1853-1859] William Darwin's Speech 167 



MOOR PARK, Saturday [1859]. 



I am very glad to hear that you have begun Botany, in 

 the manner in which you have. I know Hooker thinks very 

 highly of G. Henslow, in all ways. It has always been a 

 hobby of mine that nothing could be so improving as the 

 practice of describing plants, teaching accurate observation 

 (a faculty which I am sure is most slowly acquired) and con- 

 ciseness and accuracy of style. I have always regretted that 

 Henslow had not struck on this plan when I was there, that 

 I might have practised. You will always be glad that you 

 began this. By the way, one evening I said to Frank, who 

 is getting on very well in French, that he would be very 

 glad of it all his future lif e : and a few days after Lenny was 

 dissecting under my microscope and he turned round very 

 gravely and said " Don't you think, Papa, that I shall be 

 very glad of this all my future life." 



The following pages are taken from the report of my 

 brother William's speech, given at the Banquet held at 

 Cambridge, on the occasion of the Darwin Centenary. He 

 made no attempt at oratory, scarcely even raising his voice, 

 but his whole manner and the deep underlying feeling made 

 his speech extraordinarily impressive to all who heard it. 



Chancellor, your Excellencies, my Lords and Gentlemen, 

 I need hardly say that this assemblage of distinguished 

 men, met together from all quarters of the world to do honour 

 to his memory, would have almost overwhelmed my father, 

 and I am very conscious of the great difficulties that meet 

 me and of the very great honour that is paid me in being 

 called upon to express the feelings of my family on this 

 occasion. I remember that my father once wrote to Sir 

 Joseph Hooker, whom we are so delighted to have with us in 

 Cambridge to-day, on an occasion when Sir Joseph Hooker 

 had to make an address or after-dinner speech, that he 

 pitied him from the bottom of his soul, and that it made 

 his flesh creep to think of it. I am sure that he would have 

 pitied me tenfold in these very especial circumstances, and 

 I can only trust to your kind consideration, and ask that 



