APPENDIX I. 37* 



published. It was received very favourably by the religious 

 press, and there were many interesting letters from those who 

 appreciated the book. 



The following years, from 1885 to 1887, saw him returning to 

 the old occupation and study of the Rotifera, or " wheel-animal- 

 cules." He became acquainted with Dr. Hudson, of Clifton, 

 and with him brought out the two volumes of The Rotifera, or 

 Wheel- Animalcules. His ardour and persistency in the micro- 

 scopical study of these minute animals at his advanced age were 

 remarkable. He was whole days with the microscope before 

 him in his study, interrupted only by correspondence with 

 various students over England, Europe, and America. 



In our frequent drives, when this study could be intermitted, 

 we would, with bottles in baskets, search the dirty ditches, and 

 sundry ponds and puddles, for these tiny, almost invisible, animal- 

 cules. Three young ladies, daughters of some intimate friends 

 about three miles distant, were enlisted into the work of pro- 

 curing " ditch-water " to be examined, and it was a great amuse- 

 ment in their various walks to bottle up the water. 



I must not omit to say that, during parts of these years, he was 

 occupied in the study of the heavenly bodies. We had a good 

 telescope, through which, on clear and starry nights in the 

 autumn, we obtained a very fair idea of the principal constella- 

 tions, double stars, and nebulae. An accident happened to this 

 telescope, and it was rendered useless ; but through The Bazaar 

 he obtained, from a clergyman in Worcester, a more powerful one, 

 which gave us further vision into the wonderful space of these 

 far-off worlds. The sequel of this deeply interesting study towards 

 the end of 1887 brings me to the close of this valuable life. The 

 winter nights became cold, and his ardour to stand adjusting the 

 instrument at open windows brought on an attack of bronchitis, 

 which at the beginning of 1888 settled into a serious illness. 

 Mischief at the heart was discovered by the doctor, and although 

 we still took short walks and drives together into the country 

 for some little time, his health soon proved to be broken. 



January 8 was the last time he was able to expound the 

 Scriptures at the chapel. He gradually gave up all study, and, 

 indeed, all reading. It seemed that his brain was entirely unable 

 to receive mental impressions. He was obliged to spend nearly 



