To G. H. Darwin   [24 March 1868]¹

Dear George

I have just returned from Grove—² He takes a dismal view of things; says his own son & two sons-in-law get no business tho’ clever men but admits that all professions are bad.³ As everyone says business depends on connection with attorneys & these will sometimes not employ a junior rather than introduce a new man. Yet he allowed that hard work & good fortune together did pretty often bring forward a man (give him a good position)   He thought attending specially to science might possibly help a young barrister, but he was very strong that being a fellow of Trin: w^d be much more useful.⁴ For high positions such as judges he thought having attended to any special branch of practise was actually injurious & that he himself w^d. have been a judge many years ago had it been otherwise but this seems to me looking m. too far ahead.⁵ He maintained that science in the abstract was not in the least valued, & he did not believe that I sh^d. have any influence in getting my sons such a place as a magistracy or commission. But I hope this is too despondent a view. Men who intend to practise in Chancery almost all enter at Lincoln’s Inn; those who go circuits generally enter at Temple, but he thought there was no objection in the latter case to enter at Lincoln’s Inn; & if you decide for Lincoln’s Inn he offered to enter you.⁶ Grove said that some degree of dash & quickness was requisite for the circuit & that quiet hard working men could succeed in Chancery & that it was an advantage to avoid the expence & trouble of circuits. I do not know what on earth to advise about the whole question of the law. You must settle for yourself. I suppose you w^d. not like to think of entering on business. It is a very bad lookout but you must decide on what appears the least disagreable to yourself. I wish I c^d have written a pleasanter letter.

Your affect Father | Ch. Darwin

World is better. Sothern tomorrow.⁷ Monday Pops most other days this week⁸