Looking back as well as I can at my character during my school life, the only qualities which at this period promised well for the future, were, that I had strong and diversified tastes, much zeal for whatever interested me, and a keen pleasure in understanding any complex subject or thing.I was taught Euclid by a private tutor, and I distinctly remember the intense satisfaction which the clear geometrical proofs gave me.I remember, with equal distinctness, the delight which my uncle gave me (the father of Francis Galton) by explaining the principle of the vernier of a barometer.with respect to diversified tastes, independently of science, I was fond ofreading various books, and I used to sit for hours reading the historical plays of Shakespeare, generally in an old window in the thick walls of the school.I read also other poetry, such as Thomson's 'Seasons,' and the recently published poems of Byron and Scott.I mention this because later in life I wholly lost, to my great regret, all pleasure from poetry of any kind, including Shakespeare.In connection with pleasure from poetry, I may add that in 1822 a vivid delight in scenery was first awakened in my mind, during a riding tour on the borders of Wales, and this has lasted longer than any other aesthetic pleasure.
Early in my school days a boy had a copy of the 'Wonders of the World,' which I often read, and disputed with other boys about the veracity of some of the statements; and I believe that this book first gave me a wish to travel in remote countries, which was ultimately fulfilled by the voyage of the "Beagle".In the latter part of my school life I became passionately fond of shooting; I do not believe that any one could have shown more zeal for the most holy cause than I did for shooting birds.How well I remember killing my first snipe, and my excitement was so great that I had much difficulty in reloading my gun from the trembling of my hands.This taste long continued, and I became a very good shot.When at Cambridge I used to practise throwing up my gun to my shoulder before a looking-glass to see that I threw it up straight.Another and better plan was to get a friend to wave about a lighted candle, and then to fire at it with a cap on the nipple, and if the aim was accurate the little puff of air would blow out the candle.The explosion of the cap caused a sharp crack, and I was told that the tutor of the college remarked, "What an extraordinary thing it is, Mr.Darwin seems to spend hours in cracking a horse-whip in his room, for I often hear the crack when I pass under his windows."I had many friends amongst the schoolboys, whom I loved dearly, and I think that my disposition was then very affectionate.