322 LIFE AT DOWN. .ETAT. 33~45. 



lutely at the extreme verge of the world. The whole country 

 is intersected by foot-paths ; but the surface over the chalk is 

 clayey and sticky, which is the worst feature in our purchase. 

 The dingles and banks often remind me of Cambridgeshire 

 and walks with you to Cherry Hinton, and other places, 

 though the general aspect of the country is very different. I 

 was looking over my arranged cabinet (the only remnant I 

 have preserved of all my English insects), and was admiring 

 Panagceus Crux-major ; it is curious the vivid manner in 

 which this insect calls up in my mind your appearance, with 

 little Fan trotting after, when I was first introduced to you. 

 Those entomological days were very pleasant ones. I am 

 very much stronger corporeally, but am little better in being 

 able to stand mental fatigue, or rather excitement, so that I 

 cannot dine out or receive visitors, except relations with whom 

 I can pass some time after dinner in silence." 



I could have wished to give here some idea of the position 

 which, at this period of his life, my father occupied among 

 scientific men and the reading public generally. But con- 

 temporary notices are few and of no particular value for my 

 purpose, which therefore must, in spite of a good deal of 

 pains, remain unfulfilled. 



His 'Journal of Researches ' was then the only one of his 

 books which had any chance of being commonly known. But 

 the fact that it was published with the ' Voyages ' of Captains 

 King and Fitz-Roy probably interfered with its general 

 popularity. Thus Lyell wrote to him in 1838 ('Lyell's Life/ 

 ii. p. 43), " I assure you my father is quite enthusiastic about 

 your journal .... and he agrees with me that it would have a 

 large sale if published separately. He was disappointed at 

 hearing that it was to be fettered by the other volumes, for, 

 although he should equally buy it, he feared so many of 

 the public would be checked from doing so." In a notice 

 of the three voyages in the 'Edinburgh Review' (July, 

 1839), there is nothing leading a reader to believe that 



