideals. He believes both are in constant conflict with the realities of postwar life, providing an inadequate foundation for understanding love. In "Fashions in Love," Huxley critiques the Christian perspective as being an inconsistent mix of asceticism and romanticism, suggesting an anthropological view of love as an alternative.

Huxley posits that amorous behavior, whether among animals or humans, is shaped by a variety of societal factors, including conventions and prejudices. However, his argument assumes a permanence to sexual behavior due to its biological underpinnings and grants it value over sexual restraint. Yet, he neglects to consider that moral frameworks governing sexuality demonstrate an instinctive and enduring quality as well.

Huxley's call for a new mythology of nature to make love more comprehensible and less constrained by irrational morals might, however, be asking for something as mythical as the ideals he critiques.

Engagement with Literature and Art

Huxley's incisive mind extends to his analysis of literature and art. In "Wordsworth and the Tropics," he challenges the romantic notion that nature serves as a moral guide, questioning how Wordsworth’s perceptions might shift if faced with the harsher realities of tropical environments. Huxley suggests that the idyllic portrayals of nature would crumble in the face of such adversity, revealing a darker awareness of evil.

In “Vulgarity in Literature,” Huxley critiques Dickens for allowing sentimentality to overshadow intellectual acumen, accusing him of forsaking reality for emotional excess. Conversely, his treatment of D.H. Lawrence, while less severe, notes Lawrence’s preoccupation with sexual drives as both a strength and a limitation.

Goya, however, stands apart in Huxley’s critique as an artist embodying scientific realism. In “Variations on Goya,” Huxley praises Goya for his unflinching depiction of the brutalities during the Napoleonic Wars, considering his work a model of artistic interpretation. Goya’s refusal to glorify war aligns closely with Huxley’s own values, portraying the artist as a visual counterpart to Huxley’s literary skepticism.

Huxley’s Intellectual Legacy

Through his essays, Huxley reveals himself as a thinker who challenges established norms and encourages readers to reconsider their assumptions. His iconoclastic approach, whether through critiques of religion, reexaminations of love, or dissections of literary canon, demonstrates a commitment to intellectual rigor and scientific realism. Huxley’s work continues to provoke discussion and reflection, inviting audiences to engage with his ideas critically and thoughtfully.