MR. W. E. DARWIN. 15 



of china and chimney ornaments which he thought ugly, 

 and on our return he led us with much laughter into his 

 chamber of horrors. I am afraid I have detained you 

 rather long and have trespassed on your sympathy, but I felt 

 that this was a unique occasion and I was very anxious to 

 show how deeply gratified I and my family are that we have 

 been invited to take part in this celebration. I desire, my 

 Lord Chancellor, to express to you, if I may do so without 

 presumption or anything that is unfitting, our sincere thanks 

 to the University for having inaugurated this celebration, 

 and in the same spirit and with all deference to thank the 

 many distinguished men who have come, many of them from 

 great distances, to show their appreciation of the life-work of 

 my father and to pay this tribute of respect to his memory. 

 Also I should like to thank my friend Mr. Balfour and Dr. 

 Arrhenius for their eloquent and interesting speeches. 



I am sure my father would have said, though, perhaps, 

 with a tone ot apology in his voice, that if there was to 

 be a celebration there could be no more fitting place 

 than Cambridge. He always retained a love for Cam- 

 bridge and a happy memory of his life here. It was 

 the happiest and gayest period of his life, and it cer- 

 tainly did a great deal for the development of his mind,, 

 also it was the University of his old master and friend, 

 Professor Henslow. As regards his academic studies, he 

 used to speak of them with scant respect, and, perhaps,, 

 rather unfairly. It is curious to remember that the two 

 subjects which he thought had done most to develop his 

 mind were Paley's Evidences of Christianity and Euclid,, 

 both of which subjects are, I believe, now superseded 

 as being obsolete. He valued more than any other 

 honour the degree that was conferred on him here, and he 

 spoke to me with pride and pleasure of walking, dressed in 

 his scarlet gown, arm and arm with Dr. Cartmell, the 

 Master of his old College. My Lord, I desire to thank 

 the University most warmly for the great honour they have 

 done me in allowing me to take part in this celebration, and I 

 desire also on the part of all my family to thank the 

 University very sincerely, and especially the Vice-Chancellor,. 



