Darwin’s gaze

According to a former colleague of mine, Charles Darwin's gardener was bemused by how Darwin would stop and ponder so long over things he found in his garden. My colleague never gave chapter and verse. It was perhaps too good an anecdote to need one; it was exemplary of the man even if not entirely accurate. Now with AI, I have been able to find out more. The reference seems to be to Joseph Parslow (1812-1898), who worked as Charles Darwin's butler and gardener for many years. He often observed Darwin's intense focus on the natural world. What Parslow related was, "When he was at work in the garden, he would often be seen to stop in front of a flower, or a tree, and stand for a long time, sometimes with his hands behind his back, sometimes with his head bent forward, quite motionless, as if in a trance, absorbed in deep thought." This sentiment is often paraphrased and widely reported, including by Darwin’s family and by other members of his staff. This encapsulates Darwin's meticulous observation and profound contemplation of nature, which was a hallmark of his scientific process. He was not idly looking at flowers—as most do; he was examining them with an intense, scientific curiosity. In so doing, Darwin was responsible for changing our whole worldview, including our view of ourselves.