The Botanical Work of Darwin . xix 
amateur about it, was in itself of the greatest importance. 
For, from not being, till he took up any point, familiar with 
the literature bearing on it, his mind was absolutely free from 
any prepossession. He was never afraid of his facts or of 
framing any hypothesis, however startling, which seemed to 
explain them. ... In any one else such an attitude would have 
produced much work that was crude and rash. But Mr. Darwin 
— if one may venture on language which will strike no one 
who had conversed with him as overstrained — seemed by 
gentle persuasion to have penetrated that reserve of nature 
which baffles smaller men.’ 
It may have been an unconscious perception of this quality 
which forced one, while recognizing the boldness of his course, 
to feel certain of his success. 
The portrait of Charles Darwin is by Messrs. Maull and 
Fox, who have been good enough to permit its reproduction. 
The date of the photograph is probably 1854 ; it is, however, 
impossible to be certain on this point, the books of Messrs. 
Maull and Fox having been destroyed by fire. The reproduc- 
tion is by Mr. Dew-Smith, who has been at some disadvantage, 
having only an old and faded print to work from. 
September, 1899 . 
FRANCIS DARWIN. 
