82 AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 



of my brain now atrophied would thus have been kept active 

 through use. The loss of these tastes is a loss of happiness, 

 and may possibly be injurious to the intellect, and more 

 probably to the moral character, by enfeebling the emotional 

 part of our nature. 



My books have sold largely in England, have been trans- 

 lated into many languages, and passed through several 

 editions in foreign countries. I have heard it said that 

 the success of a work abroad is the best test of its endur- 

 ing value. I doubt whether this is at all trustworthy; but 

 judged by this standard my name ought to last for a few 

 years. Therefore it may be worth while to try to analyse 

 the mental qualities and the conditions on which my suc- 

 cess has depended ; though I am aware that no man can do 

 this correctly. 



I have no great quickness of apprehension or wit which is 

 so remarkable in some clever men, for instance, Huxley. I 

 am therefore a poor critic : a paper or book, when first read, 

 generally excites my admiration, and it is only after consider- 

 able reflection that I perceive the weak points. My power to 

 follow a long and purely abstract train of thought is very 

 limited ; and therefore I could never have succeeded with 

 metaphysics or mathematics. My memory is extensive, yet 

 hazy : it suffices to make me cautious by vaguely telling me 

 that I have observed or read something opposed to the con- 

 clusion which I am drawing, or on the other hand in favour 

 of it ; and after a time I can generally recollect where to 

 search for my authority. So poor in one sense is my memory, 

 that I have never been able to remember for more than a few 

 days a single date or a line of poetry. 



Some of my critics have said, " Oh, he is a good observer, 

 but he has no power of reasoning ! " I do not think that this 

 can be true, for the ' Origin of Species ' is one long argument 

 from the beginning to the end, and it has convinced not a 

 few able men. No one could have written it without having 

 some power of reasoning. I have a fair share of invention, 

 and of common sense or judgment, such as every fairly sue- 



