IN MEMORY OF MARIANNE NORTH. 381 



was keenly sensitive, and, in spite of her self-reliance and conscious 

 power, she awaited the verdict of the impartial public with some 

 anxiety. 



No sooner was this work completed than Miss North began to 

 make arrangements to visit South Africa, Madagascar, Mauritius, 

 and the Seychelles ; but she was unable to carry out the whole of 

 this programme in consequence of the long intervals between the 

 ships sailing, quarantine arrangements, &c. She intended leaving 

 early in August, but delays arose from various causes, and I believe 

 it was October before she left. 



As a specimen of her letters, I will give one from South Africa, 

 dated 9th December, 1882, which shows how bravely she was 

 struggling against breaking health and diminishing strength. It 

 also testifies to the independence of her character, and her hearty 

 recognition of similar tastes and a love of nature in others, quite 

 apart from the social position of the person. Pedantry she abhorred, 

 and she prided herself, I think I may say, on placing, perhaps 

 somewhat ostentatiously, worth before wealth or station : — 



" . . . . I am very tired and older every day, but this 

 country is worth some fatigue to see. What lies people tell about 

 it ! Over and over again I have been told it is the most wretched 

 country- — no flowers, nothing ! and I find quantities of the most 

 beautiful things on every side. I have been staying a month here, 

 though I only thought to stay three days. I have done ten large 

 paintings and three half-size. I have left eighteen large ones on 

 the walls at Mrs. Brounger's [at Wynberg, Cape Town.] I came 

 overland to Port Elizabeth, driving over the desert Karroo, and 

 even there I found treasures, and saw wonderful effects of mirage 

 and wild deer and long-legged birds. The railway down to the sea 

 took me through the most glorious swampy valley of Euphorbias, 

 prickly pears, and Aloes, with red flowers, often higher than men, 

 all tangled up in ivy geranium and Plumbago in full flower, and the 

 lovely wild vine, Cephalandra, with creamy flowers and scarlet 

 egg-fruit, hanging in the most lovely festoons. And every now and 

 then we came to groups of Kafir-huts, and grand people stalking 

 about in bright red drapery and feathers in their heads, like 

 Mephistopheles on the stage. It was all too wonderful ! A tame 

 ostrich, too, walked on to the platform and made faces at the train 

 at one of the stations. Port Elizabeth is quite a model little 

 town for neatness and comfort, with the most delicious supply of 

 water brought thirty miles from the gorge near this. I rode up 

 there one day with a first-rate botanist, Mr. Hallack (also a grocer), 

 who came over from Saturday till Monday on purpose to take me. 

 He is really a charming man, such as are rare in any quarter of the 

 world, and it was a great treat having a day with him. We found 

 three sorts of Rarveya. I have painted four : they are so very 

 lovely, and said to be parasites. On the very edge of the water- 

 fall we found quantities of Disa, small but exquisite, growing (like 

 its grand relative on Table Mountain) with its roots in the running 

 water ; and blue Agapanthus, Zauiias and Euphorbias were 

 clinging to the rocks above us, with any quantity of Gladiolus, 



