40 SIR WILLIAM FLOWER CHAP. 



a number of practical examples and advice as to 

 what can be done to preserve health in campaigns, 

 in exploration, and in surveying distant countries. 



It was while on a walking tour in Wales during 

 his early student days that Sir William met the 

 family of Admiral W. H. Smyth, whose youngest 

 daughter, then only fifteen' years of age, was destined 

 afterwards to become his wife. The Admiral, who, 

 among other rigorous rules of life, held that no 

 man could need more than five hours of sleep, and 

 only took four himself during his naval career, 

 was favourably impressed by learning that the tall 

 young man whom they met at a dance at Tanyralt 

 proposed only to change his clothes, and then to 

 walk twenty miles across the hills to join the coach 

 at Carnarvon. 



The acquaintance was continued, and before long 

 Flower found himself a guest at St. John's Lodge 

 (in the village of Stone, in the Vale of Aylesbury), 

 where Admiral Smyth carried on his astronomical 

 observations, researches, and publications in the 

 midst of his family, and surrounded by the ordinary 

 social life of the country. 



There Flower found an atmosphere of scientific 

 and intellectual activity of the most congenial kind, 

 in which every member of the family took an interest 

 and in some degree shared. There was plenty of 

 time for amusements too, but the environment was 

 certainly of an unusually vigorous character, both 

 mentally and physically. The eldest son, afterwards 



