1817 he had a passion for collecting; shells, seals, franks, coins, minerals, were amongst the miscellaneous objects of his search; but there is no clear sign during his boyhood at Shrewsbury of any strong devotion to the studies that afterwards absorbed his attention, though he was only a youth of eighteen when his first discovery was made. As a boy, he had the keen delight in understanding a piece of mechanism which afterwards showed itself in many ways, and he remembered vividly the pleasure his uncle Josiah Wedgwood gave him, when he was young, by explaining the principle of the vernier.

In 1825 he left Shrewsbury for Edinburgh University, where his father and grandfather had studied; and we have no record of his connection with his native place after that date, though he doubtless often came there to visit Dr. Darwin, who lived for twenty three years longer, and had the satisfaction of seeing his son already taking high rank in the world of science.1 In fact, Charles Darwin's career as author and discoverer extended over more than half a century, beginning when he was eighteen, and ending with the publication of his book on Earth Worms not long before he died. He joined the Plinian Society at Edinburgh, and his first recorded contribution to Science was a communication on the Ova of the Flustra, on the 27th of March, 1827, stating that he had discovered organs of motion. Thus early in life his powers of observation were exercised in the field in which he afterwards distinguished himself.

1 Mr. Darwin occasionally corresponded with his old schoofellow, the Rev. W. A. Leighton, who also devoted himself to the study of botany; and one of the letters which passed between them will be found further on in these pages. In another, Mr. Darwin says—"How many years have rolled over our heads since we were at school together, and how, little we then thought that we should correspond on scientific subjects." Mr. Leighton and Mr. Darwin met again, after leaving school, as fellow students at Cambridge, and both took part in Professor Henslow's field excursions, which are mentioned further on, and attended the evening parties at his house.

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Of his life at Edinburgh we have one or two glimpses. In his sketch of Erasmus Darwin, he refers to it himself, saying that when he was a young medical student there, forty seven years after the death of his uncle Charles, Professor Andrew Duncan, who knew him, was still at Edinburgh, and spoke of him with the warmest affection; and Mr. W. F. Ainsworth, writing in the Athenæum in May, 1882, says " Mr. Darwin and myself made frequent excursions on the shores of the Firth of Forth in pursuit of objects of natural history, sometimes to the coast of Fifeshire, and sometimes to the islands. On one occasion we went, accompanied by Dr. Greville, the botanist, to the Isle of May, and we were both exceedingly amused at the effect produced upon the eminent cryptogamist by the screeching of the kittiwakes and other waterfowl. He had actually to lie down on the greensward to enjoy his prolonged cachinnation. Another time we were benighted on Inch Keith, but found refuge in the lighthouse. Mr. Darwin also carried on his researches with Dr., afterwards Professor, Grant, and it was the same year, I believe, the doctor first found silica in sponges." All this helps to show that Darwin had begun to study natural history before he enjoyed the great advantage of Professor Henslow's friendship at Cambridge, though he himself speaks of Henslow's influence as if it had almost given the bent to his pursuits. He went to Edinburgh to enter the medical profession, but this was probably decided by the traditions of the family, not by his own inclinations, which speedily carried him into a different career.

Mr. Darwin spent part of two years at Edinburgh, and entered Christ's College, Cambridge, early in 1828; his father hoping, it is said, that he might exchange the profession of medicine for that of Holy Orders. His Univer. sity career was not a distinguished one. He took the ordinary degrees, B.A. in 1831, as tenth in the o odd, and M.A. in 1837; but the field of knowledge in which he was already a successful explorer was not likely in

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those days to bring him much distinction as a student. It was his good fortune, however, to become acquainted with Professor Henslow, and that was more to him than all the academic honours of Cambridge could be.1 It is not true, as we have seen, that Henslow started Darwin on his career as a naturalist, though the statement derived some show of truth from the student's ardent expressions of gratitude to his master. Apart from the fact that Darwin had made discoveries in natural history at Edinburgh, and wandered on the Firth of Forth in search of specimens, it was through his "brother entomologists," mentioned in the letter given below, that he became acquainted with Henslow; which disproves the remark of one writer, that Henslow "aroused the first love and the early study of natural science in the mind of Darwin." At the same time there can be no doubt that Professor Henslow exercised a great influence over his pupil, and fostered, not only his intellectual tastes, but those great moral qualities in which there was so striking a resemblance between them that, as Dr. Romanes has said, Darwin, in an account which he wrote of his teacher's character, unconsciously gives a most accurate description of his own." The letter containing this description appears in the Memoirs of the late Professor Henslow, by the Rev. L. Jenyns, and it affords a pleasant insight into Darwin's life at Cambridge.

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I went to Cambridge early in the year 1828, and soon became acquainted. through some of my brother entomologists, with Professor Henslow, for all who cared for any branch of natural history were equally encouraged by him.. When I reflect how immediately we felt at perfect ease with a man

It is interesting to note that thirty years afterwards, when the Origin of Species had appeared, Henslow, then a parish clergyman, accepted Mr. Darwin's conclusions as highly probable, and, in the face of some obloquy, publicly avowed his belief.

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"I must be here allowed to return my most sincere thanks to the Reverend Professor Henslow, who, when I was an undergraduate at Cambridge, was one chief means of giving me a taste for Natural History."-Preface to Journal of Researches.

older and in every way so immensely our superior, I think it was as much owing to the transparent sincerity of his character, as to his kindness of heart; and perhaps even still more to a highly remarkable absence in him of all self-consciousness. One perceived at once that he never thought of his own varied knowledge or clear intellect, but solely on the subject in hand. Another charm, which must have struck every one, was that his manner to old and distinguished persons and to the youngest student was exactly the same: to all he showed the same winning courtesy. He would receive with interest the most trifling observation in any branch of natural history; and however absurd a blunder one might make, he pointed it out so clearly and kindly, that one left him no way disheartened, but only determined to be more accurate the next time. Once every week he kept open house in the evening, and all who cared for natural history attended these parties.

When only a few were present, I have listened to the great men of those days, conversing on all sorts of subjects, with the most varied and brilliant powers. This was no small advantage to some of the younger men, as it stimulated their mental activity and ambition. Two or three times in each session he took excursions with his botanical class; either a long walk to the habitat of some rare plant, or in a barge down the river to the fens, or in coaches to some more distant place, as to Gamlingay, to see the wild lily of the valley, and to catch on the heath the rare natter-jack. These excursions have left a delightful impression on my mind. He was, on such occasions, in as good spirits as a boy, and laughed as heartily as a boy at the misadventures of those who chased the splendid swallow-tail butterflies across the broken and treacherous fens. He used to pause every now and then and lecture on some plant or other object; and something he could tell us on every insect, shell, or fossil collected, for he had attended to every branch of natural history. After our day's work we used to dine at some inn or house, and most jovial we then were. I believe all who joined these excursions will agree with me that they have left an enduring impression of delight on our minds. As time passed on at Cambridge I became very intimate with Professor Henslow, and his kindness was unbounded; he continually asked me to his house, and allowed me to accompany him in his walks.. He talked on all subjects, including his deep sense of religion, and was entirely open. I owe more than I can express to this excellent His kindness was steady; when Captain Fitzroy offered to give up part of his own cabin to any naturalist who would

man.