x OBITUARY 269 
seems to have grown very shadowy. Humboldt’s 
“Personal Narrative,’ and Herschel’s “ Introduc- 
‘tion to the Study of Natural Philosophy,” fell in 
his way and revealed to him his real vocation. 
The impression made by the former work was 
very strong. “My whole course of life,” says 
Darwin in sending a message to Humboldt, “is 
due to having read and verdad, as a youth, his 
personal narrative.’ (I. p. 336.) The description 
‘of Teneriffe inspired Darwin with such a strong 
desire to visit the island, that he took some steps 
towards going there—inquiring about ships, and 
$0 on, 
But, while this project was fermenting, Henslow, 
who had been asked to recommend a naturalist for 
Captain Fitzroy’s projected expedition, at once 
thought of his pupil. In his letter of the 24th 
August, 1831, he says: “I have stated that I 
consider you to be the best qualified person I know 
of who is likely to undertake such a situation. I 
state this—not on the supposition of your being a 
jimashed naturalist, but as amply qualified for 
collecting, observing, and noting anything worthy 
to be noted in Natural History . . . . The voyage 
is to last two years, and if you take plenty of 
books with you, anything you please may be done.” 
(I. p. 193.) The state of the case could not have 
been better put. Assuredly the young naturalist’s 
theoretical and practical scientific training had 
gone no further than might suffice for the outfit 
