CHAPTER VI 



FAMILY LIFE IN LINCOLN'S INN FIELDS 



THOUGH Flower began his work at the Hunterian 

 Museum on January i, 1862, it was not till April 15, 

 the fourth anniversary of their wedding-day, that he, 

 Mrs. Flower, and the two children began to reside 

 there, a day of good augury for the twenty -two 

 " perfectly happy years " which they were destined 

 to spend there before his appointment to the 

 British Museum of Natural History brought them 

 to live in Stanhope Gardens, to be near the scene of 

 the day's work. There five more children were 

 born to them, making in all a healthy and happy 

 family of seven, who grew up together, and were 

 able to be the companions not only of their mother, 

 but of their father, to a degree which does not 

 always occur when the head of the family is deeply 

 engaged in successful work. 



After the lapse of a few years the echoing 

 chambers and gallery of the Museum were often 

 converted into a playroom for a family of delighted 

 children " after office hours." What used to happen 

 is perhaps best quoted from a letter from Flower's 



74 



