632 Obituary. 
conversion some time before the appearance of the ‘ Origin of 
Species’ (in the autumn of 1859). Both he and his philo- 
sophie friend, Wolley, had concluded that the idea, then 
prevalent, of special creations was out of harmony with the 
facts they had been observing for many years. Wolley 
died just about the time when Darwin’s book came out; but 
Newton at once perceived that Darwin’s explanation went a 
long way towards solving his own difficulties, and he simply 
adopted the new philosophy, not being in need of conversion. 
In the above-mentioned article he has told the story very 
well, and his narrative of events at Oxford in 1860 provides 
an excellent account of that memorable meeting. 
Henceforth a familiar figure will be missed at Cambridge, 
for though Newton had ceased to lecture, he still continued 
to work at his collections, and to exercise that social in- 
fluence in his College and in the University which so 
endeared him to more than one generation of students. 
On the whole, he may be considered to have been fortunate 
in the period wherein his lot was cast—a period when 
increased facilities for travel were opening out regions 
hitherto inaccessible to the explorer and the naturalist. 
For instance, he lived to see the veil lifted from such 
countries as Central Asia and Central Africa, which were 
complete blanks in the maps of half a century ago. Of 
course, in this respect, he merely shared the advantages 
with others of his contemporaries who were equally ready 
to profit by them. Still, it must be borne in mind that 
such discoveries and acquisitions have their limits, and 
cannot be repeated in the history of exploration. It is so 
much to his credit, therefore, that he made the most of 
the opportunities thus afforded ; and if we view his character 
broadly, as a student of nature and a self-taught man in his 
early years, as an enthusiastic man of science in Jater life, 
and at all times as a firm friend and a genial companion, 
we recognise one who was sw2 generis in his day and repre- 
sentative of a type not likely to be replaced. 
This notice must not close without a special allusion 
to Professor Newton’s great kindness to students of orni- 
thology less advanced than himself. Always encouraging 
