Essay, Research Paper: Darwin Research

Darwin was born in Shrewsbury, Shropshire. He was the
son of Robert Waring Darwin and his wife Susannah;
and the grandson of the scientist Erasmus Darwin, and
of the potter Josiah Wedgwood. His mother died when
he was eight years old, and he was brought up by his
sister. He was taught classics at Shrewsbury, then sent
to Edinburgh to study medicine, which he hated, and a
final attempt at educating him was made by sending
him to Christ's College, Cambridge, to study theology
(1827). During that period he loved to collect plants,
insects, and geological specimens, guided by his cousin
William Darwin Fox, an entomologist. His scientific
inclinations were encouraged by his botany professor,
John Stevens Henslow, who was instrumental, depsite
heavy paternal opposition, in securing a place for
Darwin as a naturalist on the surveying expedition of
HMS Beagle to Patagonia (1831-6).


Word Count: 145