My brother stayed only one year at the University, so that during the second year I was left to my own resources; and this was an advantage, for I became well acquainted with several young men fond of natural science.
One of these was Ainsworth, who afterwards published his travels in Assyria; he was a Wernerian geologist, and knew a little about many subjects.Dr.Coldstream was a very different young man, prim, formal, highly religious, and most kind-hearted; he afterwards published some good zoological articles.A third young man was Hardie, who would, I think, have made a good botanist, but died early in India.Lastly, Dr.Grant, my senior by several years, but how I became acquainted with him I cannot remember; he published some first- rate zoological papers, but after coming to London as Professor in University College, he did nothing more in science, a fact which has always been inexplicable to me.I knew him well; he was dry and formal in manner, with much enthusiasm beneath this outer crust.He one day, when we were walking together, burst forth in high admiration of Lamarck and his views on evolution.I listened in silent astonishment, and as far as I can judge without any effect on my mind.I had previously read the 'Zoonomia' of my grandfather, in which similar views are maintained, but without producing any effect on me.Nevertheless it is probable that the hearing rather early in life such views maintained and praised may have favoured my upholding them under a different form in my 'Origin of Species.' At this time I admired greatly the 'Zoonomia;' but on reading it a second time after an interval of ten or fifteen years, I was much disappointed; the proportion of speculation being so large to the facts given.