And I must express my most sincere gratitude to the Rev. P. N. Waggett, to Professor C. Lloyd Morgan, and to my cousin Mrs. St. George Reid (late of Newnham College, Cambridge), for their constant help and advice. To Mrs. Reid I owe more than I can well express. Her scientific knowledge and ability have been simply invaluable, and have been used with ever-ready and ungrudging generosity and kindness. There are other aspects of my husband's life which are interesting, but again I think he has told his own story, and it is needless for me here to speak of what, to some extent, he has laid bare--of mental perplexity and of steadfast endurance and loyalty to Truth. It may be that others, wandering in the twilight of this 'dimly lighted world,' may be stimulated and encouraged and helped to go on in patience until on them also dawns that Light. If this be so it will not be altogether in vain that he bore long years of very real and very heavy sorrow. E. R. OXFORD: 1895. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. BOYHOOD--YOUTH--EARLY MANHOOD, 1848-1878 1 II. LONDON, 1879-1890 89 III. LONDON--GEANIES, 1881-1890 136 IV. OXFORD, 1890-1894 248 INDEX 358 ILLUSTRATIONS PORTRAIT OF MR. ROMANES _Frontispiece_ GEANIES, ROSS-SHIRE _To face p._ 146 94 ST. ALDATE'S " 256 GEORGE JOHN ROMANES CHAPTER I _BOYHOOD--YOUTH--EARLY MANHOOD_ BOYHOOD. 1848-1867 George John Romanes was born at Kingston, Canada, on May 20, 1848, the third son of the Rev. George Romanes, D.D., then Professor of Greek in the University of that place. The Professor had come out to Canada some years previously, and, after a short experience of work in country parishes, had settled down to teach Greek to the _alumni_ of the little University. Dr. Romanes was descended from an old Scottish family settled since 1586 in Berwickshire: he had been educated at the High School and University of Edinburgh, and was an excellent classic and learned theologian, with views of a strictly 'Moderate' type. From him his distinguished son inherited the sweetness of temper and calmness of manner which characterised George John Romanes through life, and which earned for him amongst his friends the playful sobriquet of 'The Philosopher.'