58 SKETCH OF THE LIFE AND CHARACTER 
His journeys and seasons of relaxation had al- 
ways some reference to the studies, which formed 
more and more the chief interest and occupation of 
his life. With this view, he visited successively the 
English Lakes, Scotland, and Switzerland; and 
returned from all these excursions, enriched with 
botanical treasures, and furnished with a mass of 
well observed facts, to guide him in his future 
inquiries. Of his Scotch tour he wrote out a very 
full account, which some friends to whom it was 
submitted, strongly urged him to publish. This 
he declined doing, on the ground, that it did not 
contain a sufficiency of new matter, and expressed 
a hope, that his family after his death would never 
listen to a similar suggestion. His desire of in- 
teresting his children in his own pleasures, induced 
him to study sketching from nature according to 
the laws of perspective, that he might practise it 
with them; but the weakness of his eyes which 
were never entirely free from pain, compelled him 
to give up the pursuit. 
In 1830, he retired from business, in the execu- 
tion of a wish which he had long cherished —to 
spend the remainder of his days in the undisturbed 
enjoyment of domestic happiness and the cultiva- 
tion of science. Although it was in the field of con- 
