2 SIR VICTOR BROOKE CHAP. 



worthy of his great powers ; but whatever it was, from 

 science to sport or pastime, he gave it the very best of 

 himself. This, coupled with an intense enjoyment of 

 life, at least up to the time of his brother's death, and 

 love of the companionship of his fellow-men, made him 

 a most attractive personality. Even women whose 

 society he sought but little never met him without 

 feeling the charm of his enthusiastic nature. 



It was this power of personal attraction, coupled 

 with great mental ability, I think, that gave Victor 

 Brooke his undoubted influence over men of all classes 

 of life. If anything had to be done that required the 

 amalgamation of divergent views and the convincing 

 others, ofttimes opponents, of its advantages, you had 

 only to get him to take it up, and the affair, whatever 

 it might be, was brought to a successful ending. 



At Pau, where he spent so many winters, this 

 influence was most markedly felt, and the loss sustained 

 there by his death most touchingly expressed by 

 English, Americans, and Frenchmen alike. 



A many-sided man full of interest in numbers of 

 different subjects, he reached his highest point in his 

 scientific researches in biological science. Sir William 

 Flower has very kindly written for me a full account of 

 his knowledge of him in that respect, and of the work 

 he contributed to that branch of science. Without his 

 aid I should have been unable to place before the 

 public any adequate description of the labour and 

 ability displayed by Brooke in the years he devoted to 

 this engrossing subject As a public speaker he had 

 that rare quality of carrying his audience with him, and 

 I have, in common with many others, deeply regretted 

 that he never turned his attention to political life ; if he 

 had, there is little doubt he would have reached no 

 mean position among the representatives of his country. 



