Intimacies Formed.

15

Darwin was an indefatigable collector, and having an ample allowance was enabled to give full bent to his tastes and inclinations. He collected in a most systematic manner, following methods of his own devising. He employed a workman, who spent his time during the winter in scraping the decayed moss from trees and in collecting suitable material from various sources, all of which was placed in a bag and brought to the young naturalist, who in this way found many rare and choice specimens.

Of the delights of this study Darwin was fond of talking, and in his Autobiography he wrote: "No poet ever felt more delighted at seeing his first poem published than I did at seeing, in Stephen's 'Illustrations of British Insects,' the magic words,' captured by C. Darwin, Esq.''

Our hero had as a companion during his college days a cousin, W. D. Fox, a Christ's-College man, who encouraged him in his studies and introduced him to a number of well-known naturalists. Here he met Albert Way of Trinity, who in after years became a distinguished archæologist. He was intimate with Whitley, Senior Wrangler, afterwards Hon. Canon of Durham, who, being a man of refined and cultivated tastes, influenced the young man for the best and inculcated in him a love for the beautiful in art, as well as nature. Whitley became his guide and censor to a certain extent, and trips were made together to the various art galleries, where Darwin, through observation and talks with his friend and the curator, acquired a good knowledge of the standard and various schools of art. This taste, he tells us, was not a natural one, and was perhaps in

accord with his fondness for music at this time, though he was not a musician and could not distinguish harmony from discord.

I have said that the college life of Darwin constituted one of the important epochs in his career; this was mainly due to his acquaintance and ultimate friendship with Professor Henslow, the naturalist. He was presented to the latter by his cousin already alluded to, and went weekly to his house, which was the acknowledged centre of scientific interest. The intimacy increased, and Darwin soon became his constant companion during walks and strolls, when we may naturally suppose that the conversation turned on natural history. Professor Henslow was one of the best-posted men of his time in geology, botany, and the various branches of science. He was also a close investigator and, according to Darwin, extremely fond of drawing conclusions from long-continued and minute observations.

If there is one feature more than another in the life of Darwin that impresses the reader it is the time he spent in careful investigations, and the thoroughness which characterised all his scientific work, and that his methods, which were so eminently successful and telling, were the result of this companionship to a great extent there can be no doubt. Darwin himself says: "My intimacy with such a man ought to have been, and I hope was, an inestimable benefit."

This intimacy with Henslow naturally enlarged the young man's scientific acquaintance, among whom were Dr. Whewell, a man of distinguished attain

Scientific Reading.

17

ments, and a conversationalist ranked by Darwin next to Sir John Mackintosh; Leonard Jenyns, a well-known zoologist, who in later years was associated with Darwin in scientific work; Mr. Ramsay, a brother of Sir Alexander Ramsay, and many more with whom he was thrown in more or less intimate relationship, which must have had an effect upon his character and tastes. The young man at this time must have shown many evidences of the brilliant future that was before him. Older men sought his company and listened to his ideas and views, and he was an acceptable companion in their walks and excursions. His college mates must also have recognised his talents in the direction of science, as one of his companions, after watching him at work at his insect collection, volunteered the prophecy, which seemed to Darwin preposterous, that one day he would be a Fellow of the Royal Society. In his last year at college the young naturalist took up a course of scientific reading, which had no little influence in determining his career. Humboldt's "Personal Narrative" was read and discussed, exciting in his mind a desire to travel, while Herschel's "Introduction to the Study of Natural Philosophy" created a strong wish to indulge in original investigation and to become one of the scientific workers of the world. These works so interested him that he copied extracts which he read to his friends while on their expeditions, and Humboldt's description of the beauties of Teneriffe excited so intense a desire to see the island that he was about negotiating for a passage when another plan prevented.

Step by step Darwin advanced in scientific learning. The vacation days were devoted to beetlecollecting, while the shooting season in the autumn, a sport to which he was passionately attached, as has been shown, gave him an opportunity to study the larger forms.

In his last college days, or in 1831, Henslow had so interested him in geology that he took up the study and began a systematic investigation of the local rocks. He examined sections, made maps, and finally, in the summer of this year, undertook a geological tour through North Wales with Professor Sedgwick, which proved of inestimable value in later years.

In this period we see that the taste and love for natural science are uppermost in our hero's mind and steadily developing,—the natural preparation which ultimately culminated in producing the greatest scientist of the age.

The Beagle-An Offer of Importance-The Young Naturalist-The Voyage-Powers of Observation-Cape Verd Islands-Tours of Investigation-Dust-Showers-Wonderful Phenomena-Geological Studies-St. Paul's Rocks-Fernando de Noronha.

N 1831 the British Government decided to send out a well-equipped vessel to complete the survey of the South American coast, begun by Captain Shaw some years previous. The vessel selected for this work was the Beagle, a six- gun brig, and Captain Fitz - Roy of the Royal Navy was

given the important command. An enthusiast in science, Fitz-Roy conceived the idea of taking a naturalist with him to study the fauna and flora of the different countries he might visit, and in his search for a competent person he wrote to Professor Henslow, who, in turn, made the offer to Charles