MEMOIR. 



" His favourite attitude in the office was with his back to 

 the fireplace and with his hands behind him, head thrown 

 back, looking at, or rather through one. He seldom seemed 

 to look at anyone or anything, his glance always had 

 something of divination in it, and in his sketches, how- 

 ever slight, the soul of the thing was always seized, and 

 the accidental or unnecessary details left to others less 

 gifted to concern themselves with. 



" His love of symbolism was only equalled by his genius 

 for it, old ideas had new meanings for him, old symbols 

 were invested with deeper significance and new ones full 

 of grace and beauty discovered. In this his intense, en- 

 thusiastic love of nature and natural things stood him in 

 good stead, and he used Nature as the old men did, to 

 teach new truths. For him as well as for all true artists, 

 the universe was the living visible garment of God, the thin 

 glittering rainbow-coloured veil which hides the actual from 

 our eyes. He was the living embodiment of all that an 

 architect should be, he had the sacred fire of enthusiasm 

 within, and he had the power of communicating that fire 

 to others, so that workmen, masons, carvers could do, and 

 did lovingly for him, what they would not or could not 

 do for others. We all felt and still feel that it was his 

 example and precept that has given us what little true 

 knowledge and right feeling for Art we may possess, and 

 the pity is there will never be his like again. 



" He was not one of those who needed to pray ' Lord, 

 keep my memory green,' though that phrase was often on 

 his lips, as well as another delightful old epitaph : 



' Bonys emonge stonys lys ful steyl 

 Quilst the soules wanderis where that God will.'" 



This delightful and assuredly entirely faithful picture 

 * In Thornhill Church. 



