The Presentation of Down House to the British NationSource: The Scientific Monthly, Vol. 29, No. 5 (Nov., 1929), pp. 472-473Published by: American Association for the Advancement of ScienceStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/14698 .

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CHARL,ES DARWIN BUST PRESENTED BY DR. JOSEPH LE,IDY, II, OF PHILADELPHIA, TO THE BRITISH NATION, IN

MIEMORY OF THOSE AMIERICAN NATURALISTS WHO CAMIE TO THE SIUPPOR.T OF CIIARLES DARWIN

UPON THE PUBLICATION OF " ORIGIN OF SPECIES " IN 1839.

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THE PROGRESS OF SCIENCE

THE PRESENTATION OF DOWN HOUSE TO THE BRITISH NATION

Tl-IE formal opening of Down House, the liome of Charles Darwin, presented by Mr. Buekstou Browne, a distin- guished surgeon and student of Huxley, to the British Association for the Ad- vancement of Science in custody for the nation, was observed under the auspices oL Sir Arthur Keith, F.R.S., on June 7, in the presence of a larg,e and distin- guished audience.

Inaccessible cither by rail or bus, Down, situated among the chalky up- lanids of Kent, has remained peaceful anid unspoilt. It is as Darwin knew it, and now his own home, a finc English country house on the outskirts of the village, has been restored as nearly as possible as it was when he lived and worked there.

In the study in which Darwin wrote the "Origin of Species," there is to be seen the exceptionally high chair in which he sat, using as a desk a board placed across his knees. In the center of the room is his work-table and among the relies displayed on the book shelves are his pistols, the telescope he used dur- ing the voyage of the Beagle, his geolog- ical hammer and many other scientific instruments and the proverbial snuff jar. To the list of treasures there are to be added the fifty-eight original Darwin letters, known as the MAuller collection, which Dr. Henryr Fairfield Osborn, a fornmer presidenit of the American Asso- ciation, is presenting to Down House.

Down House lies in the midst of beau- tiful gardens and orchards, and it was on the lawn that the opening ceremony was performned.

AMr. Buckston Browine formnally pre- sented the house inito the keeping of the British Association.

Sir William Bragg, F.RS., president of the British Association, accepted the

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gift, expressing the gratitude of the association.

Sir Arthur Keith, F.R.S., delivered the principal address, in the course of which he said:

In Down House was enishrinied the personality of a great man, one who always placed goodness above greatness. It is right that wve should stress now this personal aspect of Darwin 's life, for the character of nio man lhas been so wilfully travestied in biis owni century as well as i1 ours.

Dr. R. Anthony, who occupies the chair of the immortal Cuvier, repre- sented France and presented the felici- tations of French science.

Dr. Joseph Leidy, II, as the represen- tative of the American Association for the Advancemelnt of Science, presented a magnificent bust of Darwin by the gifted sculptor, Charles L. Hartwell, R.A., now on exhibition in the Royal Academy. He referred to the interest- ing fact that from American science came the first foreign official recognition of the "Origin of Species" upon its publication in 1859, when the Philadel- phia Academy of Natural Sciences made Darwin a corresponding member upon the recommendation of Joseph Leidy and Isaac C. Lea.

Upon the announcement of his elec- tion, Darwin wrote Sir Charles Lyell, "It slhows that some naturalists there do not think me such a scientific profligate as many think me here. "

In the course of his remarks Dr. Leidy said:

We wish therefore to forge still stronger the chain which links American scienec witlh Down House and this memorial.

It is our great privilege to place in this shrine the fine bust of Chlarles Darwin as a gift to the British nationi from America in memory of those Americani naturalists wlho came to the support of Charles Darwin upon the publication in 1859 of the "Origin of Species."

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