REMINISCENCES. Ixxv 



Mr. Burkill writes : " His extreme kindness kept him always 

 busy for others — this was one of his most noticeable characteristics. 

 When he appointed me as his assistant in 1891, it was but a month 

 before his illness ; but then and during the three previous years, 

 when from time to time I had had occasion to ask his advice about 

 any plant, I always found him busy with the same work — either 

 Eubi from his own collection or Eubi for some one else : more rarely 

 it would be something of a different genus, but nearly always it was 

 work for somebody who had written to him. I myself owe much to 

 him for his great kindness. When I began work here, he used to 

 come down an hour earlier than usual, because he found it suited 

 me better, and he liked to be there to help me in getting started. 

 He was extremely retiring in many ways, and though he usually 

 spent more money on the maintenance of the Herbarium than the 

 allowance, he never mentioned it in his report. He was extremely 

 methodical : everything was noted down at once. His critical work 

 was rather slow and sure, for he always said that another would 

 take in the difference between the plants in less time than he could. 

 He did not see differences at the first glance, but worked them out 

 slowly and thoughtfully." 



The extreme kindness which Babington shewed to all with 

 whom he came in contact, and especially to beginners in his 

 favourite science, was very marked. He answered letters promptly, 

 and his replies were full of interest; many of those who subse- 

 quently made for themselves a name among British botanists were 

 stimulated by his encouragement. He was glad to share his pleasure 

 with others ; when away on a holiday in some place where interesting 

 plants abounded, he would say, " We must get Newbould down here," 

 conscious that his old friend and admirer would take keen delight in 

 the things which gave him so much happiness, as well as in the 

 genial company which would recall early rambles together. For, 

 as the sketch which I published of Mr. Newbould* shews, a 

 warm attachment existed between the two botanists, dating from 

 their college days. Newbould had met Babington in Scotland in 

 1845, had accompanied him to Pembrokeshire in 1848, to Ireland 

 in 1852 and again in 1858, and to North Wales (with Jacques Gay) 

 in 1862 : they had previously worked in Cambridgeshire and Essex, 

 and in later life a visit to Babington was one of the keenest joys of 

 Newbould's existence. They spent a pleasant time together at 

 Grange-over-Sands in 1884, after the meeting of the British Asso- 

 ciation at York. Babington's affectionate tribute to the memory of 

 his friend will be found in this Journal for 1886, p. 159. 



Any account of Babington would be incomplete which did not 

 contain some reference to the strong religious spirit which domi- 

 nated his life. Brought up in the Evangelical school of thought, 

 which at that time aroused the Established Church from the lethargy 



* Journ. Bot. 1886, 161- 174. 



