1 6 Charles Darwin. 



accord with his fondness for music at this time, 

 though he was not a musician and could not dis- 

 tinguish harmony from discord. 



I have said that the college life of Darwin con- 

 stituted one of the important epochs in his career ; 

 this was mainly due to his acquaintance and ultimate 

 friendship with Professor Henslow, the naturalist. 

 He was presented to the latter by his cousin already 

 alluded to, and went weekly to his house, which was 

 the acknowledged centre of scientific interest. The 

 intimacy increased, and Darwin soon became his 

 constant companion during walks and strolls, when 

 we may naturally suppose that the conversation 

 turned on natural history. Professor Henslow was 

 one of the best-posted men of his time in geology, 

 botany, and the various branches of science. He 

 was also a close investigator and, according to Dar- 

 win, extremely fond of drawing conclusions from 

 long-continued and minute observations. 



If there is one feature more than another in the 

 life of Darwin that impresses the reader it is the 

 time he spent in careful investigations, and the 

 thoroughness which characterised all his scientific 

 work, and that his methods, which were so eminently 

 successful and telling, were the result of this com- 

 panionship to a great extent there can be no doubt. 

 Darwin himself says : " My intimacy with such a 

 man ought to have been, and I hope was, an in- 

 estimable benefit." 



This intimacy with Henslow naturally enlarged the 

 young man's scientific acquaintance, among whom 

 were Dr. Whewell, a man of distinguished attain- 



