434 



NATURE 



[June io, 1909 



denominations which flourish in the United States. 

 But February in England is an awkward month to 

 gather together from all over the world a large assem- 

 blage of distinguished men of science, and Cambridge 

 decided to celebrate the centenary of her great 

 biologist in what we hope may prove the more genial 

 month of June. 



The question of date was from the first a matter of 

 some difficulty ; it was, so far as possible, desirable to 

 select such a time as would enable professors and 

 others who are tied by university duties to be present, 

 so it could not be fixed before the end of June. On 

 the other hand, owing to the fact that the various 

 courses of university lectures, which at Cambridge 

 yearly become more numerous during the long vaca- 

 tion, begin this summer on July 6, the colleges will 

 have their rooms for the most part fully occupied by 



July 5- 



There was thus little margin for choice, and 

 Tuesdav, June 22, the day of the second general 

 admission to degrees, was settled for the first day of 

 the celebration. This will formally begin at S.30 p.m., 

 when there will be a reception of delegates and other 

 invited guests in the Fitzwilliam Museum by the 

 Chancellor of the University, Lord Rayleigh, O.M., 

 F.R.S., Sc.D. The Chancellor will receive guests at 

 the head of the staircase, and to him all delegates and 

 guests who are not resident members of the Senate 

 will be formally presented by the Registrary. On 

 Wednesdav. June 23, at 10.30 a.m., presentations of 

 addresses bv delegates of universities, colleges, 

 academies, and learned societies will take place in the 

 Senate House. This ceremony will begin with a short 

 address by the Chancellor, followed by the presenta- 

 tion of delegates and of addresses. A short speech 

 will be delivered bv one representative of each of the 

 chief countries represented. 



During the earlier half of the afternoon visits to 

 colleges will be paid, and from 4 to 6 p.m. a garden 

 partv will be given by the master and fellows of 

 Christ's College in the college grounds. The rooms 

 occupied bv Charles Darwin when an undergraduate 

 of Christ's College will be open to visitors during the 

 afternoon of Wednesday, June 23, and during the 

 morning and afternoon of Thursday, June 24. The 

 bronze bust by Mr. Couper, of New York, which the 

 .American delegates are presenting to Christ's College 

 will be on view. 



At 7 p.m. there will be a banquet in the new 

 examination hall, behind the museums. 



After the banquet the master and fellows of Pem- 

 broke College will give an " At Home " in the 

 college hall and gardens. 



On Thursday, June 24, at 11 a.m., honorary degrees 

 will be conferred in the Senate House on some 

 eighteen distinguished men who have followed in 

 the footsteps of Darwin; amongst these our only 

 fellow-countryman is Mr. Francis Darwin, his father's 

 distinguished biographer. At 12 noon the Rede lec- 

 ture will be delivered by Sir .Archibald Geikie, K.C.B. , 

 President of the Royal Society. His subject will be 

 " Darwin as Geologist." 



During the afternoon a garden party w-ill be given 

 by Mr. William Erasmus Darwin, Sir George and 

 Lady Darwin, Mr. Francis Darwin and Miss Frances 

 Darwin, Major and Mrs. Leonard Darwin, Mr. and 

 Mrs. Horace Darwin, Mrs. Litchfield, and Miss 

 Darwin, in the Fellows' Garden, or, if wet, in the 

 hall and cloisters of Trinity College, which have been 

 kindlv lent bv the master and fellows. 



During the celebration, and for some days before, 

 there will be an exhibition of portraits, books, and 

 other objects of interest in connection with Darwin, 

 in the Old Library of Christ's College (entrance from 



NO. 2067, VOL. 80 1 



the F-irst Court). The exhibition will be open from 

 10 a.m. to I p.m., and from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. 



Amongst the more interesting exhibits are the oil 

 painting by Collier, lent by the Linnean Society; one 

 by Richmond, lent by the L'niversity ; and one by 

 Ouless, lent by Mr. William Darwin. There are also 

 numerous oil paintings of Erasmus Darwin, Robert 

 W. Darwin, and other members of the family; several 

 water-colours of Down and of Charles Darwin's birth- 

 place are also shown. A very large number of 

 sketches and photographs are also exhibited, many 

 MS. note-books and letters, and numerous copies of 

 the first editions of Darwin's books containing his 

 own notes. There is also a collection of instruments 

 used on board the Beagle, and medals, orders, and 

 diplomas presented to Charles Darwin. 



Charles Darwin's library, which Mr. Francis Darwin 

 has generously transferred to the Botany School, 

 Downing Street, may be seen on application at the 

 Botany School at any lime between 10 a.m. and 

 I p.m., or between 2.30 p.m. and 5.30 p.m., during 

 the celebration. A few of the most interesting volumes 

 will be displayed in the Botanical Museum. Further, 

 the Librarian, Mr. F. J. H. Jenkinson, has arranged 

 in the LIniversitv Library an exhibition of MSS. and 

 books illustrating the progress of biological study 

 during the last fifty years. 



In connection with the celebration, numerous publi- 

 cations are appearing at Cambridge. .At the instiga- 

 tion of the Philosophical Society the L'niversity Press 

 has issued a volume of important essays, edited by Prof. 

 Seward, in which some of the leading biologists of the 

 world pass in review the results achieved by Darwin's 

 own work, and others concern themselves with the 

 progress of science on lines which are the direct 

 outcome of his work. The L'niversity Press is also 

 publishing reprints of the first sketch of '" The Origin 

 of Species." A copy of this will be presented to each 

 of the delegates. Later it will be re-printed, together 

 with Darwin's second sketch of his " species-theory," 

 in a single volume, and be on sale. The executive 

 committee is, further, preparing a quarto volume 

 entitled " The Order of the Proceedings at the Darwin 

 Centenary." This will have numerous illustrations, 

 and will contain a sketch of Charles Darwin's life, 

 together with a programme of the celebration. 



Finally, Christ's College is publishing an exhaus- 

 tive catalogue of the Darwin Exhibition, and a special 

 Darwin number of the college magazine, on the 

 lines of the very successful Milton number of last year. 

 This will contain an account of the life of Darwin at 

 .Shrewsbury ; at his two universities (Edinburgh and 

 Cambridge); a sketch of Christ's College about the 

 time Darwin was in residence, by the Master of the 

 College; Darwin and the Linnean Society, by Dr. 

 Daydon Jackson, the general secretary of the society; 

 and some letters which Mr. A. R. Wallace has kindly 

 placed at the disposal of the magazine committee, 

 some of which have not been published before. There 

 will also be short articles on present-day Darwinism, 

 and on his Plants and Animals under domestication. 



NOTES. 



TnE closing mcfting of the seventh International Con- 

 gress of Applied Chemistry was held on June 2, when 

 Mr. Whitelaw Reid, ihe American Ambassador, read 

 a letter from the Secretary of State of the United States 

 intimating that the President had approved a joint resolu- 

 tion of the Senate and the House of Representatives 

 authorising- the President to invite the International Con- 

 gress of Applied Chemistry to hold its eighth meeting in 

 the United Stales of America in 1912. The invitation 



