50 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 



*' If you can find any man of common sense who advises you 



to go I will give my consent." So I wrote that evening and 



refused the offer. On the next morning I went to Maer to be 



ready for September ist, and, whilst out shooting, ray uncle* 



sent for me, offering to drive me over to Shrewsbury and 



talk with my father, as my uncle thought it would be wise in 



me to accept the offer. My father always maintained that he 



was one of the most sensible men in the world, and he at 



once consented in the kindest manner. I had been rather 



f extravagant at Cambridge, and to console my father, said, 



I "that I should be deuced clever to spend more than my 



I allowance whilst on board the Beagle j'' but he answered with 



a smile, " But they tell me you are very clever." 



Next day I started for Cambridge to see Henslow, and 

 thence to London to see Fitz-Roy, and all was soon arranged. 

 Afterwards, on becoming very intimate with Fitz-Roy, I 

 heard that I had run a very narrow risk of being rejected, on 

 account of the shape of my nose I He was an ardent dis- 

 ciple of Lavater, and was convinced that he could judge of a 

 man's character by the outline of his features ; and he doubted 

 whether any one with my nose could possess sufficient energy 

 and determination for the voyage. But I think he was after- 

 wards well satisfied that my nose had spoken falsely. 



Fitz-Roy's character was a singular one, with very many 

 noble features : he was devoted to his duty, generous to a 

 fault, bold, determined, and indomitably energetic, and an 

 ardent friend to all under his sway. He would undertake 

 any sort of trouble to assist those whom he thought deserved 

 assistance. He was a handsome man, strikingly like a gentle- 

 man, with highly courteous manners, which resembled those 

 of his maternal uncle, the famous Lord Castlereagh, as I was 

 told by the Minister at Rio. Nevertheless he must have 

 inherited much in his appearance from Charles H., for Dr. 

 Wallich gave me a collection of photographs which he had 

 made, and I was struck with the resemblance of one to Fitz- 



* Josiah Wedgwood. 



