ZADOC THOMPSON. 



325 



No account of the life and labours of Prof. Thompson is at 

 all complete without some mention of his wife, for without her 

 aid arid sympathy he never could have accomplished what he 

 did. In childhood they roamed the fields together in search 

 of interesting objects, and later, as husband and wife, they 

 pursued with increased enthusiasm the same study of Nature ; 

 and long after Mr. Thompson's death his wife continued her 

 observations of animals and plants. Moreover, being a very 

 shrewd and efficient manager in all household matters, she was 

 able to carry the family through financial difficulties which 

 otherwise would have frustrated many of her husband's scien- 

 tific undertakings. Their house was not only a home, but it 

 was also a museum and a laboratory. It was a very modest 

 little white cottage, surrounded by a profusion of flowers when 

 the season permitted, and inside, every available shelf or stand 

 was crowded with specimens which either had been or were to 

 be carefully studied, while not seldom there were in or about 

 the house pens, cages, or tubs in which were kept many living 

 animals, whose daily life was under closest scrutiny. Mrs. 

 Thompson not only tolerated these inroads upon her housekeep- 

 ing, but delighted to assist her husband in his work, and really 

 deserves to be considered a colleague in many of his labours. 



Personally, Prof. Thompson was tall, angular, of a very 

 quiet and sedate yet very pleasant manner, a man of most 

 amiable and sweet temper, loved by all who knew him, and 

 respected for his sound sense and accurate judgment. Though 

 retiring by nature, he was fond of long chats aroundthe winter 

 hearth with such neighbours as were congenial. Prof. Joseph 

 Torrey was his most intimate friend, being an excellent bota- 

 nist, and with him Mr. Thompson's intercourse was most de- 

 lightful. He was simple, almost childlike in his tastes. Natu- 

 rally somewhat conservative, his training in science had given 

 him an open mind to all new truth. It is not improbable that 

 the sober manner which he usually maintained came from the 

 shadow of death which had long rested upon him. He was 

 affected by organic disease of the heart, which finally ended 

 his life, and for many years, knowing the possibility of sudden 

 death, he did not trust himself far from home alone. Most 

 often his companion was a Mr. Hills, who was draughtsman 

 and engraver of nearly if not quite all the cuts used in his 

 publications. 



