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This Thing of Darkness HARRY THOMPSON 9780755327140 Books

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This Thing of Darkness HARRY THOMPSON 9780755327140 Books

Captain Robert FitzRoy is known as the captain of HMS Beagle who took the young Charles Darwin on the five-year survey of South America that changed his thinking for ever. FitzRoy was slightly older, richer, and better connected, but both were gentlemen and soon became friends, although their arguments about the theological implications of Darwin's discoveries gradually prised them apart. FitzRoy is generally treated in literature as a supporting role to Darwin, so it is good to see a novel that sets him front and center. And there is much in his career to interest a biographer. He graduated with perfect scores from the Royal Naval College. He was given command of the Beagle at the extraordinary age of 23. His first survey of Tierra del Fuego (three years before he returned there with Darwin) resulted in charts which were still in use over a century later. He also brought back four Fuegian natives whom he converted to Christianity, taught English and European decorum, and presented to the King, hoping to return them to their native country as emissaries for Christian civilization. After the Beagle, he became a Member of Parliament, Governor of New Zealand, and head of what was to become the Meteorological Office. Virtually single-handedly, he invented the science of weather forecasting (a term he coined himself) setting up distant observation stations to send in the raw data by telegraph. Even without the Darwin connection, his would have been a striking career, although never quite reaching the heights that his birth and talent might have predicted.

The trouble is that his association with Darwin still virtually eclipses everything else. The famous second voyage of the Beagle (1831–36) takes up a little more than 300 pages of a 600-page book, but it is the most interesting section. The opening 100 pages, before Darwin appears on the scene, are eventful and exciting, rather in the manner of Patrick O'Brian's MASTER AND COMMANDER and later books in the series -- and I mean that as high praise. Whenever the action of the second voyage has to do with seamanship, FitzRoy's extraordinary abilities as a leader, or sheer derring-do, the same qualities re-emerge. But the rest of the time, his role is more as a stalking horse for Darwin's increasingly unorthodox theories, and there are times, I'm afraid, when the political or religious aspects of their conversations get a little too close to polemic. In the 200 pages remaining after FitzRoy's return to England, there are many bursts of the old interest, especially when he tries to broker a peace between the Maori natives and the rapacious colonists of New Zealand, only to end up excoriated by both sides. But for the most part, this later portion of the book is merely a series of episodes without a continuing theme to give them momentum.

One private stain on the perfection of this ideal naval officer is his vulnerability to what might now be diagnosed as occasional schizophrenia; perhaps this is one meaning of the "thing of darkness" of the title, though it is an aspect that Thompson rather lets drop towards the end of the book. The main meaning, however, is given by the epigraph: "This thing of darkness I acknowledge mine," which is what Prospero says of Caliban in THE TEMPEST. Throughout the book, there is a frequent presence of darker-skinned races. FitzRoy considers them on a lower level than civilized Europeans, certainly, but he also recognizes them as human beings, who can be taught the benefits of civilization. His humanity and fairness, which shines especially in the New Zealand chapters, is a shining light in a book that is otherwise a denunciation of colonialism and missionary work generally. "It is our mission here not just to spread the word of God," a New Zealand missioner tells him, "but to suppress licentious habits and ardent spirits. […] To help the natives to understand that there is a state of future punishment awaiting those who do not follow the path laid out for them by the Church of England."

Suppose you just read the middle half of the novel that deals with the Darwin voyage, what then? There is little that is new in it; Darwin did a pretty good job himself in his THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE, and numerous others have mined the ground since. But it did bring several things home to me that I suppose I ought to have known, but didn't. That the voyage was so long, almost five years. That the Galapagos Islands visit was a relatively short part of it, a matter of a few weeks. That the Beagle also spent time in the Falklands, Tahiti, Australasia, and South Africa, even returning to Brazil for one more landfall before doubling back to England after a round-the-world voyage and then some. That Darwin's first discoveries were made, not as a biologist, but as a geologist, and that his questions about the laws of God and nature were the result of a curiosity that encompassed virtually every area of intellectual study.

God and nature. Darwin went out as a parson-in-waiting, a man hoping to qualify for holy orders; he returned as an agnostic. We see the results of his questioning in his various discussions with FitzRoy, who remains a conservative Christian throughout. But I can't say we really feel Darwin's inner anguish as he faces them. The occasional mention of Syms Covington, a seaman seconded to serve as Darwin's assistant, put me in mind of Mr. DARWIN'S SHOOTER by Roger McDonald, a truly extraordinary and poetic novel, with Covington as its protagonist. McDonald sets the two men against one another much as this book pits Darwin against Fitzroy, though with an understanding of the soul that Thompson cannot even approach. So by all means read this well-written saga for the history and the adventure. But please, please turn to McDonald for the heart and spirit.


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This Thing of Darkness HARRY THOMPSON 9780755327140 Books Reviews

