New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-05-07
DARWTN'S NOME.

From The London Daily NeicS.
Perhaps more striking illustration Of the isola-
ton Of DOwne could not be- gwen than the facs
that although Mr.. Darwin here bTeathed his last az
4 O'Clock in the afternoon OF wednesday the news
which has since been received with profound
sorrow in every part of the civilized world was not
known IN London until noon OF the following day. 3
In this secluded and beautiful district, at some
two or three hundred yards only on the further SIDE
of the village. the lllustrl0ns author OF ne origin
OF Species by means of Natural Selection passed
the last forty years of his labOrOus lie. Having
finally given up his residence In town IN $40 soon
after his marriage, he found the retirement essen
tial 10 his habits of systematic study and ot patent
Investigation of the laws of nature here, IN the
extensive grounds of the Old house which Is soon To
know him no more, he conducted those botanical
and other experiments and observations OF when
the results recorded IN that long LIST Oh WORKS
wherein the doctrine OF evolution mas FOUND mex
haustible illustration. Downe Couri Is one OF
the Old sQuare-bult red-brck mansions OF the la-b
century. to which has been added IN more recent
times a gable-fronted wing with another square
built wing and pillared portlco on the correspond
ing side Shut n and almost hidden from the road
way by high wall and belt OF trees, 10 seems the
very ideal of place for Philosophical secusion.
On the southern side the walled garden opens INTO
a paddock or meadow equally retre'!' ana DouhueU
by tract OF underwood through which there Is
lovely view of tue narrow valley descending toward
Iatshed and estcrhain IN these extensive au-
dit.ons to the grounds Of DOwne Court which Mr.
Darwin had rented OF his intimate TREND ana
neighbOr sir John Lubbock, he had OF late years
been accustomed Tor the most part 20 take his daiy
exercise with the regularity which distinguished
most of his habits. Up 70 ten or twelve years ago
il
was a familiar object IN the lanes rouhG ABOUT puS
the unfortunate animal, seized WIN l,t one Gay,
FELL and died by the roadside, after when u was
observed that Mr. Darwin was never seen 10 rlde
arain His inyarable hours Tor walking every day
were in the morning MONDAY, ana O'Clock IN
The afternoon sometimes accompanied by his sons,
one OF whom MI Francis Darwin has long been
established as 4 surgeon IN the Village Out moro
often alone .,,
cold bath-int0 which he was accustomed 10 plunge
both morning and evenlng-he breakiasted alonei
and after his first morning walk WIS IN ms library
rs a rae at :. At 9, when the pO,tOoy arrived
from FarnbOrOugh. he would spend little time IN
the dining room opening letters ana skImmlng the
papers and in the evening would Ineer an noqr OF
so in the society of his family or OF some OF those
friends distinguished IN the word OF science, VINO
occasionally found their way 10 Downe Court; put
the greater part OF his time was spent IN nus
library his gardens and the outlying parts Oh nus
little domain When lie extended his walks INTO
the country round aOOut, 1t was observed that ne
was rarely IN the village or met on the roads,
nraferrlug az he did, 10 take his way generally
southwark by the fOOtpaihs through the WOODS ana
meadows. Little children, who have quick IN
stnct for a kind and gentle nature, would run 10
open gate when they saw Slr. DaINii cpinlnss'
encouraged thereto by a smile and KIND WORD.
Downe folk, by whom he was much beloved. IKE
now dwell upon these tribes ana 70 speak OF MS
Considerate Kindness TO al about MN lhey pVlhS
with sort of pride to the TACT thIt tle doihesIeS
at DOwne Court are mostly OLD servants lhlt MS
maid Margaret Evans. who assisted m nursing nun
i'm his last illness entered his service when GIRL
at Shrewsbury nearly forty years ago hcr aunt
Darwin's father. DR.. Robert Narlng Darwin, IN
that city The Intelligence Of his de ith came upon
the place with painful suddenness. II was xhowa
that he had been poorly Tor few weeks that 10
had been deemed advisable abOut month ago 10
send a servant 70 London 10 fetch chair con.
structed for carving an invalid, the weakness or
the action of the heart rendering even the slgh5
exertion OF ascending the single hight OF STAIRS 70
his bedroom perlOus IN the opinion OF his medical
advisers Bur, with care sufferers from heart asi
! ease often live long and he was ia tue NAN stIll
| able to pursue hls customary haDlts IN lueslay
morning his de voted friend and comrade IN the held
of science sir John Lubbock called 20 see nun on
his way To hi, Parliamentary duties IN London, ana
! found him. as it seemed, pretty much As usual.
| That matters had taken a grave turn became
known for the first time wheD on edneSday alter
! noon his groom arrived galoping through the VII
age upon IA horse sprinkled with foam. ana carry
ng under his arm wet and dripping pag OF zee zee
He had been dispatched IN haste TO bromley tLe
nearest point at which such an article c0uId De OBJ
tanned, and had accomplished the ride OF aOou.
twelve miles III something less tnan an nour Out
unhaDply the relief arrived too late To be OF ser
| vice The sufferer mad already sunk TO 4is rest,
surrounded by his family, lnciudins Mrs' Darwih'
| several of his sons and a married daughter 80
| The churchyard of DOwne IN which some OF Mr.
DarwIn's CHI ldren are buried, can hardly he said 10
! be retired spot. being surrounded on three sides
! bv the village street. from which II j. separated
only BY a low wall, but IL lies under the shade or
| tall ems while near the porch venerable yew'
| with trunk measuring il is sald nearly twenty
three feet in firth adds 10 the solemn associations
| of the place In the churchyard near tile south
door lie buried, a. shown by the inscriptions on
fat tablet over the graves. the two infant children
| of Mr. Darwin. Mary Eleanor, who died IN So,
and Charles Waring Darwin. who died IN 1905,
being then only two years OH. Near mem uhuei
the Melancholy boughs OF the great yew tree sleep
two members of the WedgwoOd family, to which.
as is we'll known, Mr.. Darwin was related by the
side of his mother. well rs by his own marriage
with his cousin. Miss Wedgwood. One OF them Is
Miss Sarah Wedgwood granddaughter OF the cele-
brated manufacturer OF art pottery-a VeneraDio
| Iadv who had resided for many years in an oddly
built old house with a lofty tower in the village,
and who here went to her rest III November. 1850,
LII, rI,r