Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-04-22

Down, infinitely amused to hear that, while he
has been watching the tendrils OF the vine and
examining the predatory habits Of the sundew.
the microscope Of The World has been focused
upon the great observer himself; that, without
going through the preliminary process Of pinning
him to cork fhe cockchafer, he has been q
marked man for some time past; that when he
has imagined hlmsefmost secure atthe pleasant
house of his friend DR.. Farr, discussing the light
and exharating subject Of vital statistics, the
same penetrating orb was stHled fixed upon
him; that in the little garden where he
cultivated his plants for experiment,
observation with extended view" was at his
elbow. ut is better so," says Mr.. Darwin,
ethan to be interviewed and harassed with
questions which cannot be answered without
some appearance OF vanity. Moreover 1t strikes
me as not proper that q man should communi-
cate anything to the author Of biographical
notice. He should behave as II already dead. :"
On any subject but himself he is the most free
and communicative Of living philosophers.
Without an atom of scientific jealousy. he is
always ready to expound his views. to narrate
the result OF the delicate experiments on which
he is perpetually occupied and to assist other
investigators from the stores Of an experience
that has ranged over the whole field of natural
science and the conclusions of q mind trained to
reason closely on such facts as have been ascer-
tanned by actual observation. No naturalist Of
strictly to well-ascertained facts and devoted
more labor to original investigation. The
reason OF this excessive care is to be
found In the Keystone Of the Darwinian
philosophical uerite Qun4,d meme; the pursuit
Of truth through all difficulties and without
regard to consequences. To this object he has
devoted his entire life. saving, of course the
cheerful hours spent in his family clrcle-one Of
the most united and affectionate In England
and with his oldest friends, Sir Joseph Hooker
and Professor Huxley Perhaps no merrier trio
of philosophers ever gathered together and en-
livened abstruse subjects with quaint quip and
crank. but neither of his two friends, genial
companions though they be, can approach Mr..
Darwins pitch of hilarity. At q drOll illustra-
ton OF Mr.. Huxley's or humorous doubt in
situated In the musical tones Of the president
OF the Royal Society, the eyes twinkle under
the massive overhangng brOws, the socratic
head. as Professor Tyndall loves to call it. is
thrown back, and over the long white beard
rolls out such laugh as we have attempted to
describe. Unfortunately there are moments
when Mr. Darwin can enjoy neither scientific
investigation nor friendly converse; when sud-
den fits of illness, to which he has been subject
since his manhood, lay him PROSTATE for days
together. Happily these attacks are only trOu-
blesOme while they last, and inflct no perma-
nent injury on his powerful frame. The long
wakeful periods Of c0nvalescence. too, are util-
lied for observations which require almost con-
slant attention; SO that the tables may be said
to be turned on disease.
Mr.. Darwin like his friend Sir Joseph Hooker,
is an instance of hereditary transmission of Pc
cufiar characteristics. He is the third of his
family in direct descent who have been fellows
of the Royal Society. He is the son OF DR. Rob
ert Waring Darwin, F. r. s., and grandson of
DR.. Erasmus Darwin, author of 1.-The Botanic
Garden" Economic, ETC., and by the mothers
side is grandson of Josiah Wedgwood. F, r. S..
the celebrated manufacturer of pottery and
founder Of the works at Etruria. In him, how
ever. the artistic element which dominated the
Wedgwoods has been almost entirely overshad-
a SpiQpftfir w m olq
to seek for knowledge for it's own sake, without
the slightest admixture Of interest or ambition.
For sculpture or pottery. or even for drawing.
except as an aid to botanical and geological pur-
suits, he cares very little, his collection Of pic
lures being confined to portrait Of old DR.. OAR
win and one Of Josiah Wedgwood hanging in
his dining room, and sketches of Sir Joseph
Hooker and Professor Huxley in the small study
whence have issued the "Origin of Speeches. the
descent of Man" and large number Of equal
iy valuable but less generally known works on
zoology, botany and geology. 1t is the fate of MIR.
Darwin, like that of many other celebrated men.
to be best known by the works which he would
himself hardly assign the highest rank among his
many productions. The popular mind, smitten
with taste for smattering of science natur-
ally pOunces most eagerly upon those scientific
words which approach the bOrderand of specu-
lation. and has thus done him but scant JUS
tice; the hurrying and laundering millions not
pausing to distinguish between those statements
which he puts forward as matters OF fact ascer-
tanned, beyond all possibility of doubt, by ex-
pertinent, and the hypothesis which with
admirable caution he sometimes bases upon
them This is grossly unfair to the most candid
ries, and, as in the well-known case of the
bees in the Origin Of Species"
frankly admitted the difficulty of recon
CLING the phenomena of nature with
his hypothesis of divergence Thus it is
not uncommon to hear persons of supposed
scientific taste u chatter ub an0y1f
prOtOplasm and the monad. compare Mr.. OAR
wins most popular works with the "Vestiges of
Creation" a mere scientific romance, founded
on the daring specplatiOns Of Lamarck and the
nebuiar theory of Laplace, the famous astrono-
mer, who, when asked by Napoleon why he did
not attribute the structure of the universe to
one great architect, is said to have replied that
he had no occasion to adopt that hypothesis"
Mr.. Darwin's books are founded upon no has
ty generalization from facts collected by others,
but on patient and Independent observation
Yet 80 persistent have been his labors that
mere catalogue of them would fill column in
this journal. Since his return from the memoir
able voyage of the Beagle he has been constant
y present to the scientific world 1t was
happy thought of Captain FitZ Roy to Offer on
setting out in 1881. to give up part of his own
cabin to any naturalist who would accompany
the ship on her now historic survey. MIR. OAR
win had just taken his degree at Cambridge, his
preliminary studies having been made at
Shrewsbury school, under DR.. Butler (afterward
bishop Of Litchfeld). and then for two years at
the University of Edinburgh, when he devoted
some time to marine zoology. and read his first
papers before the Plnan society on the move
ment of the ova of Flustra On hearing of Cap
tain Fitz ROy's offer he at once volunteered his
services without salary, but on condition that
he should have the entire disposal of his collec-
tions, all of which he deposited in the various
public institutions.
His various work covers an immense area OF
thought. extending over zoology, botany and
geology, in each of which he has made the mark
of an original and powerful mind enriched by
long research. The bulk of work of this kind
conveys but the dimmest idea Of the toll in
volved in the collection of material, and spent
in experiment and observation. In actual writing
Mr.. Darwin works on plan of his own. in very
short spells-never exceeding couple of hours
and never commenced until the evidence has
been carefully collected, arranged and duly
pondered over.
In one respect, despite his vexatious attacks
of Illness Mr.. Darwin must be considered a for
tunate man. During the whole of his life he
has been in easy circumstances; above the toll
Of earning an income. Unlike many philoso-
piers he has not had the modification of spend
ing his best hours in the drudgery of official
routine or the hardly less wearisome task of
teaching. He has been enabled TO devote his
entire time to his favorite pursuits and since
hi .,rr;o ~,