60 1860-1865 : PEBSONAL 



touching the death of his father-in-law Henslow in May 1861 ; 

 of his little daughter Minnie (September 28, 1863) ; of Falconer 

 and of Sir William Hooker in 1865. 



We realise the beauty of Henslow's character from the 

 words of the friend and close intimate whose intimacy had 

 only served to increase his admiration and affection. It was 

 a prolonged deathbed. Bronchitis and congestion of the 

 lungs aggravated long-standing heart disease, and all through 

 April and May he was in a hopeless condition. Hooker spent 

 a long time at Hitcham tending him, for happily his father 

 was well and active and could spare him from Kew. He writes 

 to Huxley on April 3 : 



He has bidden farewell to his friends, parishioners and 

 little botanical school children, one by one, addressing a few 

 words of encouragement and advice to each with a calmness 

 and affectionate interest that is quite overpowering. 



I am utterly overwhelmed ; to be loved as he was for the 

 good he had done I would lay down my science and almost 

 turn parson. To me personally the loss will be immeasurable 

 — he took interest in everything I did and I loved him — I am 

 wrong to think how much. 



His loss to this neighbourhood will be incalculable ; there 

 is none to take his place, morally, socially or religiously. 

 Between his paroxysms he talks of all his friends as calmly 

 as possible, discourses on Essays and Keviews and all the 

 great religious questions with the most perfect openness 

 and fairness, and for thorough appreciation of the opinions 

 of those with whom he differs, his charity is unbounded. 

 You know how my associations are sunk in this place and 

 can guess how I take tearing them up by the roots — bitterly. 



And again on the 11th : 



His brain scarcely indicates a change in its workings. He 

 goes on dictating letters when he can, of advice, encourage- 

 ment and warnings to all who he thinks may be bettered 

 by them. I have written some very touching ones. The 

 kindness and wisdom with which he does all this is very 

 admirable, not only in counselling individuals to pursue some 

 innocent substitute for their besetting sin, but recommending 



