DARWIN MEMORIAL. 59 



in the direction of astronomy ; the fifth, Horace, is an excellent 

 mathematician. One married and one unmarried daughter com- 

 plete a family whose constant care has always been to relieve its head 

 from any trouble and anxiety. 



Mr. Darwin has always been in easy circumstances, financially, so 

 that he could use his time as he chose, without care. When young 

 he pursued field-sports, with the combined interest of the hunter and 

 the naturalist ; in later years he found his chief relaxation in read- 

 ing popular novels. His work was taken up with great method, and 

 he never wrote for more than two hours at a time. 



In 1853 he received the gold medal of the Royal Society for his 

 various works ; in 1859 that known as the Wollaston medal from 

 the Geological Society ; in 1871 he received the Prussian Order of 

 Knighthood " For Merit," and was elected a corresponding member 

 of the Austrian Academy of Sciences ; and in 1878, foreign asso- 

 ciate of the French Academy. He received honorary degrees from 

 Leyden and Cambridge, and other scientific honors almost without 

 number. 



His death was unexpected. He had been slightly unwell for 

 several weeks, and the weakness of the heart's action was such that 

 he was not permitted to ascend the stairs, but in the main, he was 

 still able to pursue his ordinary routine. On Tuesday morning Sir 

 John Lubbock found him apparently about as usual. That he was 

 seriously ill, was first known in the village Wednesday afternoon by 

 the arrival of his groom on horseback, horse and man reeking with 

 foam, having galloped for ice six miles and back from the nearest 

 point where it could be procured ; but in vain, the relief arrived too 

 late, Charles Darwin had already passed away, surrounded by his 

 family, including several of his sons, Mrs. Darwin, and a married 

 daughter. On the 26th his mortal remains were laid in Westmin- 

 ster Abbey, near by the ashes of Isaac Newton, and were followed 

 to the tomb, not only by dignitaries of Church and State, but by 

 the universal reverence of the scientific world.* 



*It is hardly necssary to state that this sketch is a compilation from all the 

 different sources which happened to be available at the time. 



