52 BEOREATION. [1837-38. 



siderable fortune in early life. He invested a portion of 

 his capital in the Mark Lane firm, and thus became a 

 sleeping partner, which conferred on him the right of 

 giving his wise counsel and advice. It is impossible to 

 over-estimate the importance of his now life-long affec- 

 tion for Joseph Prestwich, who was many years his 

 junior. 



Later on, when Prestwich had moved into Mark Lane 

 and acquired the habit of working at his geology far 

 into the hours of the night, Mr Scott, who then lived at 

 Gaddesdon Hoo, Hertfordshire, often wiled him away 

 from the City from Saturday until Monday. They 

 generally made a trysting-place between Mr Scott's 

 house and some rather distant railway station. It was 

 characteristic of our geologist to choose a station several 

 miles from the house, so that he might have more 

 ground to go over, and the chance of making observa- 

 tions in a fresh and wider field. He thus had a walk 

 across country to a given point where his brother-in- 

 law waited, the latter having put up the carriage at 

 some village inn. These walks were delightful to both, 

 and most refreshing to the City man. We find notes 

 written again and again by this devoted brother-in-law, 

 urging that it was high time for rest and a holiday, 

 little thinking that perhaps a holiday might mean the 

 closest working time of all. 



Here we may observe that Joseph Prestwich delighted 

 in the society of children, and seemed to know by in- 

 stinct what pleased each child most. He had the gift 

 of fascinating and amusing them as no one else within 

 our knowledge ever had, and it was a joyous time for 

 the little Scotts when " Uncle Joseph " was at " the 

 Hoo." Sophia, the eldest, was a child of unusual 

 promise, with a mind cast somewhat in the same mould 



