credit himself with the results of his skill was often the subject of practical jokes on the part of his friends, and he relates the following: "One day, when shooting at Woodhouse with Captain Owen, the eldest son, and Major Hill, his cousin, afterwards Lord Berwick, both of whom I liked very much, I thought myself shamefully used, for every time after I had fired, and thought that I had killed a bird, one of the two acted as if loading his gun, and cried out, 'You must not count that bird, for I fired at the same time,' and the gamekeeper, perceiving the joke, backed them up. After some hours they told me the joke, but it was no joke to me, for I had shot a large number of birds, but did not know how many, and could not add them to my list, which I used to do by making a knot in a piece of string tied to a button-hole; this my wicked friends had perceived."

As enthusiastic as he was, Darwin had some doubts in his mind as to whether such excessive zeal was to be commended, and we find he argued with himself on the question, quieting his doubts at one time by assuming and almost convincing himself that the perfection to which he had attained was really an evidence of high intelligence on his part. The fact that he could find game when no one else could, and manage the dogs with consummate skill, seemed to his mind sufficient reason for pursuing the pastime.

At Maer he met many distinguished people, and in the home of the famous Wedgwood there was an air of refinement and culture most valuable in rounding and shaping the ideas of so thoughtful and

you

Sir J. Mackintosh.

II

clever a youth. Here he made the acquaintance of Sir J. Mackintosh, whose well-known conversational powers appear to have impressed the young naturalist, and that the elder man foresaw something in his young friend may be surmised from his remark, long remembered by Darwin: "There is something in that interests me." In these boyhood days we see many qualities that Darwin himself modestly disclaims: a steadfastness of purpose, a perceptive faculty, and demand for something beyond the limited educational facilities of the day. His actual schooling may be said to have been a failure, as he neglected the dry classical studies or forgot them; yet the lessons he drew from the broad field of nature were well learned and never forgotten.

College Life-Thoughts of Entering the Church-A Poor Mathematician-Beetle Collecting-First Appearance in Print-Associations with Eminent Men-Scientific Reading-Favourite Authors -Interest in Geology.

HE college life of Darwin constitutes one of the epochs of his career, as during these days, so happy in their memory, occurred many of the incidents that shaped his future. He entered college in 1828, this movement being the result of a decision on the part of his family, that as he had

failed as a doctor, he might possibly be induced to enter the Church. This proposition was made to the young man, who asked time in which to consider, during which deliberation he read attentively several religious works, including "Pearson on the Creed," and questioned himself thoroughly as to his

beliefs and disbeliefs. scruples about accepting all the dogmas of the Church, but as he believed in the Bible implicitly and literally, he soon satisfied himself that he could accept the creed without any reservation. In referring to this interesting period in his life, Darwin in his Autobiography says that years after a German psychological society sent for his photograph, and after much discussion reported that he had the bump of reverence developed enough for ten priests; so that it might be assumed that he was well equipped by nature for order taking.

He confesses to having some

Darwin, however, was not destined for the Church, though he entered Cambridge with this purpose in view, and took up a course of studies which would give him the desired degree. He found that he had forgotten his Latin and Greek, which necessitated work with a private tutor, so that he did not enter college until Christmas of the year 1828.

As far as academical studies were concerned we learn that his three years' work here was almost a perfect blank. Mathematics was never mastered without extreme difficulty—a fact which he emphasised in a letter written to Dr. J. B. Holder, father of the author, some years ago, when the two were discussing the flight of birds. So difficult was it for Darwin to master this study that he was almost discouraged, and in referring to it he says: "I do not believe that I should ever have succeeded beyond a very low grade." Though the young student may have lacked application it is evident that he acquired information very readily, as, while confessing what

might seem unusual indifference, he took the degree of B.A. without apparent exertion. At this time he read such works as Paley's "Evidences of Christianity and "Moral Philosophy," and the thoroughness of his reading may be judged from the fact that he could have written out from memory almost the entire former work. This course of reading, without the demand for memorising, which was a part of the educational methods in former years, he conceived to be the only part of the academical course of any actual advantage to him. There were several lectures in the course, but those by Professor Henslow, on botany, were the only ones he attended. The walks and strolls with this naturalist in search of rare plants and flowers were highly enjoyed, and what proved a life-long friendship was begun. During the college days his love for natural history was steadily increasing. He was now especially interested in the study of beetles; not to dissect them, but for the simple delight of possessing great numbers and comparing them one with another, and his collection was a large and really valuable one. How enthusiastic he was may be seen from the following incident: In ripping down the bark from an old tree he saw two rare beetles, which he captured, one in each hand. Just then out ran a third, equally rare and beautiful; but what was to be done? There was no time for deliberation, so he put one beetle in his mouth, thus freeing a hand to seize the fleeing prize; but the second beetle, objecting to this unceremonious treatment, emitted a secretion so bitter that he was forced to eject it, losing in the confusion of the attack two of the insects.