The origin : a biographical novel of Charles Darwin by Stone Irving 1903-1989 & Stone Jean

Author:Stone, Irving, 1903-1989 & Stone, Jean [Stone, Irving, 1903-1989 & Stone, Jean]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Darwin, Charles, 1809-1882, Naturalists
Publisher: New York : Doubleday
Published: 1980-08-15T05:00:00+00:00

yourself a piece of stout rope and tie a knot in it every time you record another scientific accomplishment."

"My suggestion," said Uncle Jos, "is that you sit down at my desk and write your major objections to accepting the secretaryship. . . ."

Charles studied the faces of his favorite uncle and cousin, then his own lean face broke into an embarrassed grin.

"You're teasing me out of my reluctance, aren't you?"

"We're trying, Charles," Emma and Josiah said almost simultaneously.

"I will write a letter to Professor Henslow and ask him to give me a fair judgment."

"You know what he'll answer, don't you?" asked Josiah.

"Yes. Stop whining and go to work."

"Bravo, Charles," Emma cried. "Now you're making fun of yourself. That's the Charles I love."

After Uncle Jos retired, Charles and Emma went into the drawing room where she played him some Mozart and Haydn. He confided in her about the palpitations.

"I'm sorry to hear about that, Charles." There was genuine concern in her voice. "You should take more time for leisure."

"Trouble is, Emma, I don't enjoy leisure. Who was it that said, 'We suffer as much from our virtues as from our vices'?"

"You just did. Do you think that living in London is too pressure laden?"

"Yes, but I need London for the proximity of scientists I consult with, for the libraries at the Geological Society, the Linnean . . . publishers . . ."

He spent three weeks of idleness at The Mount, moving about his home landscape of Shropshire, in the family boat on the river Severn, on horseback and on foot. His only work was correcting printer's sheets of the journal and poring over Henslow's corrections of errors of spelling and fact which invariably creep into a long manuscript. There was little serious family discussion aside from whether the entire family should go to London the following June to watch the coronation of Queen Victoria. His father did ask for news of Erasmus, making a wry face at the intelligence that Erasmus, at the age of thirty-three, found the coach trip from London to Shrewsbury too exhausting.

"Ras calls you Governor. Governor, he likes good company. That's about all he lives for. But he also likes his guests to leave at the stroke of midnight. He doesn't want to have to face anyone over breakfast the next morning."

"Including a wife?"

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