232 GARDENING. [1872. 



As soon as he was well the novels were discarded and 

 his geological books resumed. 



He indulged, however, in one passion, and that was 

 transplanting : perhaps the open-air exercise it neces- 

 sitated prevented a complete breakdown. A garden- 

 book was kept, in which he had during summer entered 

 every shrub and tree to be moved into a better position 

 at the proper season. Consequently, in November the 

 whole garden seemed to be in motion. With the excep- 

 tion of a few which succumbed, the result was generally 

 good, as when a tree changed place it was into a trench 

 with improved soil, and so with holes for the shrubs. 

 Thus they made more vigorous and rapid growth. He 

 liked to give surprises, and used to introduce his wife 

 to some clump of foliage, which without her knowledge 

 had been rearranged with larger plants, and mischiev- 

 ously ask whether she had not noticed the great start 

 they had made during the year ! 



The Sundays were such happy days, and really a 

 rest they never seemed long enough. He was rarely 

 absent from Morning Service, leaving guests who were 

 not disposed to go to church to take care of themselves. 

 When fluctuating health prevented his attendance at 

 church, he always liked to read aloud the Morning 

 Service (or greater part of it) verse about with his 

 wife, one of them repeating the responses. 



Certain Sundays can never be forgotten : one in 

 particular, some two years later, stands apart in the 

 writer's memory. Mr David Forbes the metallurgist 

 (brother of Edward Forbes) had promised to bring 

 down his charming young Polish wife for the day, but 

 as they did not arrive at the appointed time, it was 

 supposed that the steady rain had prevented them. 

 Between two and three o'clock, however, a mud-bespat- 



