The Autobiography of Charles Darwin | Page 6

in understanding any complex
subject or thing. I was taught Euclid by a private tutor, and I distinctly

remember the intense satisfaction which the clear geometrical proofs
gave me. I remember, with equal distinctness, the delight which my
uncle gave me (the father of Francis Galton) by explaining the principle
of the vernier of a barometer. with respect to diversified tastes,
independently of science, I was fond of reading various books, and I
used to sit for hours reading the historical plays of Shakespeare,
generally in an old window in the thick walls of the school. I read also
other poetry, such as Thomson's 'Seasons,' and the recently published
poems of Byron and Scott. I mention this because later in life I wholly
lost, to my great regret, all pleasure from poetry of any kind, including
Shakespeare. In connection with pleasure from poetry, I may add that
in 1822 a vivid delight in scenery was first awakened in my mind,
during a riding tour on the borders of Wales, and this has lasted longer
than any other aesthetic pleasure.
Early in my school days a boy had a copy of the 'Wonders of the
World,' which I often read, and disputed with other boys about the
veracity of some of the statements; and I believe that this book first
gave me a wish to travel in remote countries, which was ultimately
fulfilled by the voyage of the "Beagle". In the latter part of my school
life I became passionately fond of shooting; I do not believe that any
one could have shown more zeal for the most holy cause than I did for
shooting birds. How well I remember killing my first snipe, and my
excitement was so great that I had much difficulty in reloading my gun
from the trembling of my hands. This taste long continued, and I
became a very good shot. When at Cambridge I used to practise
throwing up my gun to my shoulder before a looking-glass to see that I
threw it up straight. Another and better plan was to get a friend to wave
about a lighted candle, and then to fire at it with a cap on the nipple,
and if the aim was accurate the little puff of air would blow out the
candle. The explosion of the cap caused a sharp crack, and I was told
that the tutor of the college remarked, "What an extraordinary thing it is,
Mr. Darwin seems to spend hours in cracking a horse-whip in his room,
for I often hear the crack when I pass under his windows."
I had many friends amongst the schoolboys, whom I loved dearly, and I
think that my disposition was then very affectionate.
With respect to science, I continued collecting minerals with much zeal,
but quite unscientifically--all that I cared about was a new-NAMED

mineral, and I hardly attempted to classify them. I must have observed
insects with some little care, for when ten years old (1819) I went for
three weeks to Plas Edwards on the sea-coast in Wales, I was very
much interested and surprised at seeing a large black and scarlet
Hemipterous insect, many moths (Zygaena), and a Cicindela which are
not found in Shropshire. I almost made up my mind to begin collecting
all the insects which I could find dead, for on consulting my sister I
concluded that it was not right to kill insects for the sake of making a
collection. From reading White's 'Selborne,' I took much pleasure in
watching the habits of birds, and even made notes on the subject. In my
simplicity I remember wondering why every gentleman did not become
an ornithologist.
Towards the close of my school life, my brother worked hard at
chemistry, and made a fair laboratory with proper apparatus in the
tool-house in the garden, and I was allowed to aid him as a servant in
most of his experiments. He made all the gases and many compounds,
and I read with great care several books on chemistry, such as Henry
and Parkes' 'Chemical Catechism.' The subject interested me greatly,
and we often used to go on working till rather late at night. This was
the best part of my education at school, for it showed me practically the
meaning of experimental science. The fact that we worked at chemistry
somehow got known at school, and as it was an unprecedented fact, I
was nicknamed "Gas." I was also once publicly rebuked by the
head-master, Dr. Butler, for thus wasting my time on such useless
subjects; and he called me very unjustly a "poco curante," and as I did
not understand what he meant, it seemed to me a fearful reproach.
As I was doing no good at school, my father wisely took me away at