[My father\'s autobiographical recollections, given in the present
chapter, were written for his children,--and written without any thought
that they would ever be published. To many this may seem an
impossibility; but those who knew my father will understand how it was
not only possible, but natural. The autobiography bears the heading,
\'Recollections of the Development of my Mind and Character,\' and end
with the following note:--"Aug. 3, 1876. This sketch of my life was
begun about May 28th at Hopedene (Mr. Hensleigh Wedgwood\'s house in
Surrey.), and since then I have written for nearly an hour on most
afternoons." It will easily be understood that, in a narrative of a personal
and intimate kind written for his wife and children, passages should occur
which must here be omitted; and I have not thought it necessary to
indicate where such omissions are made. It has been found necessary to
make a few corrections of obvious verbal slips, but the number of such
alterations has been kept down to the minimum.--F.D.]