40 
“Connaught Place ; 
“January 26th, 1812. 
“DEAR UNCLE CHAPPELOW, 
“‘T have had a great fancy lately to study natural history, and 
to be a naturalist, as I should like it very much; I have begun by 
writing out the different genus species and orders of animals, birds, 
fishes, &c., and I hope as I grow older I shall be able to discover 
new things in natural history. The books you gave me have been of 
great use to me in it, indeed, I don’t know what I could do without 
them, as they helped me more than anything else. I am much 
wiser now in many things than I was before I had the books you was 
so kind as to give me as they have told me a good deal. The other 
day I read the life of Linnzeus, in which he talks of sitting up all 
night to study. I liked his life very much, though I do not think I 
should like to sit up all night by myself to study. I mean if I can to 
do and act just as Linnzeus ; therefore I should like to know what 
you would advise me to do to obtain the knowledge of natural history. 
I shall now conclude this letter by remaining 
Your affectionate great nephew in a /z¢t/e compas, 
L. JENYNS.” 
“ The above was written when the author of it was 72 years old.” 
[N.B.—The last two lines written in a different hand were evidently 
added by his great uncle Chappelow.] 
His fondness for solitary walks at that time acquired and which 
was one of his characteristics through life fostered that habit of 
observing, admiring and reflecting so characteristic of the future 
man. “Nature, (he writes) in its widest aspect, with all its 
charms—on a still summer’s day especially—had a great 
attraction for me irrespective of natural history pursnits. And it 
is most necessary to be alone on such occasions in order to drink 
in as it were, the fulness of pleasure the country yields to the 
observer apart from company and conversation.” Thus led on to 
the study of Nature the study of the classics was consequently not 
so eagerly pursued, but we find him alluding with pride to the 
fact of his Eton Tutor praising a copy of some sixty-six Latin 
