PREFACE. XV 
this was just prior to the letter, in company with his friends 
John and William Christy; and of this visit he wrote in the 
Introduction to the ‘ History of British Ferns.’ 
He was now freed from the cares and restraints of business; 
but no great journey was the result. Having begun to work at 
ferns he became fairly engrossed with his subject, as was always 
the case with everything he undertook. But still he was only 
studying, not writing, or at least not publishing; for, as has 
been already observed, he never published until his subject had 
been thoroughly grappled with and mastered. His first paper 
on ferns appeared, it is true, in 1838; but it was not until 1840 
that the ‘History’ appeared, although the first edition only 
reached to 104 pages. 
In June, 1839, he went to Ireland, whither he had made an 
excursion with his friend William Bennett a year or two 
previously. Starting alone from Newry, knapsack on back, he 
went northward, and so round the entire coast, until the tour 
finished at Dublin, in August. Throughout the whole trip he 
had paid especial attention to ferns, and collected a mass of 
information concerning them. But every natural object, in 
whatever branch, was of interest to his cultivated mind; and 
in the “ Notes on Irish Natural History” (1840), entomological, 
ornithological, and botanical observations, generally, are to be 
found. 
December of the same year found him still without a business, 
but working hard at the ‘Ferns ;’ not only writing the letter- 
press, but drawing the illustrations; for the whole of the beautiful 
drawings which illustrate it—figures, tailpieces, and landscapes 
—are the product of his careful pencil. Especial attention should 
be called to the fern scutcheon, with the motto, ‘‘ Elegantia et 
Humilitate,”’ on the title-page. The book was published early 
the following year, and was soon out of print. It was printed 
by George Luxford, the printer of the ‘Magazine of Natural 
History,’ which Mr. Newman was then temporarily editing, and 
thus they were associated. The ‘ Ferns’ having gone off so well 
_ there was inducement to publish other books. Mr. Luxford was 
a botanist and of literary ability, and therefore somewhat of a 
' congenial spirit. Mr. Newman was about to be married, and in 
4 want of a business. The idea, therefore, occurred to effect a 
