CHAPTER II. 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 



[MY father's autobiographical recollections, given in the 

 present chapter, were written for his children, and written 

 without any thought that they would ever be published. To 

 many this may seem an impossibility ; but those who knew 

 my father will understand how it was not only possible, but 

 natural. The autobiography bears the heading, 'Recollections 

 of the Development of my Mind and Character,' and end with 

 the following note: "Aug. 3, 1876. This sketch of my 

 life was begun about May 28th at Hopedene,* and since 

 then I have written for nearly an hour on most afternoons." 

 It will easily be understood that, in a narrative of a personal 

 and intimate kind written for his wife and children, passages 

 should occur which must here be omitted ; and I have not 

 thought it necessary to indicate where such omissions are 

 made. It has been found necessary to make a few corrections 

 of obvious verbal slips, but the number of such alterations 

 has been kept down to the minimum. -F. D.] 



A GERMAN Editor having written to me for an 

 account of the development of my mind and character 

 with some sketch of my autobiography, I have thought 

 that the attempt would amuse me, and might possibly 

 interest my children or their children. I know that 

 it would have interested me greatly to have read even 



* Mr. Hensleigh Wedgwood's house in Surrey. 



