HORNBY. 



101 



Traits of Hornby's character are as follows: 



Nomadism and love of the sea. His great passion in childhood was the navy; 

 every evening his occupation was to carve little boats out of small pieces of wood. 

 He was fond of fishing, hunting, and shooting; "a sedentary life was entirely for- 

 eign to his habits and inclinations." Doubtless the elements of his tastes come 

 to him from both sides. His mother's father was General "Saratoga" Burgoyne, 

 who entered the army at an early age, eloped with a daughter of the Earl of 

 Derby, soon had to sell his commission to meet his debts, and then lived abroad 

 for seven years; and gambled recklessly. Later he devoted much time to art and 

 drama. He fought against the American colonists and was badly defeated at Sara- 

 toga and deprived of his command. By an opera singer he had several illegitimate 

 children, of whom one (Sir John Fox Burgoyne) became a British field marshal. 

 Hornby's father was a naval officer who was given command of the Pacific squadron 

 at 63 and was later appointed on the board of admiralty. 



Love of knowledge. This was early manifested at school. His favorite 

 studies (next to strategy) were geology and chemistry. In later life he showed 

 a scrupulous honesty and dislike of any half-truths. He took a keen interest in 

 everything that came his way. One of his brothers studied at Oxford, and then 

 became a captain in the Royal Engineers. Their mother was the "wisest woman 

 that ever lived," her granddaughter writes. 



Appeal of form. This is shown in his interest in woodcraft, beginning with 

 his childish carving of boats. As a boy he had a great passion for animals, especially 

 horses and dogs. In the summer he gave much time to the care and study of bees. 



He was of a calm temperament. As a boy he had a bad temper which he 

 later brought under control. As a midshipman he was a "great favorite." He had, 

 as an adult, "a wonderful charm of manner, a light-hearted bonhomie, and his eyes 

 were lighted with an irresistible twinkle." He stirred others to enthusiasm by his 

 keenness. He spoke shortly and to the point, sometimes very humorously. He 

 was fond of the hunt. He was a man of judgment and insight into affairs, like his 

 father, who was appointed to the board of admiralty. 



FAMILY HISTORY OP SIR GEOFFREY THOMAS PHIPPS HORNBY. 



II (F F M F), John Winckley. 13 (M F F F), Sir John Burgoyne, reckless and extrava- 

 gant. I 4 (M F F M), Constance Lucy. I 5 (M F M F), Charles Burnestone, a wealthy London 

 merchant. 



