Oh. V.] 1828—1831. 113 



bo great as my friendship with you. I sent you a newspaper 

 yesterday, in which you will see what a good place — tenth — I 

 have got in the Poll. As for Christ's, did you ever see such a 

 college for producing Captains and Apostles ? * There are 

 no men either at Emmanuel or Christ's plucked. Cameron is 

 gulfed,f together with other three Trinity scholars ! My plans 

 are not at all settled. I think I shall keep this term, and then 

 go and economise at Shrewsbury, return and take my degree. 



" A man may be excused for writing so much about himself 

 when he has just passed the examination ; so you must excuse 

 [me]. And on the same principle do you write a letter brimful 

 of yourself and plans." 



THE APPOINTMENT TO THE * BEAGLE.' 



In a letter addressed to Captain Fitz-Roy, before the Beagle 

 sailed, my father wrote, "What a glorious day the 4th of 

 November { will be to mo — my second life will then commence, 

 and it shall be as a birthday for the rest of my life." 



Foremost in the chain of circumstances which led to his 

 appointment to the Beagle, was his friendship with Professor 

 Henslow, of which the autobiography gives a sufficient 

 account.§ 



An extract from a pocket-book, in which Darwin briefly 

 recorded the chief events of his life, gives the history of his 

 introduction to that science which was so soon to be his chief 

 occupation — geology. 



" 1831. Christmas. — Passed my examination for B.A. degree 

 and kept the two following terms. During these months lived 

 much with Professor Henslow, often dining with him and 

 walking with him ; became slightly acquainted with several 

 of the learned men in Cambridge, which much quickened 

 the zeal which dinner parties and hunting had not destroyed. 

 In the spring Henslow persuaded me to think of Geology, 

 and introduced me to Sedgwick. During Midsummer geolo- 

 gized a little in Shropshire." 



This geological work was doubtless of importance as giving 



* The "Captain" is at the head of the "Poll": the "Apostles" aro 

 the last twelve in the Mathematical Tripos. 



t For an explanation of thej word " gulfed " or " gulphed," see Mr. W. 

 W\ Rouse Balls' interesting History of the Study of Mathematics at 

 Cambridge (1889), p. 160. 



X The Beagle should have started on Nov. 4, but was delayed until 

 Dec. 27. 



§ See, too, a sketch by my father of his old master, in the Rev. L. 

 Blomefield's Memoir of Professor Henslow. 



I 



