xii THE DARWIN CENTENARY. [April 23, 



of truth, and trying to pour ridicule and scorn upon those who were 

 humbly and patiently trying to discover truth, then, he proceeded, 

 " If I were compelled to make that choice, I would — ." At this he 

 stopped and said, " But perhaps I better go no further." 



These personalities, however, so far as Mr. Darwin was con- 

 cerned, soon died down. In the year 1870 he was offered an 

 honorary degree by the University of Oxford, which was then a 

 very much more clerical and conservative body than it is now, and 

 the offer was made at the suggestion of Lord Salisbury, who was 

 then Chancellor of the University, leader of the Conservative party 

 in England, and himself a political champion of the Church of 

 England. Everyone felt that the right thing had been done when 

 the degree was offered, although, unfortunately, the weak state of 

 Mr. Darwin's health prevented him from coming to receive it at 

 Oxford. During the latter part of his life he was one of the most 

 honored men in England. There was no one who did not respect 

 and admire him, no one who did not consider it a privilege to have 

 the opportunity of seeing him. He was, however, very seldom seen. 

 Rarely has it happened that a man so famous should be so little 

 personally known. His health had been weak for many years. He 

 took up his residence at a hamlet called Down, in a hollow among the 

 chalk hills of Kent, about fifteen or twenty miles southeast of London, 

 quite a little remote place, three or four miles from the nearest rail- 

 way station, with practically no neighbors, and there he lived, pursuing 

 his researches, seldom receiving visits. .1 do not suppose he visited 

 London once a year during the time he lived there. It was a happy, 

 peaceful life that he led. He was surrounded by a devoted family, 

 who took the greatest care of his health, and who helped him in his 

 researches. He was singularly fortunate in his domestic relations 

 and he had the unusual happiness for a scientific man of finding 

 that nearly all his sons had scientific tastes, while one or two of them 

 helped him effectively in the prosecution of his researches. Sev- 

 eral of them have become eminent men or science. One was 

 President of the British Association three years ago, and is a 

 distinguished astronomer. Another one was President of the 

 British Association last year and is a distinguished botanist. It 

 was at his home that I saw him, a year and a half before his death. 



