x] OF EVOLUTION 125 



Darwin as ' idleness.' And when the geological and 

 narrative books were finished, Darwin took up the 

 systematic study of the Barnacles (Cirripedia), both 

 recent and fossil, and wrote two monumental works 

 on the subject. These occupied eight years, two out 

 of which he estimated were lost by interruptions 

 from illness. So absorbed was he in this work, that 

 his children regarded it as the necessary occupation 

 of a man, and when a visitor in the house was seen 

 not to be so employed one of them enquired of their 



mother, 'When does Mr do his Barnacles?' 



Huxley has left on record his view that in devoting 

 so long a time to the study of the Barnacles Darwin 

 * never did a wiser thing/ for it brought him into 

 direct contact with the principles on which naturalists 

 found 'species 128 .' And Hooker has expressed the 

 same opinion. 



During these years of labour in geology and 

 zoology interrupted only by the ' hours of idleness ' 

 devoted to ' the species question/ Darwin, though 

 leading at Down almost the life of a hermit, was 

 nevertheless in frequent communication with two or 

 three faithful friends who followed his labours with 

 the deepest interest. Cautious as was Darwin him- 

 self, he found in his life-long friend Lyell, a still more 

 doubting and critical spirit, and it is clear from what 

 Darwin says that he derived much help by laying 

 new ideas and suggestions before him. The year 



