VII 



THE COMING OF AGE OF "THE ORIGIN 

 OF SPECIES" 



[1880] 



MANY of you will be familiar with the aspect of 

 this small green-covered book. It is a copy of the 

 first edition of the " Origin of Species," and bears 

 the date of its production the 1st of October 

 1859. Only a few months, therefore, are needed 

 to complete the full tale of twenty-one years since 

 its birthday. 



Those whose memories carry them back to this 

 time will remember that the infant was remarkably 

 lively, and that a great number of excellent per- 

 sons mistook its manifestations of a vigorous 

 individuality for mere naughtiness ; in fact there 

 was a very pretty turmoil about its cradle. My 

 recollections of the period are particularly vivid ; 

 for, having conceived a tender affection for a child 

 of what appeared to me to be, such remarkable 

 promise, I acted for some time in the capacity of a 



