174 SIR GEORGE DARWIN 



to the north over the Backs while there is the 

 river and the Fen to the south. The children had 

 a den or house in the branches of a large copper 

 beech tree overhanging the river. They were 

 allowed to use the boat, which was known as the 

 Griffin, from the family crest with which it was 

 adorned. None of them were drowned, though 

 accidents were not unknown ; in one of these an 

 eminent lady and well-known writer, who was 

 inveigled on to the river by the children, had to 

 wade to shore near Silver Street bridge owing to 

 the boat running aground. 



The Darwins had five children, of whom one 

 died an infant : of the others, Charles Galton 

 Darwin has inherited much of his father's mathe- 

 matical ability, and has been elected to a Mathe- 

 matical Lectureship at Christ's College. He is now 

 in the Army, and employed in research work in 

 France. The younger son, William, has a com- 

 mission in the 1 8th Battalion of the Durham Light 

 Infantry, and is now working with his brother. 

 George's elder daughter is married to Monsieur 

 Jacques Raverat. Her skill as an artist has 

 perhaps its hereditary root in her father's draughts- 

 manship. The younger daughter, Margaret, is 

 married to Mr. Geoffrey Keynes. 



George's relations with his family were most 

 happy. His diary never fails to record the dates 

 on which the children came home, or the black days 

 which took them to school. There are constantly 

 recurring entries in his diary of visits to the boys at 

 Marlborough or Winchester, or of the journeys 

 to arrange for the schooling of the girls in England 



