70 THE PEESONALITY OF CHARLES DARWIN 



A good example of Darwin's beautiful and 

 sympathetic treatment of the younger workers 

 who asked for help is to be found in his letter 

 to Prof E. B. Wilson, quoted on p. 107. John 

 Scott, employed in the Botanical Garden at 

 Edinburgh, writing about his experiments con- 

 ducted along lines suggested by Darwin's pub- 

 lished researches, became, in a measure, a pupil 

 of the illustrious naturalist. For years Darwin 

 devoted much time and thought not only to 

 Scott's work but to giving the encouragement 

 so necessary to a proud, reserved, sensitive man, 

 with qualities very superior to those usually 

 found in the position in which he was placed. 

 ' I should be proud to be the author of the paper,' ' 

 he wrote, when he had at length persuaded Scott 

 to prepare an account of some of his investiga- 

 tions for the Linnean Society. And referring 

 to its publication he wrote to Hooker: — 

 * Kemember my urgent wish to be able to send 

 the poor feUow a word of praise from any one.' " 

 To the same friend he said of Scott's letters, 

 ' these show remarkable talent, astonishing per- 

 severance, much modesty, and what I admire, 

 determined dijBference from me on many points.' ^ 



A delightful spirit, boyish in its gaiety, is 

 revealed in Darwin's correspondence with his 

 friends, and especially with the greatest of them 



* Nov. 7, 1863. More Letters, ii. 325. The paper was read 

 Feb. 4, 1864, and is published in Linn. Soc. Journ., viii, 1865. 

 » Jan 24. 1864. More Letters, ii. 826. 

 = Apr. 1, 1864. Ibid., ii. 330. 



