Xvi MEMOIR. 



noticed, nor presupposed, but it was doubly grateful to 

 him, because he was always a Christian believer, and be- 

 cause all parade was repugnant to him. His letters before 

 his marriage, and during the last years of his life, evince 

 the most genuine Christian faith and feeling. 



His residence in England was very brief a summer 

 trip. He crossed to Paris and saw French life. For- 

 tunately, as his time was short, he saw more in a day 

 than most men in a month, because he was prepared 

 to see, and knew where to look. He found the assistant 

 he wished in Mr. Calvert Vaux, a young English ar- 

 chitect, to whom he was introduced by the Secretary 

 of the Architectural Association, and with whom, so 

 mutual was the satisfaction, he directly concluded an 

 agreement. Mr. Vaux sailed with him from Liverpool 

 in September, presently became his partner in business, 

 and commanded, to the end, Mr. Downing's unreserved 

 confidence and respect. 



I remember a Christmas visit to Downing in 1850, after 

 his return from Europe, when we all danced to a fiddle upon 

 the marble pavement of the hall, by the light of rustic 

 chandeliers wreathed with Christmas green, and under the 

 antlers, and pikes, and helmets, and breastplates, and 

 plumed hats of cavaliers, that hung upon the walls. The 

 very genius of English Christmas ruled the revel. 



During these years he was engaged in superintending 

 the various new editions of his works, and looking forward 

 to larger achievements with maturer years. He designed 

 a greatly enlarged edition of the " Fruit-Trees," and 

 spoke occasionally of the " Shade-Trees," as a work which 

 would be of the greatest practical value. He was much 

 interested in the establishment of the Pomological Con- 

 gress, was chairman of its fruit committee from the begin- 



