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000 029 415 7 



liscussion and a native skill in dialectic, which may 

 sometimes have led him to seek too eagerly an argu- 

 mentative triumph. But his writings bear evidence of 

 the most extensive knowledge and of a conscientious 

 examination of all sources of information, combined with 

 independence of judgment and much subtlety of analysis. 

 The high estimation in which his work is held may be 

 judged of from the fact that all his books have been 

 translated into French and German, and that the book 

 on which he was engaged when the first symptoms of his 

 fatal illness appeared — namely, that entitled " Darwin 

 and after Darwin" — was published simultaneously in the 

 United States and in this country under special conditions 

 highly satisfactory to him. 



Four years ago, in order to enjoy greater quietude and 

 the facilitiesof the newly erected physiological laboratory 

 of the University, Romanes removed from London and 

 took up his residence with his wife and family in a 

 fine old house in Oxford, facing the cathedral house 

 of Christchurch. Here he has left his name and 

 memory not only to be cherished by the number- 

 less friends who mourn his early death, but to be 

 carried forward to all future generations of Oxford 

 scholars by the lectureship founded by him three years 

 ago. Gladstone, Huxley, and Weismann have been the 

 first three " Romanes lecturers"' nominated successively 

 by the founder. Hereafter it will be the duty of the 

 University to elect annually a lecturer worthy to follow 

 them. 



Whilst it would be premature to claim for Romanes the 

 merit of a great discoverer or originator in psychology 

 or in the philosophy of evolution, it is neverthe- 

 less true that by his keen criticism, careful mastery 

 of details, and great literary fertility, he has exer- 

 cised a most important influence— stimulating the 

 thought and research of others by his example and 

 enthusiasm, and by those contests in the arena of the 

 " reviews" with Wallace, Spencer, and Weismann, which 

 have made his name so widely known. 



It is not generally known, though a fact, that Romanes 

 produced, in addition to his numerous scientific writings, 

 a considerable volume of verse, which was printed for 

 private distribution, as well as occasional poems. These 

 poems deal with philosophic and emotional subjects, 

 and are often of great beauty. It should be mentioned 

 (although it is not possible here to record every fact of 

 importance in his life) that Romanes was for some years 

 honorary secretary of the Linnean Society of London, 

 and a member of the Council of University Gollege, 

 London ; he was Rede lecturer in the University ol 

 Cambridge, an honorary LL.D. of the University ol 

 Aberdeen, twice Croonian Jecliirer of the Royal Society 

 of London, and Rosebery lecturer in the University ol 

 Edinburgh, when the courses delivered by him formed 

 the substance of his book, " Darwin and after Darwin." 



One word before this too hasty notice is roiuluded as 

 to his personality. His unaffected good nature, and 

 almost boyish simplicity and gaiety of character, en 

 deared him to every man and woman wiili whom he came 

 into contact. He has If ft hchiiul liiin iiuuibcrlcss frietuU, 

 not one encMiiv. ' • l-^ ^^ LxSKl.sri' 



