102 > ' : .MBWIH OF ALFRED SMEE. [CHAP. IX. 



My father, wherever he went, found something new or tempt- 

 ing for his garden. His portmanteau was hut too frequently 

 converted into a flower-garden hefore he reached England again, 

 and which not a little surprised the Customs' officers, when they 

 inspected his luggage. Plants were the primary consideration, 

 clothes secondary, if they could claim any consideration at all. 

 At Pompeii he found more Maidenhair ferns growing on the 

 walls of that ruined town, to which he paid repeated visits. At 

 Eome he was much impressed with the grand buildings and ruins. 

 He went daily to St. Peter's, the Coliseum, and was much struck 

 with the nohle proportions of the Pantheon. The pictures and 

 sculptures afforded him much pleasure, and it was during this 

 visit that he made those curious notes on Binocular Perspective 

 which are alluded to in the Appendix, No. XIX. My father 

 gained much recreation and enjoyment, and would have re- 

 turned, I doubt not, a stronger man, had he not, unhappily, 

 been obliged by untoward circumstances to stop, and not only 

 doctor, but also help with my mother to nurse, severe cases of 

 illness. He was urgently required in London, and he could not 

 leave, and the worry and anxiety attending this delay greatly 

 marred the enjoyment of this visit, and prevented that benefit 

 to his health which his family had hoped to see. What 

 a keen interest he took in the new forms of vegetation he met 

 with in beautiful Italy, the following extracts from letters 

 to my brother, who was in England acting as his deputy, will 

 show : 



March 16th, 1870, Florence. To compare with Carshalton. 

 Almonds now in flower; some peach-trees and pear-trees swelling 

 their buds ; anemones in flower ; sloe-trees in full flower. 



April 6th, 1870, Florence. I forgot to tell you that swallows appeared 

 at Naples on March 28th, and I saw them here on March 31st. 



April 12th, 1870. The country is really very beautiful with wild 

 tulips, wild flowers, and all the fruit-trees in flower, and the mountains 

 look lovely. 



M. is still very weak. I do not know how I am to get home ; I shall 

 be so thankful to write and state that we are on the move. 



April 23rd, 1870. I heard the nightingales last night, April 22nd ; 

 compare with Carshalton, for I believe the birds distribute well over 

 Europe on the same day. Inquire at Carshalton, and make a note of it. 



April 24<th, 1870. Nightingales in quantities. I heard yesterday also 

 the cuckoo the first time. 



