236 SENT TO ENGLAND 



written a book myself and that I was now considered an author, 

 and this gave me some standing with Lady Brassey and, while 

 we were all taking carriages to go to Hastings, I was placed in the 

 carriage with their daughter, Miss Brassey, and a young man, the 

 tutor in the family. We had a fine ride together and, in conversa- 

 tion, Miss Brassey asked me if I would like to see the Domesday 

 Oak, which she pointed out, and, after a time, we passed on and 

 saw Battle Abbey and then drove through Hastings, a great 

 watering-place, on the coast of England. I may mention that, 

 on all these trips, we were at no expense as our invitation was 

 either for a special train or our passage was paid. 



Late in the summer, I had another invitation to go to Sion 

 House on the Thames, above London, to see the rose garden and 

 an excursion boat was hired by the Duke and we all went up the 

 Thames together. We were received by Lord Atherly, who re- 

 presented the Duke, and I was pleased to find that his secretary 

 had been secretary to the Marquis of Lome and knew me because 

 he was the man who had invited me to lecture for the Marquis 

 at Ottawa. He at once introduced me to Lord Atherly and it 

 was not long before my Lord and myself were going arm in arm 

 through the grounds, admiring the trees and, I found afterwards, 

 admired by some of my friends. Lord Atherly began to talk trees 

 with me and took me around the grounds and showed me trees of 

 a large size that had been planted there over one hundred years 

 back and had been brought originally from Canada. While with 

 Lord Atherly, Sir Thomas Brassey came up with his Lady and 

 they immediately remembered me. 



Another very important thing took place early in November, 

 just as I was leaving for home. I got an invitation to attend the 

 Temple Church in London and to bring my friends with me. 

 We reached there in due time and stood with the general congre- 

 gation and saw the commencement of the service. The choir boys 

 took their places and a beadle, dressed up in fantastic clothes, 

 came and tapped me on the shoulder and asked me if I were Pro- 

 fessor Macoun. When I said that I was, he bowed and told me 

 to follow him. I followed him and he took me to the seat next 

 to the President (of the Royal Society) and sat me down in the stall 



