Per Contra 241 
boxing any one’s ears; indeed there can be no doubt he 
wore a very thick velvet glove, but the hand underneath it 
was none the less of iron. It was to his tenacity of purpose, 
doubtless, that his success was mainly due; but for this 
he must inevitably have fallen before the many inducements 
to desist from the pursuit of his main object, which beset 
him in the shape of ill health, advancing years, ample 
private means, large demands upon his time, and a reputa- 
tion already great enough to satisfy the ambition of any 
ordinary man. 
I do not gather from those who remember Mr. Darwin 
as a boy, and as a young man, that he gave early signs of 
being likely to achieve greatness ; nor, as it seems to me, 
is there any sign of unusual intellectual power to be detected 
in his earliest book. Opening this “ almost ” at random I 
read—‘ Earthquakes alone are sufficient to destroy the 
prosperity of any country. If, for instance, beneath 
England the now inert subterraneous forces should exert 
those powers which most assuredly in former geological 
ages they have exerted, how completely would the entire 
condition of the country be changed! What would become 
of the lofty houses, thickly-packed cities, great manu- 
facturies (sic), the beautiful public and private edifices ? 
If the new period of disturbance were to commence by 
some great earthquake in the dead of night, how terrific 
would be the carnage! England would be at once bank- 
rupt; all papers, records, and accounts would from that 
moment be lost. Government being unable to collect 
the taxes, and failing to maintain its authority, the hand of 
violence and rapine would go uncontrolled. In every large 
town famine would be proclaimed, pestilence and death 
following in its train.”* Great allowance should be made 
for a first work, and I admit that much interesting matter 
is found in Mr. Darwin’s journal ; still, it was hardly to be 
* “Voyages of the Adventure and Beagle,” vol. iii., p. 373. 
London, 1839. 
Q 
