Williams : Darwin and Darwinism. 



21 



by Insects," " The Movements and Habits of Climbing Plants/' 

 " Xhe Effects of Cross and Self-Fertilization." The Different 

 Forms of Flowers," (viewed in reference to tbeir relation to insects), 

 " The Power of Movement in Plants," and, lastly, The Formation 

 of Mould through the Action of Worms," published only a few 

 months ago. In any adequate pourtrayaJ of Darwin's scientific 

 productions all these should have particular mention, for they are 

 very characteristic of his genius and of his methods. Since all the 

 works I have mentioned have been brought out within tvrenty-five 

 years, it might seem that their author had given most of his time to 

 book-writing ; yet this would be wide of the mark. Darwin was 

 pre-eminently an investigator — hardly less so in the production of the 

 earlier than of the later works. But those of the second list are 

 models of acute and pains-taking investigation, inspired and fertilized 

 by ideas. The amount of prolonged observation, watchful care, and 

 tedious experiment they have demanded, is as wonderful as the skill 

 in devising simple but effective methods of research is admirable. 



For the production of these results, one would say that genius and 

 industry must have been seconded by abundant leisure and robust 

 health. Fortunately Darwin could command his time : but from the 

 day on which he set sail for South America in the ■'• Beagle to the 

 day of his death he vras a suffering invalid, beins:, as it were, under 

 chronic sea-sickness. We are told that the day in which he could 

 accomplish two hours of work was counted a good one ; and there 

 were very many in which nothing could be attempted. 



Perhaps even more than method and concentration were required, 

 especially in the case of a man who had devoted his life to such 

 researches and studies as those on which Darwin's reputation rests. 

 He could not have achieved the work with which his name is asso- 

 ciated had he gone into the usual round and whirl of -''society" : 

 this, so far as we can learn, he did not do. This does not implv that 

 he was unsocial — far from it : Carlyie describes him as a charming 

 talker and companion " — but only that he did not throw away his 

 time and energies upon companions or companionships of a trivial or 

 dissipating nature. A friend who knew him well, writes :— Darwin 

 has to a large extent eschewed general society, in which he had 

 learned that there was more of noise and pretence than of calm 

 wisdom and substance,, and has almost wholly kept himself apart 

 from public appearance ; so much so, indeed, that you might search 

 the journals of the last thirty years without often finding his name in 



