REMINISCENCES. xxxix 



unto it," which claimed his free and joyful obedience. More than 

 this can hardly be said, yet to say less would be a wrong to his 

 memory. 



FIELD-PREACHING. 



The meanest floweret of the vale, 

 The simplest note that swells the gale, 

 The common sun, the air, the skies, 

 To him are opening Paradise. — T. Gbat. 



I By Professor E. B. Cowell. 



[Professor Cowell kindly sends reminiscences of" walks with Babingtou," 

 a frequent entry in Hort's journals, from an early date. I never had 

 the luck to watch the Naturalist in his element. Often as we were 

 together, it was always under cover, till towards the end, when I sur- 

 prised him now and again gazing peacefully on his lair, the Botanic 

 Garden, from a Bath-chair. Otherwise the passion for hunting plants, 

 strong in my boyhood, must have cast its spell upon me once more, 

 after many days. — J.E.B.M.] 



Professor Babington knew every corner of Cambridgeshire 

 from long personal examination ; it was his botanical parish ; and 

 he could tell always beforehand what plants to look for in any 

 locality at any given season. He was thus the very person to 

 inspire a botanical enthusiasm, for his eye at once detected the 

 objects of interest, and he knew all that they had to tell. Expe- 

 ditions with him to Thetford, Chippenham, the old Roman Road, 

 Wicken Fen, and many a similar locality, remain golden retrospects 

 in one's life; they opened his companion's eyes to hitherto un- 

 noticed interests in field and lane. He had learned by experience 

 that everybody, unless he has already an absorbing pursuit of his 

 own, is a potential botanist; it only requires an enthusiastic 

 teacher, and the ready audience will be found everywhere. 



He knew North Wales nearly as well as Cambridgeshire, and 

 I shall never forget our many rambles in the neighbourhood of 

 Snowdon, — one especially in Cwm glas in 1878, when we hunted 

 out all the rare plants which hide themselves in that rocky solitude. 

 One could have almost fancied that they were glad to attract his 

 eye as he passed. His great interest was in the plants themselves 

 as living organisms, and in tracing their relations to each other and 

 their surroundings ; and his enthusiasm could hardly fail to kindle 

 an answering glow in the listener. I have often seen him interest a 

 casual audience in a railway carriage, as he pointed out an unknown 

 part or function in some apparently well-known flower; a furze 

 blossom or an umbellate flower would thus gain a new significance ; 

 and these accidental hints might easily wake up a new and life-long 

 interest in a young hearer. I have often since adapted his lessons 

 to small audiences of my own, proud to be thus the medium to 

 hand on the benefits of his teaching. 



Auff. 15, 1895. 



