CHAPTER XV 



A VISIT TO TENNYSON 



SPEAKING at the unveiling of the late Director's 

 bust at the Natural History Museum, the Arch- 

 bishop of Canterbury said that among the qualities 

 which he most admired in him were his en- 

 thusiasm for his work, and the way in which 

 he contrived to interest others in the subject with- 

 out ever boring them. Those who either accom- 

 panied him round his Museum by invitation on 

 Sundays, or whom he met in the building, and 

 who found before they were quite aware of it that 

 he was gently making himself their guide, will 

 heartily assent to this view. His Sunday gather- 

 ings there, before it was opened to the public, 

 were particularly pleasant as social meetings and 

 useful to the Museum, for the varied and very 

 distinguished company who came to them spread 

 interest in what was going on in circles whence 

 effective help or support was frequently forthcoming 

 for useful projects connected with Natural History. 

 At the same time he was equally keen on interest- 

 ing the working men and the leaders of democratic 



203 



