Encouraging the Young
Charles Darwin (1809-1882) having proved a mediocre student during his school days, was once scolded by his father as being “useless and only interested in hunting and catching mice with the help of dogs.” When his schooling was completed, his father had him admitted to a medical college, but there his performance was equally lacklustre and he failed to complete the course. He then decided to become a priest and joined Cambridge University to study theology. But even there he met with failure.
However, all was not lost, for during his stay at Cambridge, he developed the interest in natural history which was to bring him world renown. This topic was not included in the degree curriculum; it was only his keen personal interest which spurred him on to making a study of it. This, along with his interest in geology, led him in turn to J.S. Henslow, a man of great learning and wide-ranging interests. Contact with him was the first step on the ladder to the peak of world learning.
It was at this time that the British government, having decided to conduct a coastal survey of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, sent off the naval ship ‘Beagle’ on a five-year voyage of research (1831-1836). By means of his personal influence, Professor Henslow secured Darwin’s appointment on this ship as a naturalist, thus giving him the opportunity to explore the remoter regions of the world. At this juncture, Darwin could not on his own have obtained a position on the ‘Beagle’. It was entirely thanks to Henslow’s perception of his ability that it became possible for him to go off on this historic sea voyage.
During these five years Darwin had the opportunity to visit a number of different countries, sometimes on foot and sometimes on horseback, he penetrated far into their interiors. As he explored their jungles and climbed their mountains, he made a study of thousands of varieties of plants and animals, and collected samples to take back with him. He also collected the fossils of various animals which had been preserved intact underground.
The observations he made during his travels helped him to establish certain theories about the different species of animals. The most important was the theory that, although animals differ from each other as species, they have certain features in common, such as their adaptation to their environment. It was this initial observation which, after detailed research, took the shape of Darwin’s theory of evolution.
There is a lesson to be learnt from Darwin’s life in that it shows how elders’ appreciation and encouragement of young people’s talents can act as a great spur to their progress and ultimate success. In any society where the eminent display such sentiments towards struggling individuals of obvious merit, it is society as a whole which will be the beneficiary. But where elders are uninterested in sterling human qualities and are willing to listen only to sycophants, the talents of highly endowed individuals will be left to wither away for want of encouragement. A society composed of such elders will never scale the heights of true progress.
There is another incident in Darwin’s life which is quite admirable in the example that it sets. It seems that he wrote down his views on natural selection in 1852 and in 1858. While his own theories were yet to be published, he received a letter from Alfred Wallace outlining an unpublished article of his which, in substance, was identical with Darwin’s own work. Darwin could have responded by immediately publishing his own article in order to claim the credit for being the first to propound this theory, but he refrained from doing so. Instead, he decided to present Wallace’s and his own views in a joint article to the Linnean Society of London. He felt that, presented in this way, his theory would have a much better impact. On June 20, 1858, the theory of evolution was, therefore, presented in the form of a combined article before an assembly of London’s leading intellectuals. It immediately became a topic of great scientific importance. What no doubt hastened its acceptance was Darwin’s willingness to forego his own personal glory in favour of contributing to a joint effort. The reward he desired was not recognition of his own personal merits but the general acceptance of this strange new theory. Such self-abnegation is an extremely rare quality, but that is the stuff of which great societies are made.
