LATER WORKS AND FRIENDSHIPS 177 



He had nothing to say for himself. We silenced 

 him utterly. It is no use for him to ask us to call 

 ourselves cousins with ourang-outangs. We will 

 not admit that we are descended from a monkey, 

 or a frog, or an atom. But seriously, we had a very 

 interesting talk, and Mr. Morris is able to throw 

 much light, from his peculiar studies, on this ques- 

 tion of the day. . . . Other subjects of theology and 

 literature were discussed, as well as a good York- 

 shire tea, and so ended a pleasant evening." 



When the Nightingale made its way to the valley 

 of Nunburnholme, which it did in the summer of 

 1868, this, as a matter of course, demanded a special 

 visit from the rector of Londesborough, who records 

 it in his happy way when writing to this same friend 

 at a distance. On this occasion the start was made 

 at nine o'clock in the evening, with the moon shining 

 and wild roses in bloom fitting accompaniments 

 for the party who went, as he expressed it, " to pay 

 their respects to the new-comer." 



And again, in another letter, Mr. Wilton wrote of 

 one of these many friendly calls : 



" Mr. Morris has just been up to see me, and has 

 done me good with half-an-hour's pleasant chat. 

 He wants me to go down with my dear wife and 

 meet a few friends at his house on Thursday even- 

 ing. It is a descent, I assure you, into the pretty 

 valley of Nunburnholme. You go down an im- 

 mensely long steep hill, quite a mile from the top 

 to the bottom. It is called most appropriately 

 ' Totterdown.' Fortunately we have the steadiest 



M 



