202 THE DARWINIAN THEORY 



in diagnosis, but was not a man of special scientific 

 ability. By his large practice he accumulated a 

 considerable fortune, and was able to leave his 

 children in easy circumstances. Darwin's grand- 

 father, Erasmus Darwin, 1731-1802, was a physician 

 of great repute, and the author of "Zoonomia," an 

 ambitious treatise, showing extensive rather than 

 profound acquaintance with natural phenomena; 

 containing many bold, ingenious, and at times 

 fantastic speculations. He was also the author of 

 numerous and voluminous poetical works. He pro- 

 pounded a hypothesis as to the manner in which 

 species of animals and plants have acquired their 

 character, which is identical in principle with that 

 subsequently rendered famous by Lamarck. 



Charles Darwin in his childhood and youth gave 

 no indication that he would do anything out of the 

 common. He was a strong, well-grown, active lad, 

 interested keenly in field sports. "In fact," says 

 Huxley, "the prognostications of the educational 

 authorities into whose hands he first fell were distinctly 

 unfavourable, and they counted the only boy of ori- 

 ginal genius who is known to have come under their 

 hands as no better than a du nee. " From 1818101825 

 Darwin was at Shrewsbury School under Dr. Butler, 

 leaving at the age of sixteen. " Nothing could have 

 been worse," he says, "for the development of my 

 mind than Dr. Butler's school, as it was strictly 

 classical, nothing else being taught except a little 

 ancient geography and history. The school as a 

 means of education to me was simply a blank." 

 Yet, not incapable of appreciation, he writes : " The 



