AND IT CAME TO PASS, HE BECAME CHARLES DARWIN

Photo credit:www.gaurangimaitra.com
Memory tags: A story that began, not when I studied evolution, but when I read Mea Allen’s Darwin and His Flowers: The Key to Natural Selection. And,the pleasure of making Shrewsbury biscuits for a class of kids, ‘grown to manhood since’.

“Where do I begin my story …?

In Shrewsbury, county Shropshire, England, was born on 12th February, 1809 Charles Darwin. Across the Atlantic was born on the same day, Abraham Lincoln. Both men were destined to change the world .

Or,

And, he came from the house of...

Robert Darwin, his father, was a huge 6 ft all gentleman and a doctor by profession. His paternal grandfather, Erasmus Darwin was also a doctor by profession, but a polymath by ability! He helped publish Linnaeus’ Systema Vegetabilium in English in 1783. Wrote long epic poems and spoke of evolution! His maternal grandfather Josiah Wedgewood was an exceptionally skilled potter, though crippled in later life, used his forced inactivity to research and experiment. His book became an invaluable reference on Staffordshire pottery. Wedgewood pottery characterized by English cream ware and Jasperware still holds a world market in pottery, first captured in 1760! His grandparents on both sides were active members of the Lunar Society of Birmingham. This society met every full moon and ate sardine sandwiches, and discussed ideas that fueled the Industrial Revolution. It brought together men like Mathew Bolton, James Watt, Dr. Joseph Priestly and Josiah Wedgewood. Thanks to Erasmus Darwin the Wedgewood factory was the first to be mechanized with steam powering 1782.Thus from his grandfathers he perhaps inherited a scientific temperament richly leavened by commonsense and practicality. Charles Darwin was in fact, born into the blue of British scientific society!

Our Little Wonder...
Was part of a large family, lost his mother at an early age and was brought up by his sister. While at Shrewsbury Grammar School he collected avidly whatever the countryside had to offer’ His home Shrewsbury (it gave the Shrewsbury biscuit its name; see recipe at tea time) was an ancient market town. Bordered by the remarkable loop of the River Severn, located near the Welsh border, it provided ample scope for the amateur collector. A very mediocre student was our Charles. His inglorious report cards made his exasperated father call his offspring a ratcather! And, in desperation, shifted him to Edinburgh to study medicine! At Edinburgh he collected marine specimen with a passion and became member of the Plinian Society. Medical science did not impress him. It horrified and bored him. He found one of his professors so full of wisdom that there was no room left for common sense! He perhaps knew there was enough money at home and made little effort to become a doctor. His perceptive father soon recalled the prodigal son home and suggested he study divinity at Cambridge

Cambridge, 1827.
Charles Darwin dutifully entered Cambridge on Christmas Day, 1827, after having creditably passed the entrance examination. His background in Divinity is of special interest in the light of the controversy created by his theory. One of his texts, Evidences of Christianity by Paley impressed him with its calm and reasoned manner. This style he was to use freely while writing the Origin. Even the rooms he occupied at Cambridge were Paley’s! But Cambridge’s most significant contribution was John Stevens Henslow and not Paley’s theology. Reverend John Stevens fostered resurgence in Botany at Cambridge. He would become Darwin’s teacher, mentor and later friend. Our avid naturalist, attended every lecture Henslow gave, enthralled as much by the matter as the manner. In addition, Henslow kept open house every Friday, gently moderating the unfettered exchange between the gathered learners and the learned. These evenings which Darwin unfailingly attended, not only stimulated him but taught him the true spirit or scientific enquiry. At the end of this most fruitful phase, the apparent future revolutionary against church and state, left Cambridge with a degree in Divinity! When he arrived home, Charles Darwin was a naturalist by inclination and a clergyman by qualification. 

A letter dated 24, August 1831
Darwin came home from Cambridge, looking forward with eager anticipation to partridge shooting at his Wedgewood cousin’s home, at Maer. His father was happy thinking his son would soon be settling down. The postman amid this idyll, delivered a letter on 24 August, 1831. It was a letter from Henslow offering the position on of a naturalist aboard the Beagle on its five year voyage around the world!! For Darwin, manna from heaven could not have tasted sweeter than Henslow’s offer! Needless to say, his father did not approve of his chronically unsettled son becoming a sailor. Yet again he dutifully bowed to his fathers wishes. It was his uncle (also called) Josiah Wedgewood who was to ride over the 20 miles that separated Maer and Shrewsbury and persuade Robert Darwin to let his son go. The Wedgewood connection once again played an important role. Once committed, Robert Darwin went all the way and agreed to finance Darwin’s entire voyage. Parental sanction got, the fledgling clergyman turned a sailor, to chart a course, that would alter the face of modern biology.”

Time for Tea and Shrewsbury Biscuits!!
4 oz. Butter      ½ lb. flour
4 oz. castor sugar      2 tsps. Grated lemon rind
1 Egg

Cream the butter and sugar together very thoroughly, add the beaten egg by degrees and beat well. Add the sieved flour and grated lemon rind mix to a stiff paste, and turn out on to a floured board. Knead lightly and roll out thinly. Cut into rounds with a fancy cutter, place on the baking sheet and bake in a moderate oven until pale brown (about 15 minutes). Allow to cool on a wire tray.

For tea you have a choice of Darjeeling, Assam, Nilgiri and now, Meghalaya.

Main references:

1. Gaurangi Maitra and Veena Tandon, “Travelling With Darwin: Evolution Of An Evolutionary” Published by National Academy for Sciences, India 2009 ISBN:978-81-905548-1-7.
2. Charles Darwin, “ Voyage of the Beagle” Published by Penguin Books, 1989.ISBN 0-14-043268-y-91101
3. “Good Housekeeping’s Biscuits & Cookies”, National Magazine Co. Ltd, 1956, London.