MALDWYN HALDANE’S COPIES: Science and Education; Discourses Biological and Geological

Two volumes of Huxley’s essays, owned and annotated at Glencorse Barracks in Midlothian by ‘Muldoon’ Haldane, nephew of the Secretary for War, the Scottish lawyer Viscount Haldane. At the time he acquired these books in 1902 Maldwyn Haldane had recently been commissioned in the Royal Scots Regiment following on from study at University College, London and Jesus College, Cambridge. He would go on to be the first graduate recruit to the Special Intelligence Service, MO5 - the predecessor organisation to MI5.

Haldane has inscribed both books: ‘M M Haldane The Royal Scots. Glencorse January, 1902’ on the first flyleaf. Science and Education is the 1899 edition; Discourses, 1896. Both have the bookseller’s ticket of William George, Bristol. Both books are in good plus condition with a distinct whiff of tobacco when opened.

Haldane has read Huxley’s 1880 essay on ‘Science and Culture’ (Discourses) with particular attention, clipping page corners and adding a half page of notes at the end of the essay: ‘Education should, therefore, begin with science - 1st with what Huxley called Erdkinder...’ In the official history of MI5, Maldwyn Haldane is singled out for the breadth of his intellectual interests.