one of the most enjoyable books i have read lately. very well written, not a moment of boredom. am looking forward to the coming exploits with darwin on board.
Awesome book. It's out of print, so good luck finding a copy. Fascinating details about the voyage of the Beagle and Chas. Darwin.
I greatly enjoyed this book especially as I had just read the biography of Fitzroy by John Gribbin. This book by Harry Thompson filled in the gaps with compelling characterisations. I respect how much research the author did including visiting remote places. I wish the publisher had included a Contents so I could have seen all the chapter headings at once. I wanted to read a list of other works by the author but only one was cited.
Accurate historical fiction which brings this amazing journey(second surveying journey of the Beagle) to life. Seen jointly from Captain FitzRoy's perspective with some insight from Darwin. FitzRoy's complex character is vividly drawn.
Excellent fictionalized biography of Captain Fitzroy, skipper of the H.M.S. Beagle on its historic journey with Charles Darwin. Sympathetic view of Fitzroy and his trag ic life.
A double biography set in the wildest places in the world at that time - early 19th century - by necessity long but incredibly compelling. Interesting comparison of two characters thrown togther by chance who begin as great friends and end as bitter enemies. One tragic and one heroic, each in the classical sense of the concept.
Wonderful narrative. Although fiction, it is based on actual events on the five year trip of Charles Darwin and Captain Robert Fitzroy aboard the HMS Beagle. Follow Darwin as he collects evidence and builds up his Evolutionary Theory. Although Darwin is the most famous character, the most interesting is, by far, Captain Fitzroy . You can feel the deep psychological conflict that Fitzroy experiences trying to reconcile first, the 19th century politics of the Britsh Navy with his ingrained ethics and second, the theory new born Evolutionary Theory with his deep-rooted religious convictions.
Captain Robert FitzRoy is known as the captain of HMS Beagle who took the young Charles Darwin on the five-year survey of South America that changed his thinking for ever. FitzRoy was slightly older, richer, and better connected, but both were gentlemen and soon became friends, although their arguments about the theological implications of Darwin's discoveries gradually prised them apart. FitzRoy is generally treated in literature as a supporting role to Darwin, so it is good to see a novel that sets him front and center. And there is much in his career to interest a biographer. He graduated with perfect scores from the Royal Naval College. He was given command of the Beagle at the extraordinary age of 23. His first survey of Tierra del Fuego (three years before he returned there with Darwin) resulted in charts which were still in use over a century later. He also brought back four Fuegian natives whom he converted to Christianity, taught English and European decorum, and presented to the King, hoping to return them to their native country as emissaries for Christian civilization. After the Beagle, he became a Member of Parliament, Governor of New Zealand, and head of what was to become the Meteorological Office. Virtually single-handedly, he invented the science of weather forecasting (a term he coined himself) setting up distant observation stations to send in the raw data by telegraph. Even without the Darwin connection, his would have been a striking career, although never quite reaching the heights that his birth and talent might have predicted.

The trouble is that his association with Darwin still virtually eclipses everything else. The famous second voyage of the Beagle (1831–36) takes up a little more than 300 pages of a 600-page book, but it is the most interesting section. The opening 100 pages, before Darwin appears on the scene, are eventful and exciting, rather in the manner of Patrick O'Brian's MASTER AND COMMANDER and later books in the series -- and I mean that as high praise. Whenever the action of the second voyage has to do with seamanship, FitzRoy's extraordinary abilities as a leader, or sheer derring-do, the same qualities re-emerge. But the rest of the time, his role is more as a stalking horse for Darwin's increasingly unorthodox theories, and there are times, I'm afraid, when the political or religious aspects of their conversations get a little too close to polemic. In the 200 pages remaining after FitzRoy's return to England, there are many bursts of the old interest, especially when he tries to broker a peace between the Maori natives and the rapacious colonists of New Zealand, only to end up excoriated by both sides. But for the most part, this later portion of the book is merely a series of episodes without a continuing theme to give them momentum.

One private stain on the perfection of this ideal naval officer is his vulnerability to what might now be diagnosed as occasional schizophrenia; perhaps this is one meaning of the "thing of darkness" of the title, though it is an aspect that Thompson rather lets drop towards the end of the book. The main meaning, however, is given by the epigraph "This thing of darkness I acknowledge mine," which is what Prospero says of Caliban in THE TEMPEST. Throughout the book, there is a frequent presence of darker-skinned races. FitzRoy considers them on a lower level than civilized Europeans, certainly, but he also recognizes them as human beings, who can be taught the benefits of civilization. His humanity and fairness, which shines especially in the New Zealand chapters, is a shining light in a book that is otherwise a denunciation of colonialism and missionary work generally. "It is our mission here not just to spread the word of God," a New Zealand missioner tells him, "but to suppress licentious habits and ardent spirits. […] To help the natives to understand that there is a state of future punishment awaiting those who do not follow the path laid out for them by the Church of England."

Suppose you just read the middle half of the novel that deals with the Darwin voyage, what then? There is little that is new in it; Darwin did a pretty good job himself in his THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE, and numerous others have mined the ground since. But it did bring several things home to me that I suppose I ought to have known, but didn't. That the voyage was so long, almost five years. That the Galapagos Islands visit was a relatively short part of it, a matter of a few weeks. That the Beagle also spent time in the Falklands, Tahiti, Australasia, and South Africa, even returning to Brazil for one more landfall before doubling back to England after a round-the-world voyage and then some. That Darwin's first discoveries were made, not as a biologist, but as a geologist, and that his questions about the laws of God and nature were the result of a curiosity that encompassed virtually every area of intellectual study.

God and nature. Darwin went out as a parson-in-waiting, a man hoping to qualify for holy orders; he returned as an agnostic. We see the results of his questioning in his various discussions with FitzRoy, who remains a conservative Christian throughout. But I can't say we really feel Darwin's inner anguish as he faces them. The occasional mention of Syms Covington, a seaman seconded to serve as Darwin's assistant, put me in mind of Mr. DARWIN'S SHOOTER by Roger McDonald, a truly extraordinary and poetic novel, with Covington as its protagonist. McDonald sets the two men against one another much as this book pits Darwin against Fitzroy, though with an understanding of the soul that Thompson cannot even approach. So by all means read this well-written saga for the history and the adventure. But please, please turn to McDonald for the heart and spirit.