CHARACTERISTICS. I47 



He felt for young men, especially, an almost fatherly in- 

 terest ; the friends of his sons could always rely on him 

 for counsel and help ; for those who were passing through 

 struedes such as he had himself endured, he had an un- 

 tiring sympathy ; whenever it was possible he exerted 

 himself to promote their welfare or professional advance- 

 ment ; and even if that lay beyond the reach of any effort 

 of his, the influence of his example and encouragement 

 proved a strength and support. Writing of " that beautiful 

 " presence, full of benevolence and kindly dignity, of intel- 

 " lectual vivacity and moral earnestness, of wisdom and 

 " love which pervaded the whole atmosphere of the house, 

 "and lent a charm to the most trivial interests and a 

 " brightness to the most serious employments," an American 

 visitor recalled her memories of a brief stay in the summer 

 of 1884:— 



I think of him in every phase of that short intercourse, 

 of his friendly morning greeting, of his table-talk, so easy, 

 so entertaining, of the long walks in the gardens, through 

 the park, down in the city, of the expedition to Kew, of all 

 those excursions lighted up, illustrated, by a constant flow 

 of anecdote or personal reminiscences, poured out without 

 stint, without reserve, as freely as if he were talking to his 

 equals, instead of to insignificant persons who could give him 

 nothing in return. Especially I think of the Sunday morning 

 when he and I alone went to the Temple Church, and, finding 

 it closed, wandered about the gardens, sat down in the Fountain 

 Court, and then penetrated through Lincoln's Inn Fields, into 

 the crowded ways by Drury Lane, and out again into the 

 decorous Strand. I wish I could have made notes of all his 

 talk that day, especially as we sat half an hour by the fountain 

 in the stillness of the Sunday morning and of the ancient build- 

 ings round. And most of all I think of him as he sat on 

 Sunday evenings playing the sweet old music that he loved, his 

 face full of light, and his voice of sweetness. 

 A similar impression was recorded after his death by 



