Erasmus Darwin. 163 



so poor, I so occupied, etc., etc. He had something 

 of original and sarcastically ingenious in him, one 

 of the sincerest, naturally truest, and most modest of 

 men ; elder brother of Charles Darwin (the famed 

 Darwin on Species of these days), to whom I rather 

 prefer him for intellect, had not his health quite 

 doomed him to silence and patient idleness. . . . 

 My dear one had a great furor for this honest Dar- 

 win always ; many a road, to shops and the like, he 

 drove her in his cab (Darwingium Cabbum compara- 

 ble to Georgium Sidus) in those early days when 

 even the charge of omnibuses was a consideration, 

 and his sparse utterances, sardonic often, were a 

 great amusement to her. ' A perfect gentleman,' she 

 at once discerned him to be, and of sound worth 

 and kindliness in the most unaffected form." 



This description failed to convey an idea of the 

 truly lovable nature of Erasmus, and brought out 

 the following letter, which was published by Miss 

 Julia Wedgwood, in the Spectator, September 3, 1881, 

 giving a true pen picture of the genial and much 

 beloved brother of Charles Darwin the naturalist : 



" A portrait from Mr. Carlyle's portfolio, not re- 

 gretted by any one who loved the original, surely 

 confers sufficient distinction to warrant a few words 

 of notice, when the character it depicts is drawn 

 from mortal gaze. Erasmus, the only brother of 

 Charles Darwin, and the faithful and affectionate 

 old friend of both the Carlyles, has left a circle of 

 mourners who need no tribute from illustrious pen 

 to embalm the memory so dear to their hearts ; but 

 a wider circle must have felt some interest excited 



