Ch. IV.] REMINISCENCES. 89 



with any one, and I think this was true. Unless it was a 

 subject on which he was just then at work, he could not get 

 the train of argument into working order quickly enough. 

 This is shown even in his letters ; thus, in the case of two 

 letters to Professor Semper about the effect of isolation, he did 

 not recall the series of facts he wanted until some days after 

 the first letter had been sent off. 



When puzzled in talking, he had a peculiar stammer on the 

 first word of a sentence. I only recall this occurring with 

 words beginning with w ; possibly he had a special difficulty 

 with this letter, for I have heard him say that as a boy ho 

 could not pronounce w, and that sixpence was offered him if 

 he could say " white wine," which ho pronounced " rite rine." 

 Possibly he may have inherited this tendency from Erasmus 

 Darwin who stammered.* 



He sometimes combined his metaphors in a curious way, 

 using such a phrase as " holding on like life," — a mixture of 

 " holding on for his life," and " holding on like grim death." 

 It came from his eager way of putting emphasis into what 

 ho was saying. This sometimes gave an air of exaggeration 

 where it was not intended ; but it gave, too, a noble air of 

 strong and generous conviction ; as, for instance, when he gave 

 his evidence before the Royal Commission on vivisection, and 

 came out with his words about cruelty, " It deserves detestation 

 and abhorrence." When he felt strongly about any similar 

 question, he could hardly trust himself to speak, as he then 

 easily became angry, a thing which he disliked excessively. 

 He was conscious that his anger had a tendency to multiply 

 itself in the utterance, and for this reason dreaded (for 

 example) having to reprove a servant. 



It was a proof of the modesty of his manner of talking, that 

 when, for instance, a number of visitors came over from Sir 

 John Lubbock's for a Sunday afternoon call, he never seemed 

 to bo preaching or lecturing, although he had so much of 

 the talk to himself. He was particularly charming when 

 " chaffing " any one, and in high spirits over it. His manner 

 at such times was light-hearted and boyish, and his refinement 

 of nature came out most strongly. So, when he was talking to 

 a lady who pleased and amused him, the combination of 

 raillery and deference in his manner was delightful to see. 

 There was a personal dignity about him, which the most 



* My father related a Johnsonian answer of Erasmus Darwin's : " Don't 

 you find it very inconvenient stammering, Dr. Darwin?" "No, Sir, 

 because I have time to think before I speak, and don't ask impertinent 

 questions." 



