PRACTICAL FLY FISHING 



a rural suburb. On Mr. Beever's retirement 

 from business they removed to Birdsgrove, near 

 Ashbourne by the Dove, in Derbyshire ; and in 

 1827 they settled finally at the Thwaite House* 

 Coniston, which has ever since been known, 

 and widely known, by their name. 



Four years later Mr. W. Beever died. His 

 wife had died when the children were quite 

 young. A second son, Henry, was settled in 

 Manchester, practising as a lawyer; but the 

 rest remained for many years together, Miss 

 Anne, a year older than John, and her sisters, 

 Mary, Margaret and Susanna. They lived a 

 simple country life, spending much of their 

 strength in the service of their village neigh- 

 bours, secure in the affection of a close circle of 

 friends, and contented with 'the harvest of a 

 quiet eye. 7 



Several of the sisters became authorities on 

 the botany of the district. Baxter in his British 

 Flowering Plant s, speaking of a rare species of 

 Pearlwort, says : ' The specimen of this curious 

 and interesting little plant, from which the 

 accompanying drawing was made, was com- 

 municated to me by Miss Susan Beever. To 

 the kindness of this young lady, and that of 

 her sister, Miss Mary Beever, I am indebted 

 for the four plants figured in this number.' 



xii 



