Appendix 117 



unknown "we" of their monthly magazine the reserved 

 man whom publishers and others found "stiff," and "cold," 

 and "a little haughty," and whose fine points of character 

 stood out, like sunny mountain peaks against a mist. These 

 letters, it appears, were personal, and full of feeling. The 

 writers wished to know the man, to see his portrait, and many 

 requested him to have it published in the "Horticulturist." 

 When in his neighborhood, these correspondents came to 

 visit him. They were anxious "to see the man who had 

 written books which had enabled them to make their houses 

 beautiful, - - which had helped their wives in the flower- 

 garden, and had shown them how, with little expense, to 

 decorate their humble parlors, and add a grace to the barren- 

 ness of daily life." All this was better than Queen Anne's 

 "magnificent ring." 



Meanwhile, business in the nursery looked a little 

 threatening. Money was always dropping from the hos- 

 pitable hand of the owner. Expenses increased - - affairs 

 became complicated. It is not the genius of men like 

 Downing to manage the finances very skilfully. 'Every 

 tree that he sold for a dollar, cost him ten shillings;" 

 which is not a money-making process. He was perhaps 

 too lavish, too careless, too sanguine. "Had his income 

 been a million a minute, he would always have been in 

 debt," says one who knew him well. The composed manner 

 was as unruffled as ever; the regal will preserved the usual 

 appearance of things, but in the winter of 1846-7 Mr. Down- 

 ing w r as seriously embarrassed. It was a very grave juncture, 

 for it \vas likely that he would be obliged to leave his house 

 and begin life again. But his friends rallied to the rescue. 

 They assured to him his house and grounds; and he, without 

 losing time, without repining, and with the old determina- 

 tion, went to work more industriously than ever. His atten- 

 tion \vas unremitting to the "Horticulturist," and to all the 

 projects he had undertaken. His interest in the manage- 

 ment of the nursery, however, decreased, and he devoted 

 himself with more energy lo rural architecture and landscape 

 gardening, until he gradually discontinued altogether the 



