An Introduction to the History of ScienceLibby, Walter
History
An Introduction to the History of Science
Libby, Walter
Science -- History
Darwin had studied medicine at Edinburgh, but found surgery distasteful.
He moved to Cambridge, with the idea of becoming a clergyman of the
Established Church. As a boy he had attended with his mother, daughter
of Josiah Wedgwood, the Unitarian services. At Cambridge he graduated
without distinction at the beginning of 1831. It should be said,
however, that the traditional studies were particularly ill suited to
his cast of mind, that he had not been idle, and had developed
particular diligence in different branches of science, and above all as
a collector.
He was six feet tall, fond of shooting and hunting, and able to ride
seventy-five or eighty miles without tiring. He had shown himself at
college fond of company, and a little extravagant. He was, though a
sportsman, extremely humane; had a horror of inflicting pain, and such
repugnance at the thought of slavery that he quarreled violently with
Captain Fitzroy when the latter condoned the abomination. Darwin was
not, however, of a turbulent disposition. Sir James Sulivan, who had
accompanied the expedition as second lieutenant, said many years after:
"I can confidently express my belief that during the five years in the
Beagle, he was never known to be out of temper, or to say one unkind or
hasty word _of_ or _to_ any one."
Darwin's father was remarkable for his powers of observation, while the
grandfather, Erasmus Darwin, is well known for his tendency to
speculation. Charles Darwin possessed both these mental characteristics
in an eminent degree. One who has conversed with him reports that what
impressed him most in meeting the great naturalist was his clear blue
eyes, which seemed to possess almost telescopic vision, and that the
really remarkable thing about Darwin was that he saw more than other
people. At the same time it will scarcely be denied that his vision was
as much marked by insight as by careful observation, that his reasoning
was logical and singularly tenacious, and his imagination vivid. It was
before this supreme seer that the panorama of terrestrial creation was
displayed during a five years' voyage.
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