256 MY LIFE 



win's ' Journal ' three or four years ago, and have lately 

 re-read it. As the Journal of a scientific traveller, it is second 

 only to Humboldt's ' Personal Narrative ' — as a work of 

 general interest, perhaps superior to it. He is an ardent 

 admirer and most able supporter of Mr. Lyell's views. His 

 style of writing I very much admire, so free from all labour, 

 affectation, or egotism, and yet so full of interest and original 

 thought. ... I quite envy you, who have friends near you 

 attached to the same pursuits. I know not a single person 

 in this little town who studies any one branch of natural his- 

 tory, so that I am quite alone in this respect." My references 

 to Darwin's " Journal " and to Humboldt's " Personal Narra- 

 tive " indicate, I believe, the two works to whose inspira- 

 tion I owe my determination to visit the tropics as a col- 

 lector. 



In September, 1847, rn J sister returned home from Alabama, 

 and from that time till I left for Para, in the following year, 

 we lived together at Llantwit Cottage. To commemorate her 

 return she invited my brother and me to go to Paris for a 

 week, partly induced by the fact that everywhere in America 

 she was asked about it, while we were very glad to have her 

 as an interpreter. The last letter to Bates before our South 

 American voyage is occupied chiefly with an account of this 

 visit, a comparison of Paris with London, and especially an 

 account of the museums at the Jardin des Plantes as compared 

 with the British Museum. Towards the end of this long letter 

 the following passages are the only ones that relate to the 

 development of my views. After referring to a day spent in 

 the insect-room at the British Museum on my way home, and 

 the overwhelming numbers of the beetles and butterflies I was 

 able to look over, I add : " I begin to feel rather dissatisfied 

 with a mere local collection; little is to be learnt by it. I 

 should like to take some one family to study thoroughly, 

 principally with a view to the theory of the origin of species. 

 By that means I am strongly of opinion that some definite 

 results might be arrived at." And at the very end of the 

 letter I say : " There is a work published by the Ray Society 

 I should much like to see, Oken's ' Elements of Physio- 



