Autobiographies by Charles Darwin

Author:Charles Darwin
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780141935348
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Published: 2008-11-11T16:00:00+00:00

Voyage of the Beagle: from Dec. 27, 1831 to Oct. 2, 1836

On returning home from my short geological tour in N. Wales, I found a letter from Henslow, informing me that Captain FitzRoy was willing to give up part of his own cabin to any young man who would volunteer to go with him without pay as naturalist to the Voyage of the Beagle. I have given as I believe in my M.S. Journal an account of all the circumstances which then occurred; I will here only say that I was instantly eager to accept the offer, but my Father strongly objected, adding the words fortunate for me, – “If you can find any man of common sense, who advises you to go, I will give my consent.” So I wrote that evening and refused the offer. On the next morning I went to Maer to be ready for September 1st, and whilst out shooting, my uncle sent for me, offering to drive me over to Shrewsbury and talk with my father. As my uncle thought it would be wise in me to accept the offer, and as my father always maintained that he was one of the most sensible men in the world, he at once consented in the kindest manner. I had been rather extravagant at Cambridge and to console my father said “that I should be deuced clever to spend more than my allowance whilst on board the Beagle”; but he answered with a smile, “But they all tell me you are very clever.”

Next day I started for Cambridge to see Henslow, and thence to London to see FitzRoy, and all was soon arranged. Afterwards on becoming very intimate with FitzRoy, I heard that I had run a very narrow risk of being rejected, on account of the shape of my nose! He was an ardent disciple of Lavater and was convinced that he could judge a man’s character by the outline of his features; and he doubted whether anyone with my nose could possess sufficient energy and determination for the voyage. But I think he was afterwards well-satisfied that my nose had spoken falsely.

¶ FitzRoy’s character was a singular one, with many very noble features: he was devoted to his duty, generous to a fault, bold, determined, indomitably energetic, and an ardent friend to all under his sway. He would undertake any sort of trouble to assist those whom he thought deserved assistance. He was a handsome man, strikingly like a gentleman, with highly courteous manners, which resembled those of his maternal uncle, the famous Lord Castlereagh, as I was told by the Minister at Rio. Nevertheless he must have inherited much in his appearance from Charles II, for Dr. Wallich gave me a collection of photographs which he had made, and I was struck with the resemblance of one to FitzRoy; on looking at the name, I found it Ch. E. Sobieski Stuart, Count d’Albanie, illegitimate descendant of the same monarch.

FitzRoy’s temper was a most unfortunate one.

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