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

n, No foth.r WHO ,vaa tba ,risoat mnp 7
~, tr.w" Ec II v,s wa nre told astonisb.
trn hov c,oar,y bs r~omembered His fa,ber,s
~nrSniors 90 that bo was abls 70 nuote some
~a,im nv Mint NJ bis In many cosss n, il,nese
A.. r,,lo ba rnt emnlI faith In doctors and
cha his nnumitcd boIiof IN DR. DnrwIn,s
mad,,oj instinct and mo,hods NJ treotment
-. II tho mor, ,o,ouor,hy
Charles Darwin was born at Shrewsbury on
Feb l., 1900. but lie says that his earliest
recollection goes back only to when he was a
few months over four years old. He was h lit
tie moro than eight years OF age when his
mother died. but he tells us that he can re-
member hardly anything about her. except
her deathbed. her black velvet gown. and her
curiously constructed work table. In the
spring OF the same year he was sent to a day
school In Shrewsbury. where no remained
twelve months. and where lie is said to have
been much slower in learning than his young
Or sister. Catherine. Even at this early age.
however. his taste for natural history. and
moro especially for collecting. was we'll CO.
veloped. The passion for collecting which
leads a man to become a systematic natural
list. q virtuoso. or q miser. must have been
innate in Charles Darwin. as mono OF
his sisters or brothers ever had this taste.
Il can say" writes Darwin in his nu-
TOPOGRAPHY. that l was as n boy humane. but
lowed this entirely to the instruction and en-
ample OF my sisters. doubt. indeed. whether
humanity Is n natural quality. l was very
fond OF collecting eggs. but / never took moro
than a single bird out OF n birds nest except
on a single occasion. when took all. from Il
sort OF bravado." He adds: Il had a strong
taste for angling. and would sit Tor a number
OF hours on the bank OF q river watching the
float: but after l was told that l could Kill tho
worms Will suit and water. l never splt,ed n
living worm. though at the expense probal ~
Of some success. Once as n very little boy |
acted cruelty. for beat a puppy simply. be-
liove. to enjoy tina sense OF power: but tho
beating could not have been very severe for
the puppy did not howl. This act lay heavily
on my conscience. az is shown BY my remem-
boring the exact SPOT where the crime was
committed"
In the summon OF 1873 Darwin was sent to
the famous public school at Shrewsbury. OF
which DR.. Butler was head master. and here
ne stayed for seven years Ill 1923. when ho
was III years old. NothlnG. we road in the
autobiography couid nave beon worse Tor
the development OF my nina IMAM Dr. But!crs
school. as 1t was strictly classical. nothing but
Greek and Latin being taught. except "A little
ancient geography and history. The school
as n means OF education to me was simply q
blank. During my whole life | have been sim
Gularly incapable OF mastering a language.
Especial attention was paid to the making OF
Latin verses. and this could never do we'll"
Much heed was also given to learning by heart
tho lessons OF the preceding day. This Darwin
could effect. he says. with great facility. learn
Ing forty or nifty lines OF Virgil or Homer
while he was in morning chapel. but the exer-
else proved utterly useless. every verse being
forgotten In forty eight hours. The sole
pleasure no ever received from such studies
was from some OF the odes OF Horace. which
no greatly admired. Looking back at his
character as 1t was evolved during his life at
school. Darwin secs that tho only qualities
which promised well were that lie had strong
ana diversified tastes. much zeal for whatever
Interested him. and a Keen pleasure In COM
prehendlng any complex subject. He was
Taught Euclid by n private tutor. and In old
sse couid stu distinctly remember tho intense
satisfaction which the clear geometrical proofs
gave MN with respect to the liking OF stud
los OUTSIDE OF science ne recalls that lie was
iond oil reading various books. and that he
USED 10 SIT Tor hours rerusinS the historical
WORKS Vi ohahespehte ie read likewise other
poeuy' sueh as ihomsohs seasons and the
aheh receh'i' puoi'sheu poems OF Byron and
oco!'' no mentions 'hese iacls. he tells
OF Shakespeare. In connection with pleasure
from poetry. he adds that at the age Of 13 u
vivid delight In scenery was awakened in his
mind during a riding tour on tho borders of
Wales: and this, hesays. lasted longer than
any other msthetic pleasure. With respect TO
science Darwin while at Shrewsbury School.
continued collecting minerals with much