158 A Century of Family Letters [CHAP, xn 



He became a member of two Pigeon Fanciers' Clubs, and 

 was always treated with great civility at their meetings. 

 They called him " Squire," and he sat with them in a cloud 

 of smoke. No doubt they agreed with one enthusiast who 

 wrote in a treatise on the Almond Tumbler that "If it was 

 possible for noblemen and gentlemen to know the amazing 

 amount of solace and pleasure derived from the Almond 

 Tumbler, . . . scarce any nobleman or gentleman would be 

 without their aviaries," and were pleased to see that my 

 father, at least, understood the truth of these views. 1 



Charles Darwin to his son William. 



MY DEAR WlLLY, Tuesday night. 



I am very glad indeed to hear that you are in the 

 sixth ; and I do not care how difficult you find the work : am 

 I not a kind father ? I am even almost as glad to hear of 

 the Debating Society, for it will stir you up to read. Do 

 send me as soon as you can the subjects; I will do my very 

 best to give you hints; and Mamma will try also. But I 

 fear, as the subjects will generally be historical or political 

 that I shall not be of much use. By thinking at odds and 

 ends of time on any subject, especially if you read a little 

 about it, you will form some opinion and find something to 

 say ; and in truth the habit of speaking will be of the greatest 

 importance to you. Uncle Harry was here this morning, 

 and we were telling him that we had settled for you to be 

 a barrister and his first question was " has he the gift of the 

 gab ?" But then he added, he has got industry, and that is 

 by far the most important of all. Mamma desires that you 

 will read the chapters [in Chapel] very well ; and the dear 

 old Mammy must be obeyed. . . . 



It appears that there was again talk of our going to Tenby 

 early in 1 856. Fanny Allen wrote that she could not be away 

 when Emma came, and mentioned Dr Dyster's delight at 

 the thought of having C. Darwin here. " He met him 

 somewhere and was like many others enchanted with him." 

 Later in the year Fanny Allen wrote from Leith Hill Place, 



Life and Letters of Charles Darwin, vol. ii., pp. 52 and 280. 



