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26 ) 



CHAPTER II. 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 



[MY father's autobiographical recollections, given in the- 

 present chapter, were written for his children, and written 

 without any thought that they would ever be published. To- 

 many this may seem an impossibility; but those who knew 

 my father will understand how it was not only possible, but 

 natural. The autobiography bears the heading, 'Recollections- 

 of the Development of my Mind and Character,' and end with 

 the following note: "Aug. 3, 1876. This sketch of my 

 life was begun about May 28th at Hopedenc,* and since 

 then I have written for nearly an hour on most afternoons." 

 It will easily be understood that, in a narrative of a personal 

 and intimate kind written for his wife and children, passages 

 should occur which must here be omitted ; and I have not 

 thought it necessary to indicate where such omissions are 

 made. It has been found necessary to make a few corrections, 

 of obvious verbal slips, but the number of such alterations, 

 has been kept down to the minimum. F. D.] 



A GERMAN Editor having written to me for an 

 account of the development of my mind and character 

 with some sketch of my autobiography, I have thought 

 that the attempt would amuse me, and might possibly 

 interest my children or their children. I know that 

 it would have interested me greatly to have read even 



* Mr. Hcnsleigh Wedgwood's house in Surrey. 



