176 SIR GEORGE DARWIN 



Pembroke. In this way was destroyed the last 

 of the College tennis courts of which we read in 

 Mr. Clark's History. I think George must have 

 had pleasure in the obvious development of the 

 tennis court from some primaeval farm-yard in 

 which the pent-house was the roof of a shed, and the 

 grille a real window or half-door. To one brought 

 up on evolution there is also a satisfaction about 

 the French terminology which survives in e.g. the 

 Tambour and the Dedans. George put much 

 thought into acquiring a correct style of play ; for 

 in tennis there is a rehgion of attitude corresponding 

 to that which painfully regulates the life of the 

 golfer. He became a good tennis player as an 

 undergraduate, and was in the running for a place 

 in the inter-University match. The marker at the 

 Pembroke court was Henry Harradine, whom we 

 all sincerely Hked and respected, but he was not a 

 good teacher, and it was only when George came 

 under Henry's sons, John and Jim Harradine, at 

 the Trinity and Clare court, that his game began to 

 improve. He continued to play tennis for some 

 years, and only gave it up after a blow from a tennis 

 ball in January 1895 had almost destroyed the 

 sight of his left eye. 



In 19 ID he took up archery, and zealously set 

 himself to acquire the correct mode of standing, 

 the position of the head and hands, etc. He kept 

 an archery diary in which each day's shooting is 

 carefully analysed and the results given in per- 

 centages. In 191 1 he shot on 131 days : the last 

 occasion on which he took out his bow was Sep- 

 tember 13, 191 2. 



