56 PnOCEEDIXGS OF THE 



shape in ' Phiirinacographia'; be was one of the comparatively few 

 visitors whom Oliver .seemed glad to see, for ihe latter was 

 iin|)atieiit of interruptioi), and inquirers in search of casual infor- 

 mation iound short shrift at his hand. ... Of course to genuine 

 workers Oliver was always attentive enough, but bis rapid speech 

 and jerky manner certainly tended to intimidate the nervous, and, 

 until I became used to them, alarmed me a good deal. I never 

 knew a man who seemed so continually at high pressure ; to meet 

 him walking, always at a rapid pace, through tlie Gai'dens, or to 

 hear him running up or down stairs, was in itself an object-lesson 

 on the importance of time and the necessity of making use of every 

 fragment of it. 



" Tiiis, however, was during his working hours; it was not long 

 before I was invited to spend an evening at his house — an invitation 

 from time to time renewed and always glndly accepted — and I 

 then had the opportunity of appreciating the restful and artistic 

 side of Oliver's character. Euskin was at the height of his 

 reputation and the English Pre-liaphaelites were in vogue. Oliver 

 was a devoted admirer of Euskin, whose i)ersonal acquaintance 

 was to come later. 



"It was in 1869 that Oliver began to devote his leisure to 

 drawing — to the pursuit of which his later years were mainly 

 devoted. . . . His holidays were spent in sketching — first in 

 North Wales, then in Cornwall, Jersey, France. . . . He had a 

 small but choice collection of Avater-colours, mainly the work of 

 Alfred W. Hunt, of which he had a high appreciation; to this 

 he devoted the fees received from his lectures, . . . 



"In the summer of 1874 Oliver invited me to join him at 

 Auxerre, in the Department of the Toinie. It was the first time 

 I had been abroad, and the memory of the fortnight then spent 

 will always remain among the pleasantest of my life. Oliver 

 devoted himself to sketching with characteristic energy, going 

 out before breakfast, and working all day. The poplar-clad banks 

 of the Yonne afforded aliundant occupation, varied with studies 

 of the architecture of the charming old town, especially of the 

 cathedral, \A"hich from various aspects formed a centre of interest. 

 ... It w^as at this time that Oliver was copying the architectural 

 treatment of plants and animals, some of which he subsequently 

 reproduced decades (in 1882-6) for private circulation under the 

 title 'Plant and Animal Forms as used by Workmen of the 

 Middle Ages in Decoration chiefly of French Churches.' Of these 

 there were five fascicles, the drawings principally from i^ miens, 

 Laon, Soissons, Beauvais, Senlis, and Noyon. The last fascicle 

 is entirely devoted to Chartres . . . especially rich in floral 

 representation : liannncuhis repens, sometimes vigorously treated, 

 is a favourite subject, and there are fine studies of oak and ivy. 



" Ruskin . . . wi'ote 'Quite the best I have ever seen. . . . 

 Tour Amiens work is magnificent and skilful and truthful — to the 

 nearly highest point.' ... As appears from various passages in 

 Buskin's writings, he was accustomed to apply to Oliver for 



