SIR GEORGE DARWIN 171 



came from his quickness in seizing the import- 

 ant point and his readiness to take endless 

 trouble in the important work of looking into 

 details before and after the meetings. The 

 amount of work that he did in response to the 

 requirements of various Committees was very 

 great, and it was curious to realise in how 

 many cases he seemed to have diffidence as 

 to the value of his contributions. 



But on the whole, the work which, he was 

 able to carry out, in addition to professional 

 duties and research, was in matters of general 

 importance unconnected with the University. To 

 these we shall return. 



In 1884 he became engaged to Miss Maud Du 

 Puy of Philadelphia. She came of an old Huguenot 

 stock, descending from Dr. John Du Puy, who was 

 born in France in 1679, and settled in New York 

 in 1 71 3. They were married on July 22nd, 1884, 

 and this event happily coloured the remainder of 

 Greorge's life. As time went on, and existence 

 became fuller and busier, she was able by her 

 never-failing devotion to shield him from fatigue 

 and anxiety. In this way he was helped and 

 protected in the various semi-public functions in 

 which he took a principal part. Nor was her 

 help valued only on these occasions, for indeed 

 the comfort and happiness of every day was in 

 her charge. There is a charming letter^ from 

 George's mother, dated April isth, 1884: 



Maud had to put on her wedding-dress in 

 order to say at the Custom-house in America 



^ Emma Darwin, A Century of Family Letters. Privately 

 printed, 1904, Vol. 11., p. 350. 



