RECORD: Anon. 1909. University intelligence: Cambridge June 11. The Darwin centenary. The Times. McGill-CA-OSLER0-P110[.48]. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 8.2023. RN1

NOTE: See record in the Darwin Online manuscript catalogue, enter its Identifier here. Reproduced with permission of the Osler Library of the History of Medicine, McGill University. See the Introduction and catalogue to the J.C. Simpson collection by John van Wyhe.


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University intelligence.

Cambridge June 11.

THE DARWIN CENTENARY.

A special number of the "Cambridge University Reporter" has been issued this evening containing a list of the delegates and other guests invited by the University to the Darwin Centenary celebrations with the Cambridge addresses of both delegates and other guests. This number also contains a programme of the commemoration and the regulations for admission to the Senate House on June 23 and 24. Delegates to the number of 250 are coming from all parts of the world. The United States and Germany are each sending 30 representatives, France 14, and other European countries almost equal numbers. Other parts of the world such as Java and Japan are also sending representatives to testify to the world's interest in Britain's greatest biologist.

The scientific institutions of the Colonies as well as those of this country are well represented. With the exception of the Crown all the great institutions of the land will take some part in this international gathering. Mr. Asquith and Mr. S. O. Buckmaster, M.P., may be taken as representatives of the present Government, while Mr. Balfour and Mr. Gerald Balfour may be regarded as representing the Opposition. The medical profession sends Mr. Norman Moore, Sir William Church, Dr. Rose Bradford, Sir James Crichton-Browne, and Sir T. Lauder Brunton, to mention but a few among medical names. The legal profession is represented by Sir Robert Stout, K.C. (Chief Justice of New Zealand), by Sir Richard Solomon, and Professor E. C. Clark; the, Church by the Rev. T. Hamilton (President of Queen's College, Belfast), the Rev. Professor George Henslow, and the Rev. Dr. T. G. Bonney, whilst the London Chamber of Commerce sends Sir Albert Rollit. The Army is represented by Sir Thomas Fraser and Major Leonard Darwin, the Navy by Sir Clements Markham and Dr. James Porter (Director-General of the Medical Department), and the diplomatic body by the Italian Ambassador.

THE EXHIBITION.

The authorities at Christ's College have prepared an exhibition of portraits, manuscripts, and other objects connected with Charles Darwin. The exhibition is held in the old library at the south-west corner of the first court, the same rooms in which the Milton Exhibition took place last year. It is open daily from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 2 to 5 p.m., and will remain open until June 26.

In the outer room hang a number of portraits of Darwin's ancestors and portraits that were made of Darwin during his lifetime. The painting by Sir W. B. Richmond, R.A., representing Darwin in his LL.D robes, which usually hangs in the library of the Philosophical Society, has been lent by the University; the well-known portrait by Mr. John Collier of Darwin in his long black cloak, holding his hat in his hand, lent by the Linnean Society, of London, faces this. On either side of the latter hang C. Fairfax' Murray's two portraits of Mrs. Charles Darwin, and Ouless's well-known profile, of which a replica hangs in Christ's College Hall, is lent by Mr. William E. Darwin., On the east side of the room hang a series of portraits of Darwin's ancestors—Robert Darwin of Elston and Lincoln's Inn, his brother, William Darwin of Cleatham, Erasmus Darwin, one by Wright of Derby, Robert Waring Darwin, father of the naturalist, &c. There are two crayon sketches, by Samuel Laurence, of Darwin in middle life; some water-colour drawings of Down, and some scenes taken during the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle. A number of instruments, used by Darwin on this voyage, are placed in show-cases in this room, and there are also some specimens of fishes and birds collected at that time.

In the inner room are Woolner's bust, a bust, medallion, and miniature of the Shrewsbury statue by Horace Montford, and the colossal bronze head by W. Couper, of New York, which the American delegates to the Darwin Centenary are presenting to Christ's College. A long series of engravings and photographs represent Darwin from the time he was a boy four years old, where he is depicted presenting his sister with a pot of flowers, until his old age. Among these are included Pellegrini's well-known Vanity Fair cartoon, representing the naturalist seated in a high chair, similar to the one included among the exhibits.

There are many views of "The Mount." Shrewsbury, where Darwin was born, and of the garden, house, and village of Down; and a long series of medals, miniatures, and manuscripts are exhibited in show­cases in the centre of the room.

The many manuscripts exhibited in the cases in this inner room form an almost complete record of his scientific career. Beginning with the earliest notes on geology, an interesting series of Darwin's note­books and manuscripts are shown. Of these the first note-book on evolution, begun in 1837, and the first draft of "The Origin of Species," which he permitted himself to write down in 1842, 17 years before the publication of his great work, are the most interesting.

The manuscript Journal kept during the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle and his "Autobiographical Recollections" are also of interest, as also are the "lecture­cards" he used at Edinburgh and many more objects of his earlier life. There are many autograph letters, including a collection of those Darwin wrote to A. R. Wallace and specimens he himself received from Lyell, Hooker, Huxley, Kingsley, and others.

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Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

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