Some Reminiscences Of Charles Darwin

By George John Romanes, M.A., LL.D., F.R.S.

In the year 1872 I spent the months of August and September at Down, in Kent, the residence of Mr. Charles Darwin. I had been previously acquainted with him by correspondence, and had visited him once or twice in London; but it was during this visit to Down that I first had the opportunity of becoming intimately acquainted with him, and of learning something of his daily life and habits.

Some Reminiscences of Charles Darwin

by Nika Hennes

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	2399 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	13 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

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Down is a small village situated on the borders of Kent and Surrey, about twelve miles south-east of London. The house in which Mr. Darwin lives is a large and commodious one, standing in the midst of a garden and grounds about forty acres in extent. The garden is laid out with great taste and skill, and contains a large variety of rare and beautiful plants. The grounds are well wooded, and afford many pleasant walks and drives.

Mr. Darwin's daily life is very regular. He rises at seven o'clock, and after breakfast spends the morning in his study. At one o'clock he lunches, and afterwards takes a walk for an hour or two. He then returns to his study, and works until dinner-time. After dinner he generally takes another walk, and in the evening he reads or writes until about ten o'clock, when he goes to bed.

Mr. Darwin is a man of middle height, with a massive head and a broad, open countenance. His eyes are keen and bright, and his whole expression is one of intelligence and benevolence. He is very simple and unaffected in his manners, and has the happy faculty of putting every one at their ease. He is a most agreeable companion, and his conversation is full of interest and instruction.

I shall never forget the first time I saw him. I had arrived at Down the previous evening, and had been shown to my room. On the following morning I went down to breakfast, and found Mr. Darwin sitting at the table with his wife and children. He greeted me with great cordiality, and made me feel quite at home. After breakfast we went into the garden, and he showed me his plants and flowers. He was greatly interested in botany, and had a large collection of rare and beautiful plants. He also showed me his greenhouse, which was filled with a variety of tropical plants.

After we had been in the garden for some time, we went for a walk in the grounds. Mr. Darwin pointed out to me the different trees and shrubs, and told me their names and history. He was also greatly interested in geology, and showed me the different strata of which the grounds were composed. He also pointed out to me the various places where he had found fossils.

We returned to the house for luncheon, and afterwards Mr. Darwin took me to his study. His study is a large and well-lighted room, lined with bookshelves. The walls are covered with pictures and engravings of animals and plants. On the table were a number of microscopes and other scientific instruments.

Mr. Darwin showed me his collection of specimens, and explained to me the nature of his work. He was then engaged in writing his great work on the "Descent of Man," and he showed me the manuscript of the first volume. He also showed me his collection of pigeons, which he had been breeding for many years in order to study the laws of variation and heredity.

I spent the rest of the day with Mr. Darwin, and found him a most delightful companion. He was full of information on every subject, and his conversation was always interesting and instructive. I left Down the following day, but I shall never forget the pleasant time I spent there, and the many valuable lessons I learned from Mr. Darwin.

Mr. Darwin is one of the greatest naturalists that ever lived. His work has revolutionized our ideas of the origin and development of species. He has shown that all living things have been produced by a process of gradual evolution from simple and lowly forms. This theory of evolution is one of the most important and far-reaching discoveries ever made in the history of science.

Mr. Darwin is not only a great naturalist, but he is also a man of the highest moral character. He is simple and unaffected in his manners, and has the happy faculty of putting every one at their ease. He is a most agreeable companion, and his conversation is full of interest and instruction. He is also a most devoted husband and father, and his home is a model of domestic happiness.

I consider it one of the greatest privileges of my life to have known Mr. Darwin, and to have learned something of his daily life and habits. He is a man who has done more than any other to increase our knowledge of the world in which we live, and to make us realize the unity and harmony of all living things.

I have written these reminiscences of Mr. Darwin in the hope that they may be of interest to others who appreciate his work and character. I have endeavored to give a simple and truthful account of the man as I knew him, and of the impressions which he made upon me.

Some Reminiscences of Charles Darwin

by Nika Hennes

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	2399 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	13 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE