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engaged in parish work—as Vicar of Swaffham Bulbeck—which 
I did not think it quite right to quit for a purpose of that kind, 
as on account of my judging that I was not exactly the right 
person either in point of health or other qualifications to offer 
myself for the situation.” The following is the allusion to this 
event in ‘‘ta rept epavtov.” 
“This year (1831) I had the offer of accompanying Capt. Fitzroy, 
as Naturalist, in the “ Beagle” in his voyage to survey the coasts of 
S. America, afterwards going round the globe—declined the appoint- 
ment which was afterwards given to Charles Darwin, Esq., of Xt.’s 
College, Cambridge, grandson of the celebrated Erasmus Darwin, 
author of the Botanic Garden.” 
Consulting with Henslow it was agreed that Charles Darwin 
with whom he had been acquainted as an undergraduate at 
Christ’s College, Cambridge, and his junior in College by ten 
years, and who had visited him afterwards at Swaffham Bulbeck, 
was the right man for the post. Capt. Fitzroy acting upon this 
recommendation took him—a better man could hardly have been 
selected as events proved. It was on this voyage that the 
materials were collected for those subsequent writings of his 
which may be said to have revolutionized the Science of Biology. 
This was the beginning of a life long friendship. From the time 
of his undergraduate days at Cambridge in 1828 (he took his 
Bachelor’s degree in 1832) till his decease in 1882, Darwin and 
Jenyns were intimate friends. On the 19th April, 1882, he 
writes, ‘‘This day marks the death of my dear old friend Charles 
Darwin, whom I had known ever since he was an undergraduate 
at Xt.’s College, Cambridge, more than 50 years ago. Very few 
of his friends— not relatives—now living had known him longer 
than myself.” 
Owing to limited means during the first years of his clerical 
life and the pressure of parochial work he never travelled much. 
Indeed he mentions that he had never been abroad all his 
life. But nevertheless there were few parts of his native country 
