Thursday, July 30, 2009

The day ahead

Lying in bed this morning finishing my explication of Chapter III, The Struggle for Existence, which I am submitting in lieu of my essay on the secularization of the 19th century. When I get home I will read "Middlemarch" instead in penance.

After our seminar this morning devoted to the reception of The Origin, a busy afternoon. From 1:45-3:45, the gardener here at Rewley House will lead a garden tour. Apparently she decides on the day which gardens she will include, so it will be a mystery until then. At this very moment, the sun is shining and the sky is blue, but who knows what it will be like six hours from now. Of course, even in the rain the gardens will look beautiful, as you can see from this shot of dahlias in Balliol yesterday afternoon. Since the college was closed to visitors, I had to teeter on the steps and zoom in to include the "day-lias," as they pronounce them.

 
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The Darwinians in attendance might duck out a little early in order to meet Emma and the others at the Natural History Museum at 3:30. There's a small Darwin exhibit she wants us to see. At 4:00 we are scheduled to see the very room where the famous debate took place between "Soapy Sam" Wilberforce, the Bishop of Oxford, and Darwin's friends Thomas Henry Huxley and Joseph Hooker. The room is now being used for storage, but Emma has persuaded Rowan, her contact, to give us a look.

1 comment:

Judy said...

"Just one thrill after another!" Mom says.