COMMEMORATION 



OF THE 



CENTENARY OF CHARLES DARWIN'S BIRTH 



(February 12, 1809) 



AND THE 



FIFTEENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PUBLICATION 



OF THE 



"ORIGIN OF SPECIES" 



(November 24, 1859) 



PERSONAL REMINISCENCES OF CHARLES DARWIN 



AND OF THE RECEPTION OF THE 



"ORIGIN OF SPECIES." 



By His Excellency^ the Right Honorable JAMES BRYCE. 

 (Read April 23, 1909.) 



I count it a great honor to be invited to attend this meeting of 

 the Society on this celebration of a very great man, who is one of the 

 glories of our common race, and whom it is fitting that all members 

 — not only the members of that common race, but all who belong 

 to the great republic of science and letters, should join in com- 

 memorating. There is nothing more inspiriting to those who are 

 citizens of that republic than the thought that one belongs to a uni- 

 versal company, embracing not only all nations and tongues, but all: 

 ages and countries, which is engaged in the same common pursuit 

 of endeavoring to discover truth and to advance the bounds of 

 knowledge. I feel it a particular honor to be asked to join to-night 

 in celebrating one of the brightest luminaries of modern science, of 

 whom we English are proud, and on no occasion has the function 

 of representing my country in your country been more prized by me 

 than when it gives me the opportunity of coming here to join in this 

 celebration as representing, however unworthily, British men of 

 letters and the oldest of British scientific societies. 



