REMINISCENCES. 



the word, that is, a man who works at many branches of 

 science, not merely a specialist in one. Thus it is, that, 

 though he founded whole new divisions of special subjects 

 such as the fertilisation of flowers, insectivorous plants, 

 dimorphism, &c. yet even in treating these very subjects 

 he does not strike the reader as a specialist. The reader 

 feels like a friend who is being talked to by a courteous 

 gentleman, not like a pupil being lectured by a professor. 

 The tone of such a book as the ' Origin ' is charming, and 

 almost pathetic ; it is the tone of a man who, convinced of the 

 truth of his own views, hardly expects to convince others ; it 

 is just the reverse of the style of a fanatic, who wants to 

 force people to believe. The reader is never scorned for any 

 amount of doubt which he may be imagined to feel, and his 

 scepticism is treated with patient respect. A sceptical reader, 

 or perhaps even an unreasonable reader, seems to have been 

 generally present to his thoughts. It was in consequence of 

 this feeling, perhaps, that he took much trouble over points 

 which he imagined would strike the reader, or save him 

 trouble, and so tempt him to read. 



For the same reason he took much interest in the illus- 

 trations of his books, and I think rated rather too highly 

 their value. The illustrations for his earlier books were 

 drawn by professional artists. This was the case in 'Animals 

 and Plants/ the ' Descent of Man/ and the ' Expression of 

 the Emotions.' On the other hand, ' Climbing Plants/ 

 1 Insectivorous Plants/ the ' Movements of Plants/ and 

 ' Forms of Flowers/ were, to a large extent, illustrated by 

 some of his children my brother George having drawn by 

 far the most. It was delightful to draw for him, as he was 

 enthusiastic in his praise of very moderate performances. I 

 remember well his charming manner of receiving the drawings 

 of one of his daughters-in-law, and how he would finish his 



words of praise by saying, " Tell A , Michael Angelo is 



nothing to it." Though he praised so generously, he always 



