216 DARWIN'S LETTERS TO R. TRIMEN 



but himself arranged the details of publication 

 and assisted in drawing up one of the memoirs. 

 It is easy to imagine the delight and encourage- 

 ment with which his generous words of praise 

 for every effort would be received, and how in- 

 fallibly they would become the inspiration to 

 further effort. And with all this stimulus and 

 encouragement there is ever present the warmest 

 sympathy with difficulties of every kind, and 

 the keenest anxiety not to overburden another 

 with trouble or expense. We recognize an un- 

 bounded love of nature and of discovery, and 

 the keenest appreciation for the same enthusiasm 

 in another. We feel, again and again, as we 

 read these letters, the presence of the bright, 

 courageous spirit that could pierce the dark 

 shadow of lifelong pain and discomfort, and 

 preserve undimmed its humour and its breadth 

 of view. And the brooding shadow is never 

 accorded the dignity of recognition on its own 

 account, being only revealed because of the veto 

 it had the power to impose work prevented 

 or long drawn out, interviews with friends cut 

 short or postponed. 



For this reason brief notes of invitation, which 

 might otherwise be regarded as trivial, all bear 

 their part in creating the general impression, 

 and the whole correspondence remains untouched 

 and unabridged. 



Of the nineteen letters printed in this section 

 of the book, one (No. 18) is from Mrs. Darwin. 



