22 CHARLES DARWIN. 



be rendered " uncomfortable " or " uneasy " by any 

 further suggestion as to the possibility of the voyage, 

 although his father had said, " If you can find any 

 man of common-sense who advises you to go, I will 

 give my consent." We also learn from the " Auto- 

 biography" that his uncle sent for him whilst out 

 shooting and drove him the thirty miles to Shrews- 

 bury, in order that they might talk with his father, 

 who then at once consented. This must have been 

 on September 1st, 1831. 



From this time until he went to Plymouth, on 

 October 24th — the final start was not until December 

 27th — his letters show that he had a very busy time 

 making purchases and preparing for the voyage. 

 These letters breathe the warmest affection to the 

 members of his family and his friends, together with 

 the keenest enthusiasm for Captain Fitzroy, the ship, 

 and the voyage. 



The voyage of the Beagle lasted from December 

 27th, 1831, to October 2nd, 1836. Darwin says that 

 it was ** by far the most important event in my life, 

 and has determined my whole career. ... I have 

 always felt that I owe to the voyage the first real 

 training or education of my mind " (I. c, p. 61). He 

 attributes the greatest share in this training to 

 geology, among the special sciences, because of the 

 reasoning involved in making out the structure of 

 a new and unknown district ; but he considers that 

 the habits of " energetic industry md of concentrated 

 attention " which he then acquired were of the utmost 



