The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-01-22

a foreigner" He had. to be sure. n printed
form to be employed 10 replying to
troublesome correspondents. but he hard.
" ever used It; apparently because no
never found an occasion that seemed to him
exactly suitable. His rule was to thank the
donors Of books. but not Of pam phlets. He
sometimes expressed surprise that SO few
thanked him for his books, which he gave
away literally: the letters that he did receive
gave him much pleasure. because He habitu-
ally form ed 30 humble an estimate OF the value
OF all his works that he was genuinely aston
ished At the interest which they excited.
When his letters were finished. about 3 In
the afternoon. he rested In his bedroom. lying
on the sofa smoking n cigarette aud listening
to a novel or other book not scientillc. He only
smoked when resting. whereas snun was n
stimulant and was taken during working
hours. He generally took snuT from q jar on
the hall table because having 10 40 this dis.
lance for a pinch was a slight check. Some
times. when no was in the drawing room. 1t
would occur to him that tho study nre must
be burning low. md when ono OF the family
offered to sec after 1t. 1t would turn out that
Darwin also wished 10 get n pinch OF snuG. At
4 o'clock he zane down to dress for his walk.
and from about halt past 4 to half past o he
worked: then he came to the drawing room
and was idle till 1t was time tabout otto go IN
" hhvttCl hNsts w ooNS vs. -.
a cigarette. Latterly he gave up late dinners.
and had a simple tea at halt past z twhils tho
rest OF tho family had dlnncrl. with an egg
or q small piece OF meat. After dinner he
never stayed In the room. and used to arolo-
cize by saying he was an old woman and
must 10 allowed to leave with tho ladies.
This was one OF the many signs and results OF
his constant weakness and Ill heath. Hall
an hour moro conversation than usual would
~ 4 ll- -~
less night and a loss perhaps OF half
tho next days work. When dinner was
over lie Mayed backgammon with his
wife. two games being played every night. He
became extremely minated over these games.
bitterly lamenting his bad luck aud exploding
with exaggerated mock anger at his wife's
good fortune. Aftor playing Backgammon he
would read some scientific book to himself
either in the drawing room. or. IL much talk
in. was going on. in tho study. When he had
read as much as his strength would allow. and
before the reading aloud began. he would
often lie on the sofa and listen to his wife play
ing the piano. He used to lame emit that his en-.
ioyment OF music had become dulled with ago.
yet within his sons recollection his love OF a
good tune was strong. From his wnnt Of ear. he
was unable to recognize a tune when he heard
it again. but he remained constant to what lie
liked. and would ofton say. when an old favor
tie was played. THAT'S a fine thing: what is
it| OF late years he became very tired in the
evening. and LEFT the drawing room about 10.
His nights were generally bad. and he often
lay awake or sat up In bed suffering much dis
comfort. Ie was troubled at night by the &C.
tivity Of his thoughts. and would become ex-
hausted by his mind working at some problem
which he would willingly have dismissed.
VIII.
In money and business matters Darwin was
remarkably careful and exact. He kept ac-
counts with great care. classifying them and
balancing ut the end OF "a year like n merchant.
He had n pet economy in paper. but it WAS
rather n hobby than u real economy. All tho
blank sheets Of letters received were Kept in n
portfolio. to be used in making notes. 1t was
his esnect for paper that made him writo so
much on tho backs OF his old MS. and in this
way lie destroyed large parts OF tho original
MS. OF his books. Ills feeling about paper ex-
tended to waste papcr. and he would object.
half in fun. to the habit OF throwing n spile
into the fro after it had been used for
lighting a candle. He had q great re-
srect for pure business capacity. and often
spoke with admiration OF a relative who had
doubled his fortune. or himself no would
often say In fun that what he really was proud
Of was the money lie had saved. He also felt
bhttsibCtiOu III liz "Ouet 10 IHAl0 Dy his
books. His anxiety to save came in great
measure from his fear that his children
would not have health enough to earn their
own living. u foreboding which haunted him
for many years. His son Francis recalls his
saying at y time when the boy was SO young
ms to be inclined 10 take the words literally.
Thank God. you will have breadand cheese"
The regular readings. continued for many
years. enabled Darwin to get through a great
deal Of the lighter kinds OF literature. He WAS
extremely fond OF novels: he took a vivid in.
terest both In plot and character. and would
on no account know beforehand how q story
finished; he considered looking at the end OF
a novel a feminine vice. He could not enjoy
any story with n tragical ending. For this rea-
son he did not keenly appreciate George Eliot.
Walter Scott. Miss Austen. and Mrs. Gaskell
we're reread till they could DO read no more.
He used to have two or three books In land Mt
the same timo-a novel. and perhaps a biogra-
ply. and q book Of travels. Ho did not
often rend out.of-the-w way or old standard
books. but generally kept to tho books OF the
day obtained from a circulating library. His
literary tastes and opinions were not on a
level with the rest OF his mind. He himself.
though he was clear as to what lie thought
good. considered that In matters OF literary
tastc he was quito outside the PALE. and often
spoke OF what those within 1t liked or disliked
as II they formed a class to which he had no
claim to belong. In matters OF art. he was in
clined to laugh at professed critics. and say
that their opinions were formed by fashion.
He would often speak laughinGly OF the small
worth Of portraits, and say that a pho.
tosraph was worth any number OF pic.
lures. as II he were Blind to tho artistic quality
in a painted portrait. But such things were
generally said in his attempts to persuade his
children to give up the idea OF having his nor
trait painted, an operation very irksome to
him. This way OF looking at himself as An ig-
noramus IN all matters OF art was strength
ened by the absence Of p~retencs which was
part Of his character. Nevertheless. with re-
gard to questions OF taste. as we'll as to more
serious things. he had the courage Of his
opinions.
Much OF his scientific reading was in Cor
man, and this was q serious labor to him. His
son SAYS that In reading a book after him he
has been often struck. at seeing from the
nancIl marka n,ado aach d.v Dha.o IA. ~. ~