The Six Days of Creation

Rhosymedre     R. Vaughan Williams (1872–1958)

It so happens that the great uncle of the English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958) was none other than Charles Darwin (1809–1882). Ralph’s grandmother taught Ralph to read using the same primer with which she had taught her younger brother Charles. Later there was a great kerfuffle among the family — like everywhere else — when the Origin of Species (1859) was published. Ralph, about thirteen at the time, asked his grandmother about it. She said, “The Bible tells us that God made the world in six days. Great-uncle Charles thinks it took rather longer. But we needn’t worry — it is equally wonderful either way.”