But again how wide
the difference between his change from Edinburgh to Cambridge, and that
of Wallace from a month's association with a working-class Socialistic
community in London to land surveying under the simplest rural
conditions prevalent amongst the respectable labouring farmers of
Bedfordshire--Darwin to the culture and privileges of a great University
with the object of becoming a clergyman, and Wallace taking the first
road that offered towards earning a living, with no thought as to the
ultimate outcome of this life in the open and the systematic observation
of soils and land formation.
But the inherent tendencies of Darwin's nature drew him away from
theology to the study of geology, entomology and botany. The ensuing
four years at Cambridge were very happy ones. While fortunate in being
able to follow his various mental and scientific pursuits with the
freedom which a good social and financial position secured for him, he
found himself by a natural seriousness of manner, balanced by a cheerful
temperament and love of sport, the friend and companion of men many
years his seniors and holding positions of authority in the world of
science.
Pages:
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40