What a mercy it is that you were so wonderfully qualified to do it. Yours ever indebtedly, GEO. J. ROMANES. Mr. Romanes wrote one of the memorial notices in the little volume Charles Darwin,' published by Messrs. Macmillan. Thus closed a very significant and important chapter in his life. The relationship of disciple to master ceased for him, no one else exactly held the place Mr. Darwin had held, to no one else did he so constantly refer; and dear as were other friends, notably Dr. Burdon Sanderson, no one stood in the position to Romanes of The Master.' There was no exaggeration in his expressions of grief, or in the verses in which he poured out his soul: 'I loved him with a strength of love 1 Which man to man can only bear The rest of men, yet deigns to share Should call within his narrow ring Some youth who scarce can understand How it began or how it ends That he should grasp the monarch's hand.' To all those to whom a great friendship has been given, a friendship, not on equal terms, but one in which the chief elements on one side have been reverence and gratitude, on the other affectionate 1 Charles Darwin: a memorial poem. approval and esteem, to all such fortunate souls these letters and verses will appeal. For it is no small matter in a man's life that he should have had a passionate friendship for a great man, a real leader; and it is a still greater matter that the younger man should have found his confidence, his devotion, his reverence worthily bestowed. To Francis Darwin, Esq. 18 Cornwall Terrace, Regent's Park, N.W.: January 13, 1885. Dear Darwin,—I will think over the conversations and write you again whether there is anything that would do for publishing. Meanwhile I send for your perusal some verses which I have written at odds and ends of time since he died. This was only done for my own gratification, and without any view to publishing. But having recently had them put together and copied out, I have sent them to two or three of the best poetical critics for their opinion upon the literary merits of the poem as a whole. The result of this has been more satisfactory than I anticipated; and as one of them suggests that I should offer the verses as an addendum to the biography, I act upon the coincidence of receiving your letter and his at about the same time. It seems to me there are two things for you to consider: first, whether anything in the way of poetry, however good, is desirable; and next, if so, whether this poetry is good enough for the occasion. The first question would be answered by your own feelings, and the second, I suppose, by submitting the verses to some good authority for an opinionsay one to whom I have not sent them. Only, if the matter were to go as far as this, I should like you to explain to the critic that as it stands the poem is only in the rough. If it were to be revised for publication I should spend a good deal of trouble over the process of polishing, and some of the lines expressive of passionate grief would be altogether changed. In sending you the MS. I rely upon you not to let the authorship be known to anyone without first asking me, because, although I have published poetry already,' it has been anonymous, and I do not want it to be known that I have this propensity. And on this account, if these verses were to appear in the biography, it would require to be without my name, or headed in some such way as 'Memorial verses by a friend.' In this case I should modify any of the lines which might lead to the author being spotted. Should you decide against admitting them, I do not think that I should publish them anywhere else, because where such a personality is concerned, independent publication (without the occasion furnished by the appearance of a biography) might seem presumptuous even on the part of an anonymous writer. Yesterday I received a letter from the Frenchman who translated my book on 'Mental Evolution,' asking me to let him know whether he might apply for the translation of the biography. His name is De Varigny, and he does some original work in verte brate physiology. I think he has done my book very well. Yours ever sincerely, G. J. ROMANES. Can you suggest a subject for a Rede lecture which I have to give in May? CHAPTER III LONDON-GEANIES 1881-1890 ONE may now for a short space turn away from the scientific side of Mr. Romanes' life and speak a little of other aspects. No one was ever a more incessant worker and thinker. If he went away for a short visit, his writing went too; and if in Scotland wet weather interfered with shooting, he would sit down and write something, perhaps a poem, perhaps (as he once said playfully when condoled with on account of heavy rain and absence of books, 'I don't care, I'll write an essay on the freedom of the will') an article for a magazine. ( A great deal of reviewing, chiefly in Nature,' filled up some of his time, and he also turned his attention more and more to poetry. In the postscript of a letter written in 1878 to Mr. Darwin he says: 'I am beginning to write poetry!' and poetry interested him more and more as years went on. Of this, more later. He much enjoyed society; he ceased to mingle exclusively with scientific and philosophical people, and as time went on he became acquainted with many of the notabilities of the day. And, as has been |