236 RETIREMENT FROM BUSINESS. [l872. 



Curiously enough, this was a locality, near the old 

 Kensington gravel-pits, to which Prestwich many years 

 before had often paid visits, and sometimes in company 

 with Professor Morris. 



At last, to his infinite relief, and that of his friend 

 Pengelly, the Brixham Cave Report was sent in to the 

 Royal Society. It was read in abstract in May, and 

 was published in the Royal Society Proceedings for 

 1872, the full text appearing in the 'Philosophical 

 Transactions' for 1873. The exploration of the cave 

 had been completed in 1859, but largely owing to the 

 sad death of Dr Falconer, the full report was unfortu- 

 nately postponed. In the end the animal remains were 

 described by Mr George Busk, and the worked flints by 

 Sir John Evans. 



A short paper on a raised beach at Portsdown Hill, 

 near Portsmouth, was published in the ' Geological 

 Journal ' ; and Prestwich also found time for a magazine 

 article (on popular lines) on the probable extension of 

 coal-measures in the south-east of England, which ap- 

 peared in * Popular Science Review/ 



The event which signalised this year, and which had 

 a marked influence on his subsequent career, was his re- 

 tirement, after forty years of City life, from business 

 and Mark Lane. This step was not taken without 

 long and anxious deliberation, but when his mind was 

 once made up there was prompt action. He never re- 

 gretted this step, and often remarked the mistake was 

 that he had not retired several years sooner. Owing 

 to this, a reduction in the home establishment became 

 necessary, but could such a consideration ever be 

 weighed in the balance with leisure for the work to 

 which he had dedicated his life ! 



His character and integrity were recognised in the 



