SIR GEORGE DARWIN 169 



resources of the University for the great expan- 

 sion which the scientific progress of the age 

 demanded, it was largely on his initiative that, 

 by a departure from all precedent, an unofficial 

 body was constituted in 1899 under the name 

 of the Cambridge University Association, to 

 promote the further endowment of the Uni- 

 versity by interesting its graduates throughout 

 the Empire in its progress and its more pressing 

 needs. This important body, which was 

 organised under the strong lead of the late 

 Duke of Devonshire, then Chancellor, com- 

 prises as active members most of the public 

 men who owe allegiance to Cambridge, and has 

 already by its interest and help powerfully 

 stimulated the expansion of the University 

 into new fields of national work, though it has 

 not yfet achieved financial support on anything 

 like the scale to which American seats of 

 learning are accustomed. 



The Master of Christ's writes : 



May ^ist, 1915. 

 My impression is that George did not take 

 very much interest in the petty details which 

 are so beloved by a certain tj'pe of University 

 authority. 'Comma hunting' and such things 

 were not to his taste, and at meetings he was 

 often rather distrait, but when anything of 

 real importance came up he was of extra- 

 ordinary use. He was especially good at 

 drafting letters, and over anything that he 

 thought promoted the advancement of the 

 University along the right lines he would take 

 endless trouble — writii^ and re-writing reports 

 and letters till he got them to his taste. The 



