[B4]

4

May 22 79

Entire simplicity modesty and openness of mind are very characteristic of him; modesty was so powerful a quality in his nature that it often did mischief, he would not value his own commendation or blame of any work sufficiently so that he was willing to give it with too little consideration

he disliked refusing what appeared to him a harmless request and would immediately lend his name to some object which on the face of it appear good, or otherwise accept the dedication of some work on a subject of which he knew little but of which he may have considered the intention good — The result being that his apparent approval have in one case been used as a weekly advertizement in a paper¹ & in another there is little doubt it has even encouraged a man to print a large edition of an unsaleable work.

This intense & real modesty made his character & manners truly delightful to all whom he met, at the same time it was rather ludicrous at times to see how it would embarrass young scientific men, when he would ask them their opinion on some point with all the deference of quite a young man.

With all this modesty he was quite aware of his own nature as a scientific authority, and would hold to his opinion on any scientific questions with the greatest determination, until his opponent brought actual proof to the contrary & was a man of the highest scientific standing.

[in margin:] politiness  cheerfullness – observation – sympathy – gentleness – [terrific] - caution – religion   wisdom in money matters – patience in ill health – saving tendency
not caring for poetry or art – but liking "poetic things" & what he said men's pretending to  love of truth never [pretending] to & strong opinions  believe he was ignorant

¹ William here may refer, with not altogether accurate memory, to Darwin's endorsement of The Index. See n. 1 to Darwin 1871.