BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE 



merely specious in my argument a thing which in 

 the old days often happened ! I am so glad the 

 photo has this characteristic expression. I think, 

 in a very charming way, it reflects the outstanding 

 feature of his moral and mental personality. He 

 liked cleverness, but wouldn't put up with it for a 

 moment if it were superficial. His love of truth was 

 something more than the habit of a trained scientist.' 



He would never go out of his way by a hair's-breadth 

 to conciliate or pander to ' useful ' people whom he 

 disliked in order to advance his interests. He was 

 timid socially, but he was absolutely fearless where 

 the rights and wrongs of life were concerned. 



He would not ' strike leagues of friendship with 

 cheap persons, where no friendship can be/ but he 

 had a few friends to whom he stood in the closest 

 relation. His best friend wrote : /' He was more to 

 me than a brother.' 



From those over whom he was set in authority he 

 won the most loyal and devoted service. This applied 

 to the native staff at Peradeniya no less than to his 

 Sub-Inspectors of the Board of Agriculture. He was 

 always considerate, just, and above all anxious to give 

 every man credit for work well done. His staff knew 

 that he never spared himself, and they had a great 

 respect for his untiring energy and his thoroughness. 



The following beautiful tribute came to me from one 

 of his Sub-Inspectors : 



' Although it is only a little over a year since I first 

 knew him, yet I feel that I have lost a valuable friend. 

 He was more like a friend than a supervisor* for he 



xix. 



