Volume I Part 11 (2/2)
CHARLES DARWIN TO WD FOX Cae, Sunday, January 23, 1831
My dear Fox,
I do hope you will excuse ree I felt a quite inexplicable aversion to write to anybody But now I doyour examination, and hope you find your curacy co (I have not many), I will coree should make one so miserable, both before and afterwards I recollect you were sufficiently wretched before, and I can assure [you] I am now, and what makes it the more ridiculous is, I know not what about I believe it is a beautiful provision of nature toso pleasant a place as Cast all its pleasures--I say it for once and for all--none so great as my friendshi+p with you I sent you a newspaper yesterday, in which you will see what a good place [10th] I have got in the Poll As for Christ's, did you ever see such a college for producing Captains and Apostles? (The ”Captain” is at the head of the ”Poll”: the ”Apostles”
are the last twelve in the Mathematical Tripos) There are no ulfed, together with other three Trinity scholars! My plans are not at all settled I think I shall keep this tero and econoree
Aso much about himself when he has just passed the examination; so you must excuse [me] And on the same principle do you write a letter bri about your examination Tell ot up, and how perfect I take an interest about that sort of thing, as the tied to be remembered to you, and so does Whitley
If you will answer this, I will send as many stupid answers as you can desire
Believe me, dear Fox, CHAS DARWIN
CHAPTER 1V -- THE APPOINTMENT TO THE 'BEAGLE'
[In a letter addressed to Captain Fitz-Roy, before the ”Beagle” sailed, lorious day the 4th of Novele”
did not however make her final and successful start until December 27) will be to me--my second life will then commence, and it shall be as a birthday for the rest of my life”]
The circumstances which led to this second birth--so ined--are connected with his Cae life, but may be more appropriately told in the present chapter Foremost in the chain of circule”, was my father's friendshi+p with Professor Henslow He wrote in a pocket-book or diary, which contain a brief record of dates, etc, throughout his life:--
”1831 CHRISTMAS--Passedter thesewith hihtly acquainted with several of the learned e, whichhad not destroyed
”In the spring paid Mr Dawes a visit with Ramsay and Kirby, and talked over an excursion to Teneriffe In the spring Henslow persuadedMidsuised a little in Shropshi+re
”AUGUST--Went on Geological tour (Mentioned by Sedgwick in his preface to Salter's 'Catalogue of Caollen, Ruthin, Conway, Bangor, and Capel Curig, where I left Professor Sedgwick, and crossed the mountain to Barmouth”
In a letter to Fox (May, 1831), reat deal of Hensloho for this admirable man is finely expressed in a letter which he wrote to Rev L Bloed in his 'Memoir of Professor Henslow'
(published 1862) The passage ('Memoir of the Rev John Stevens Henslow, MA,' by the Rev Leonard Jenyns 8vo London, 1862, page 51) has been made use of in the first of the memorial notices written for 'Nature,'
and Mr Ro the character of another, is unconsciously giving a most accurate description of his own”:--
”I went to Cae early in the year 1828, and soon becaists, with Professor Henslow, for all who cared for any branch of natural history were equally encouraged by hi than the encourage naturalists I soon beca the young feel coh ere all awe-struck with the athat he knew everything When I reflect how immediately we felt at perfect ease with a man older, and in every way so i to the transparent sincerity of his character as to his kindness of heart; and, perhaps, even still hly remarkable absence in him of all self-consciousness One perceived at once that he never thought of his own varied knowledge or clear intellect, but solely on the subject in hand Another charm, which must have struck every one, was that his est student was exactly the sa courtesy He would receive with interest theobservation in any branch of natural history; and however absurd a blunder one ht make, he pointed it out so clearly and kindly, that one left him no way disheartened, but only determined to be more accurate the next time In short, no man could be better fore them in their pursuits
”His lectures on Botany were universally popular, and as clear as daylight So popular were they, that several of the older members of the University attended successive courses Once every week he kept open house in the evening, and all who cared for natural history attended these parties, which, by thus favouring inter-coe, in a very pleasant manner, as the Scientific Societies do in London At these parties uished members of the University occasionally attended; and when only a feere present, I have listened to the greaton all sorts of subjects, with the most varied and brilliant powers
This was no ser men, as it stimulated their mental activity and ambition Two or three times in each session he took excursions with his botanical class; either a long walk to the habitat of soe down the river to the fens, or in coaches to soay, to see the wild lily of the valley, and to catch on the heath the rare natter-jack
These excursions have left a delightful iood spirits as a boy, and laughed as heartily as a boy at the misadventures of those who chased the splendid s-tail butterflies across the broken and treacherous fens He used to pause every now and then to lecture on so he could tell us on every insect, shell, or fossil collected, for he had attended to every branch of natural history After our day's e used to dine at some inn or house, and most jovial we then were I believe all who joined these excursions will agree with ht on our e I became very intimate with Professor Henslow, and his kindness was unbounded; he continually asked me to his house, and allowed me to acco his deep sense of religion, and was entirely open I ownthe years when I associated so much with Professor Henslow, I never once saw his temper even ruffled He never took an ill-natured view of any one's character, though very far from blind to the foibles of others It always struck me that hisof vanity, envy, or jealousy With all this equability of temper and remarkable benevolence, there was no insipidity of character A man must have been blind not to have perceived that beneath this placid exterior there was a vigorous and determined will