Mr. Charles Robert Darwin, the most eminent of the scien-
tific naturalists and thinkers of this planet, died on Wednesday afternoon, in his own house at Down, after a short illness of only about twenty-four hours, from some affection of the heart. He was grandson of the well-known Erasmus Darwin, the author of " The Botanic Garden," and on the maternal side was grandson also of Josiah Wedgwood, the eminent potter. Born at Shrewsbury, on February 12111, 1809, so that he_ had, recently; completed his seventy-third year, he' was educated at SlarsiNfe-2 bury School, under Dr.-Butler, and 'then went to Edinburgh,- and subsequently to Christ's College; Cambridge, where _ ho, 'graduated in 1831. In the same year, Captain Fitzroy having- 'offered to give up part of his own cabin to any naturalist who, would accompany him 'on the voyage which his ship, the; 'Beagle,' was to make for scientific purposes, Mr. Darwin vola teered his services gratuitously, on condition that -he should, have the entire control of his collections, all of which he sub- aequently gave to various public institutions. His " Voyage, of the Beagle,'"—tonehing the chief points of a five years'., cruise,—is still one of the most delightful of his works; and shows vivid powers, of description, as well as keen scientific, shrewdness. His first great scientific work,." The Structure and Distribution of Coral Reefs," was published in 184:2. After that a series of scientific works_ appeared, of which the greatea;,- of course, are those on "The Origin of Species" and " Descent of Man," books which have completely, transformed the; biological science of our day. Probably many more'peorre'froin" all countries would agree in -regarding the nainif of the greatest name of our century, than could beIot to-cone'ur' in favour of any other name, political, poetical, imaginative,' or' military. And though some great fields of thoughtwere almost: a blank to Mr. Darwin, no man everr-deserved fame better, for he was modest, patient, and faithful, 'even up to the high level of :
his genius. .
