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MR. DARWIN'S HOUSE AT DOWN, KENT

Four miles uphill from Orpington, the nearest railway station, is the quaint old-world village called Down, and half-a-mile further on, and closely abutting on the road, is the house for forty years the home of the philosopher. The house possesses neither pretensions to antiquity nor architectural beauty, having been added to by Mr. Darwin at odd times for convenience sake. Behind the house, with the lower windows opening directly upon it, is the charming garden, glorious with blossoming azalea when the sketch was made. A great mulberry tree, with its branohes propped up, stands at one corner overshadowing the house. Closely adjoining the garden is a small plantation, through which Mr. Darwin walked daily when the weather was fine. The chief point of interest to the reverent admirer of the great man is the room in which he laboured. It is a big square room communicating with the garden. Two walls have shelves filled with books in every variety of binding, many of them bearing evidence of much use. Another bookcase is placed so as to form a sort of screen to keep off draughts, for Mr. Darwin, being always delicate in health, was very sensitive to cold. There are many silent evidences of that in the shawls, the warm cloak, and the great, comfortable, ungainly chair, with its high cushions, drawn up close to the fireplace. The tables are littered with books and papers, flower-pots, glass shades, card boxes, and scientific apparatus. At one of the windows there is a low bench, with tools here microscopical experiments were made. At another window two plants were growing, on which Mr. Darwin was working at the time of his death. The only ornaments on the walls are a few photographs and engravings representing friends and fellow-scientists.

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1. The Exterior from the Garden.—2. Mr. Darwin's Study.

THE HOME OF THE LATE CHARLES DARWIN, DOWN, KENT