82 AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 



of my brain now atrophied would thus have been kept active 

 through use. The loss of these tastes is a loss of happiness, 

 and may possibly be injurious to the intellect, and more 

 probably to the mpral character, by enfeebling the emotional 

 part of our nature.V^ 



My books have sold largely in England, have been trans- 

 lated into many languages, and passed through several 

 editions in foreign countries. I have heard it said that 

 the success of a work abroad is the best test of its endur- 

 ing value. I doubt whether this is at all trustworthy; but 

 judged by this standard my name ought to last for a few 

 years. Therefore it may be worth while to try to analyse 

 the mental qualities and the conditions on which my suc- 

 cess has depended ; though I am aware that no man can do 

 this correctly. 



I have no great quickness of apprehension or wit which is 

 so remarkable in some clever men, for instance, Huxley. I 

 am therefore a poor critic : a paper or book, when first read, 

 generally excites my admiration, and it is only after consider- 

 able reflection that I perceive the weak points. My power to 

 follow a long and purely abstract train of thought is very 

 limited ; and therefore I could never have succeeded with 

 metaphysics or mathematics. My memory is extensive, yet 

 hazy : it suffices to make me cautious by vaguely telling me 

 that I have observed or read something opposed to the con- 

 clusion which I am drawing, or on the other hand in favour 

 of it ; and after a time I can generally recollect where to 

 search for my authority. So poor in one sense is my memory, 

 that I have never been able to remember for more than a few 

 days a single date or a line of poetry. 



Some of my critics have said, " Oh, he is a good observer, 

 but he has no power of reasoning ! " I do not think that this 

 can be true, for the ' Origin of Species ' is one long argument 

 from the beginning to the end, and it has convinced not a 

 few able men. No one could have written it without having 

 some power of reasoning. I have a fair share of invention, 

 and of common sense or judgment, such as every fairly sue- 



