MR. W. E. DARWIN. 13 



though it almost makes one smile, the tone of admiration and 

 gratitude with which he would acknowledge any little help we 

 could give him in botanical or other matters. In later life he 

 used to like to discuss any of the books or topics of the day, 

 -and it was always with modesty ; he never seemed to think 

 that his opinion was worth very much outside of his own 

 special subjects. One of the great peculiarities I found in 

 him was his immense reverence for the memory of his father ; 

 in all cases of health or illness, in many of the other con- 

 ditions of life he would quote words of wisdom or advice of 

 his father. To be present with him, when he happened to be 

 well, at a small luncheon party with congenial friends, 

 especially if a sympathetic woman were seated near him, will 

 not be easily forgotten by anyone who has experienced it. 

 He put every one at his ease, and talked and laughed in the 

 gayest way, with lively banter and raillery that had a 

 pleasant flavour of flattery, and touches of humour ; but he 

 always showed deference to his guests and a desire to bring 

 any stranger into the conversation. I can well understand 

 that anyone who had only met him under such circumstances 

 might be led to disbelieve the accounts of his ill-health. In 

 case any gentleman present has the desire to visit Down I 

 should like to say that the place is just as quiet and intensely 

 rural as it was 66 years ago, when my father first went there. 

 I was staying at the house not long ago and found that the 

 garden and the "sand walk" are practically unaltered, and 

 the house is the same except in respect of furniture and 

 tixtures: unfortunately the greenhouse in which he worked 

 was so dilapidated that it had to be renewed. The railway 

 station is within four miles of the house, and there is a good 

 road to the village, and it is not the case, as has been stated 

 by a German writer, that the house can only be reached by a 

 mule track. 



If I might be allowed a very few minutes more 

 there is one other subject I would like to touch upon, 

 and that is the very hackneyed subject of his loss of 

 interest in poetry and art. I think in this way an unfair slur 

 has been cast upon the influence of the study of natural 

 history ; this is no doubt to a great extent due to a want of 

 realisation of the state of his health and of his nature. 



