New-York tribune., 1882-04-21
u1s LIFE AND WORKS.

C,:-.. of the present century was the son OF
w Darwin. Fellow of the Royal society,
"a arandson of the famous Dr. Erasmus Darwlh'
nhTs;ciap. philosopher, naturalist ana poet con-
.~arr p"' With Dr. Samuel johnson. He was also
rn0dson on the maternal side of Josiah Wedg-
- the celebrated manufactures OF pottery.
r,osmus Darwin was al enthusiastic follower OF
yinDpns in his system of botany, and, apparently
i;.od ,hcreby wrote an elaborate poem entitled
.Tba botanic Garden" 1t is remarkable alike for
-. brilliant yersfcation and its lack of true poeti-
oo1 faeIinc Ii displays, however, an accurate
- ox tensiye Acquaintance with botanical science
tbt woud have done its author great credit had 1t
hoen embodied in a textbook instead of poem.
The second Dr. Darwin. although man Of no mean
;rtAlectual sttainments left behind him nc great
work or which might be founded lasting fame.
rba snbiect of this sketch was born at Shrews-
hrrv England February -, 1909. His early edu-
cation was received at the public school IN that
town. At the age of sixteen he entered the Unlver-
sty of Edinburgh where he spent two years. lie
then went to Christ's College, Cambridge
University, and graduated there ID
1881. Throughout his school and college career
he manifested a strong liking and decided aptl-
tude for scientific research and investigation espc-
cially in the direction Unnatural history, and such
proficiency did ne attain in his favOrIe studies that
few months after his graduation he was selected
as the naturalist of the famous Beagle exploring
expedition which sailed December q. 1871, under
command of Captain FtzrOy, for survey OF south
America and the decentralization of the globe
The expedition was out nearly five years, return
ing 10 England October 2, 1886. Darwin then
broucht out his first published work. The Voyage
of a Naturalist" being, its name implies. an
account of the cruise Of the Beagle and the eX-
nlorations made in connection herewith. Following
tbis he issued "a journal of Researches into the
Geology and Natural History of the Various Coun-
tries visited by H. NJ S. Beagle" In ls4O-43 the
British Government published an elaborate work
entitled 1.-The Zoology OF the Voyage OF II. NJ =
Beagle" edited by Dr.. Darwin and containing an
introduction and copious notes written by nm.
Thenceforyard, so far his health permitted, ms
entire life was devoted to scientific study and IN
vestgation. In 1912 appeared his WORK on Inc
Structure and Distribution of Coral Reefs" followed
two wears later by Geological Observations on
Volcanic Islands," and in 1S46 by Geological OBJ
servations on South America" Meanwhile he
was frequent contributor of essays to the
"Transactlons of the Geological Society" and in
1851 he issued a valuable and important Mono
graph On the Cirrepedla-" About this time he be-
gan series Of elaborate and extensive observations
and researches the results Of which appeared In
1859 in work which at once commanded the
closest attention of the entire scientific world,
"The Origin of Species by means Of Natural Selec-
ton or the Preservation of Favored Races In the
Struggle for Life" This work the signal for
the commencement of the controversy over what
has been termed, from its author "Darwinism,"
which has engaged the minds of the abest thinkers
In all countr1es and has continued without lull
down to the present time.
Since that time Dr. Darwin has written numer-
GUS works on scientific subjects, prominent among
which have bean The Fertilization of Orchids
ls62); and Tie Variation of Plants and Ami
mails under Domestication" uS67l. In 1871 ap-
peared his famous work on "The Descent of Man
and Selection in Relation to Sex which gave rise to
widespread discussion and comment second edi-
ton greatly enlarged was issued in 1874 Since
then he has issued among other treatses, d" The Ex-
preston of the Emotions in MIN and Animals "
and "The Power of Movement in Plants" QSSO).
Last rear he published in the form of a monograph
astrking and original exposition of the theory that
changes in the earths surface and the natural fer
tlizing of soil largely due TO the operations of
earthwOrmS.
Darwiu's Power Of Movement in Plants" is one
Of the most interesting of his works the general
reader. Several experimental observers, from |
Thomas Andrew Knight lS06j down TO within
cent years had been directing their attention TO the
movement OF plants but none of them approached |
Dr. Darwin ID the indefatigable and perse yerng |
way in which he followed the subject. Like most of |
his recent works, tho volume referred to was an
elaborate and detailed account of a long series Of
close observations and experiments a. In this case
indeed says The EdiAburgh erier, the observations
were made "by the agency of ingenious, al
though simple, apparatus, devised for the purpose.
and very skilfuy handled" The value
Of tins elaborate record The Rerieo adds,
swill however, be most justly esti-
mated by those who have already some
scientific familiarity with the matters described
than by the much larger number of the reading
public who will be attracted to the book by the
potent spell of the authors name and renown." 1t
was the larger class that Dr. Darwin must have had
In his mind when, in the introduction to his book
ne suggested the somewhat odd expedient of begin
ning ITS perusa at the end, or, in other words of
reading the last chapter first
Dr. Darwin's writings have always been well
coined by the public. Previous to Darwin the evou-
uonlsts failed to convince the world that they had
made out their case, but when Darwin took the
held hs followers at first showed a tendency to ac-
oept hs conclusions based upon almost ir-
Isilsgaole proofs. The opponents Of Darwinism at
nIst opposed evolution we'll but of late years the
opposition has been directed almost wholly to the
ihsnequacy of the causes which DR.. Darwin main
~lhed were sufficient to explain the
origin OF species from some pre-ex-
uhg species and, therefore, the origin of all exist
ing ing species from some one more ancestral forms.
his opponents generally maintain that there are
other laws at work besides natural selections and
III Darwn himself admitted that there probably
afe such' but held that natural selection is the
most important. but not tho exclusive, means of
In an arucleon The Origin of Spe-
col.hnr1, 'ensra Alfred L. Wallace, Dr. Darwin's
.aa. .r eae development of his theory
- N''n " 1t should be ever uroved that
higher laws than natural selection bav Gronat ',n
about The more Fundamental djveroenao.