CHARLES DARWIN. 431 



of the other class ; but they are of no less interest, and they 

 are very characteristic of the author's genius and methods, — 

 characteristic also of his laboriousness. For the amount of 

 prolonged observation, watchful care, and tedious experiment 

 they have demanded is as remarkable as the skill in devising 

 simple and effectual modes of investigation is admirable. 

 That he should have had the courage to undertake and the 

 patience to carry on new inquiries of this kind after he had 

 reached his threescore and ten years of age, and after he had 

 attained an unparalleled breadth of influence and wealth of 

 fame, speaks much for his energy and for his devotion to 

 knowledge for its own sake. Indeed, having directed the 

 flow of scientific thought into the new channel he had opened, 

 along which the current set quicker and stronger than he could 

 have expected, he seems to have taken up with fresh delight 

 studies which he had marked out in early years, or topics 

 which from time to time had struck his acute attention. To 

 these he gave himself, quite to the last, with all the spirit and 

 curiosity of youth. Evidently all this amount of work was 

 done for the pure love of it ; it was all done methodically, 

 with clear and definite aim, without haste, but without inter- 

 mission. 



It would confidently be supposed that in this case genius 

 and industry were seconded by leisure and bodily vigor. For- 

 tunately Darwin's means enabled him to control the disposi- 

 tion of his time. But the voyage of the Beagle, which was 

 so advantageous to science, ruined his health. A sort of 

 chronic sea-sickness, under which all his work abroad was 

 performed, harassed him ever afterwards. The days in which 

 he could give two hours to investigation or writing were 

 counted as good ones, and for much of his life they were 

 largely outnumbered by those in which nothing could be 

 attempted. Only by great care and the simplest habits was 

 he able to secure even a moderate amount of comfortable 

 existence. But in this respect his later years were the best 

 ones, and therefore the busiest. In them also he had most 

 valuable filial aid. There was nothing to cause much anxiety 

 until his seventy-third birthday had passed, or to excite alarm 

 until the week before his death. 



