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

The Duke Of Argyll has recorde ed a few words
on this subject spoken by Charles Darwin In
the last year OF his life. I'm the course" lie
says. of a conversation I said to Mr.. Darwin.
with reference to some Of his observations on
the wonderful contrivances for certain pur.
poses In nature-I said IL was impossible to
look at these without seeing that they we're the
effect and the expression Of mind. l shall
never forget Mr.. Darwln's answer. He looked
at me very hard and said. We'll. that often
come over mo with overwhelming force, but
atother times and he shook his head vaguely.
adding. It seems to 60 away"
The ompiler OF this volume points out that
DR.. Aveling has published an account OF a
conversation with his father by which he thinks
that readers may be misled into seeing moro
resemblance than really existed between
the positions OF Charles Darwin and DR.. Ave-
ling. Mr.. Francis Darwin says this in spite
OF his conviction that DIR. Aveling endeavored
to give quite fairly his Impressions OF the
great naturalists Views. DR.. Aveling tried to
show that the terms aGnostic and atheist were
practically eauivaleht-that an ntheist is one
who. without denying the existence OF God. Is
without God. inasmuch as he Is unconvinced
OF the existence Of a deity. Charles Darwin's
reply implied his preference for the unagrcs-
stve attitude OF an agnostic. DR.. Aveling
seems to regard the absence Of agressivencss
In views Ms distin gushing them only
in an unessential manner from his own. But
In Francis Darwin's Judgment It Is precisely
differences OF this kind which distinguish his
father SO completely from the class Of thinkers
to which DR.. ASeling belongs.
VII.
We do not purpose in this notice to dwell on
any Of Darwin's scientific achievements. with
nil NJ Uhtph Aenrv nlnnntnH Snroor 20 eno
posed to be familiar. We connne ourselves to
giving n distinct idea Of the nun him self ns
revealed In his private life and his personal
habits and diOsyncracies. To this end we
avail ourselves Of some OF tho recollections
with which Francis Darwin has ent-
ed his fathers brief autobiography. As to
Darwin's personal appearance. this has been
made known to us by photographs. and
but little needs to be said upon tho sub
ject. He was about six feet in height.
but scarcely looked 80 tall. rs he stopped
a good deal. Ho gave one the idea that in
youth he had been active rather than strong:
his shoulders wore not broad for his height.
though certainly not narrow. As n young man
lie must have had much endurance. for on one
OF the shore excursions from the Beagle, when
all we're suffering from want OF water. he wns
one Of the two who were Gettor able than tho
rest to struggle on 10 search OF it. Az n boy
he was active. and could jump n bar placed
mt tho height OF the Adams apple" in his
neck. In spite OF his activity he had no natu-
raj grace or neatness Of movement. lic was
awkward with his hands. lie walked with q
swinging action. using n stick heavily shod
with iron. which he struck loudly against
the ground. producing as he went a rhythmi-
cal click with it. Indoors his stcp was often
slow and labored. and MS he went up stairs In
the afternoon he might be heard mounting
the stairs with Il heavy football. us II each step
were an effort. When interested in his work
he moved about quickly and easily enough.
and often in the midst Of debating he went
eagerly into the hall 10 get a pinch Of snun.
His beard was full and almost untrimmed. the
hair being gray and white. nne rather than
coarse. and wavy or frizzled. His moustache
was somewhat disflEured by being cut short
and square across. He became very bald.
having only a fringe Of dark hair behind. His
face was rudy in color. and this made people
think him less OF an invalid than no
was. He wrote to Sir Joseph Hooker IN
1870: Every ono tells mo that l look quite
blooming and beautiful: and most think l am
shAmminG. hut you have never been ono Of
these" At this very time lO was miserably
Ill. far worse than in later years. His eyes
were blush gray. under deer. overhanRing
pIOWFsN lth uiV OubhJ' pIoJSCtiuS eycUToNS.
His high forehead was deeply wrinklcd. but
otherwise his face was not much marked or
lined. His expression showed no signs Of the
continual discomfort he suffered. When he
was excited with pleasant thoughts his whole
manner was wonderfully bright and animated.
and his face shared to the full in tho gem
crnl animation. His laugh was a tree
and sounding peal like thar Of n man
who gives himself sympntheti"ally and
with enjoyment to the person anil the thing
which have amused them. He often used
some sort OF gesture with his laugh. lifting up
his hands or bringing ono down with a slap.
He wore dark clothes OF a loose and easy ut.
In his later years he gave up the tall hat even
In London. md wore n soft black one In win
ter and a zig straw Int in summer. His usual
out-of-doors dress was tho short cloak in
which q well.known photograph represents
him leaning against n pillar OF the rernnda.
Two peculiarities Of his indoor dress were
that he almost always wore q shawl over
his shoulders. and that he had great.
loose cloth boots lined with fur. which no
could slip on over his indoor shoes. he rose
early and took n short turn before breakfast.
q habit which began when he went for the FIRST
time to n water cure establishment. and was
preserved to mir ost the end Of his life. After
breakfastlnG alono about 7:45 he went TO
work ut once. considering the next hour and a
half one OF his best working times. At $3.50
he came into tho drawing room for his letters.
rejoicing II the post was a light one. He
would then hear any family letters rcnd aloud
rs no lay on the sofa The reading aloud.
which nlso included part OF n novel. lasted till
about half-rast 10. when he went back to
work till II or q quarter past. BY this
time he considered his days work over
and would often say In n Statistic voice. "Pve
done q good days work" Ho then went out
OF doors whether it was wet or fine. His mid
day walk generally began by q call at the
greenhouse. whore he looked Mt any expert
mental plants which required only a casual
examination. Then he went on for his constl-
tutional. In which lie was always accompanied
by II favorite dog. Then came luncheon. and
npropos OF 1t his son tells us something about
his meals generally. 1t seems that Darwin
had n hoy-like love OF sweets, unluckily for
himself. since he was forbidden to take them.
He was not particularly successful In keeping
the "vows,' AS he caleb them, which
he made against eating sweets. and
49,. nn,ataarad than, hiphInn uni... IA.