xl CHARLES CARDALE BABINGTON. 



II By Mrs. R. B. Batty.* 



You kindly say you would like to have my reminiscences of 

 your husband, my own husband's valued friend of Cambridge days, 

 my reminiscences especially of the meeting with you and him in 

 lovely Connemara. I remember my joy at finding you both in the 

 primitive inn at Clifden, — an abode which proved so delightful to 

 me, and I think to yourselves, although the old French chevalier, 

 our fellow-guest, would have had " plus de convenances, et beaucoup 

 plus de complaisance ! " Professor Babington's kindly nature over- 

 looked deficiencies, accepted unsophisticated civilities, heeded not 

 broken panes, nor the necessity to prop the windows with forks or 

 bottles ; and when you invited a party of friends, including myself, 

 and some of the clergy and young school teachers of the place, to 

 tea in your private room, and the teapot, weighted with tea-leaves 

 of many days' accumulation, fell from your hand to the floor, how 

 ready he was, after assuring himself that you were not hurt, to 

 laugh heartily at the little contretemps, and its evident cause. How 

 pleasant and enjoyable was the meal, seasoned with his gentle 

 courtesy, and always instructive conversation, followed at his sug- 

 gestion by the reading of a chapter, and singing of some hymns 

 before we separated. Truly he was a man of science loving God, 

 and acknowledging Him in all His works. 



How charming was the drive, in which I was privileged to 

 join, to the romantic village of Roundstone, in that ancient full- 

 bodied coach, of the comforts or discomforts of which no heed 

 could be taken, whilst he called attention to the wild and beautiful 

 landscape, or the little sparking lakes with which the district 

 abounds, explaining how those to the right were salt water, being 

 in connexion with the Connemara Bay, with ebb and flow from the 

 Atlantic Ocean, whilst those on the other hand are fresh Avater 

 lakes, fed by numberless mountain streamlets. How his eye was 

 ever on the alert for blossoms amidst the wide expanse of golden, 

 fruit-scented gorse, and heaths of every tint of pink or white. 

 Then came the hush, and our excitement, as we neared the spot 

 where the Professor expected to find one rare and choice variety. 

 Presently leaning out he called to the driver to stop, left the 

 coach, and walking a few steps forward, plunged his hand into 

 a tuft of crimson heather. He plucked out a spray of heath, — 

 I see him now, as I saw him then, with the look of quiet satisfaction 

 on his earnest, kindly face : "Yes, I have it," said the Professor, as 



* "Widow of Robert Braithwaite Batty, fellow of Emmanuel (second wrangler, 

 B.A. 1853, M.A. 1856). He was elder son of the late Lieut.-Col. Batty, Grenadier 

 Guards, of Ridgmount Place, Amptbill. On 24 July 1860, he married at St. James's, 

 Piccadilly, Beatrice, eldest daughter of Hen. Stebbing, D.D., Rector of St. Mary's, 

 Upper Thames Street {Cambr. Indep. Press, 28 July 1860). He died, as a missionary 

 of the C.M.S., at the mission house, Amritzar, 22 June 1861, aei. 32 {Cambr. Chron.y 

 17 Aug. 1861 bis). 



