Remembrance of things past

Darwin's autobiography was never meant quite as such: he wanted to leave some thoughts for his children and grandchildren about his views on his life and how he worked. The first edition did not appear until forty years after his death and was the work of his son, Francis, who edited and compiled the material left to him and his siblings. Darwin claims he was prompted to pen some thoughts because his charismatic grandfather, Erasmus Darwin had written nothing of his both wide and deep intellectual endeavours. 'I know that it would have interested me greatly to have read ever so short and dull a sketch of the mind of my grandfather, written by himself, and what he thought and did, and how he worked.' Darwin says that he wrote the account of himself 'as if I were a dead man in another world looking back on my own life. Nor have I found this difficult, for life is nearly over with me. I have taken no pains about my style of writing.' He recounts several events from his early life which may have borne on his later development. He recalls one incident that may reveal his early interest in science and willingness to challenge contemporary thinking. He says his father and elder sister remember that, as a very young boy, he had a strong taste for long solitary walks; 'but what I thought about I know not. I often became quite absorbed, and once, whilst returning to school on the summit of the old fortifications round Shrewsbury, which had been converted to a public footpath with no parapet on one side, I walked off and fell to the ground, but the height was only seven or eight feet. Nevertheless, the number of thoughts which passed through my mind during this very short, but sudden and wholly unexpected fall, was astonishing, and seems hardly compatible with what physiologists have, I believe, proved about each thought requiring quite an appreciable amount of time.' The Darwin industry is as busy as ever with the recent completion of a major biography and renewed scrutiny of his substantial correspondence. But a new edition of his autobiography compiled by his son is a welcome addition, writes Nigel Williams. Looking back: A new edition of Charles Darwin's biography has been published. Compiled and edited by his son, Francis, it was first published in 1929. The new …