ten to W. and the boys.

God bless you, my dear old fellow--may your life so continue.

Your affectionate Father,
CH. DARWIN.

In those days the Tripos examination was held in the winter, and the
successful candidates got their degrees early in the Lent Term. George
records in his diary that he took his B.A. on January 25th, 1868; also
that he won the second of the two Smith's Prizes--the first being the
natural heritage of the Senior Wrangler. There is little to record in
this year. He had a pleasant time in the summer, coaching Clement, the
nephew of Sir Charles Bunbury, at his beautiful place Barton Hall in
Suffolk. In the autumn he was elected a Fellow of Trinity, as he
records, "with Galabin, young Niven, Clifford, [Sir Frederick] Pollock,
and [Sir Sidney] Colvin." W. K. Clifford was the well-known brilliant
mathematician who died comparatively early.

Chief among his Cambridge friends were the brothers Arthur, Gerald, and
Frank Balfour. The last-named was killed, aged 31, in a climbing
accident in 1882 on the Aiguille Blanche near Courmayeur. He was
remarkable both for his scientific work and for his striking and most
lovable personality. George's affection for him never faded. His
daughter remembers her father (not long before his death) saying with
emotion, "I dreamed Frank Balfour was alive." I imagine that tennis was
the means of bringing George into contact with Mr. Arthur Balfour. What
began in this chance way grew into an enduring friendship, and George's
diary shows how much kindness and hospitality he received from Mr.
Balfour. George had also the advantage of knowing Lord Rayleigh at
Cambridge, and retained his friendship through his life.

In the spring of 1869 he was in Paris for two months working at French.
His teacher used to make him write original compositions, and George
gained a reputation for humour by giving French versions of all the old
Joe Millers and ancient stories he could remember.

It was his intention to make the Bar his profession, {161} and in October
1869 we find him reading with Mr. Tatham, in 1870 and 1872 with the late
Mr. Montague Crackenthorpe (then Cookson), and in November 1871 he was a
pupil of Mr. W. G. Harrison. The most valued result of his legal work
was the friendship of Mr. and Mrs. Crackenthorpe, which he retained
throughout his life.