204 THE DARWINIAN THEORY 



decided that he had little or no taste for the life of 

 a physician, and fearing that he might sink into an 

 idle sporting man, proposed that he should go to an 

 English University with the view of becoming a 

 clergyman. So far as the direct results of academic 

 training were concerned, the change of Universities 

 was hardly a success, for he writes: " During the 

 three years which I spent at Cambridge my time 

 was wasted, so far as the academical studies were 

 concerned, as completely as at Edinburgh and at 

 school." 



And yet it would appear that the fault lay rather 

 with the method than the man ; for he speaks of 

 Algebra and Euclid as giving him much plea- 

 sure. He also studied Paley's " Evidences " very 

 thoroughly, and expresses himself as being much 

 delighted with the logic of the book, and charmed by 

 the long line of argumentation. He was fond of out- 

 door sports, especially riding and shooting. 



He was devoted to collecting insects, or, as he 

 expresses it, "mad on beetles." This was a point 

 of much importance, as it brought him in contact 

 with Henslow, the Professor of Botany, a man of 

 singularly extensive acquirements, who took a keen 

 pleasure in gathering young men around him, and in 

 acting as their counsellor and friend : " A man of 

 winning and courteous manners ; free from every 

 tinge of vanity or other petty feeling." 



At Henslow's advice Darwin was led to break his 

 vow never to touch geology, and through him he 

 obtained permission to accompany Professor Sedg- 

 wick on a geological excursion in Wales, by which 



