WM. THOMPSON, ESQ. XIII 



ous and exotic. He planted many various species at the family place in 

 the country, and, had he ever gone there to reside permanently, would 

 have beautified it much by his taste in this department of rural pursuits. 

 Up to the years IH'dO and ;il, his taste for Natural History was more that 

 of an amateur than a scientific naturalist, and he had every intention of 

 pursuing the business to which he had been brought up ; but in these 

 years circumstances of a domestic nature occurred which had the effect of 

 altogether changing his intentions with regard to business, and in fact to 

 make him give it up entirely. This was the pivot upon vv'hich his future 

 life turned, and I am satisfied, had matters then gone on as he wished, Ave 

 should never have heard of him as a naturalist. But such not being the 

 case, and his mind being of such a cast that frivolous pursuits had no 

 charm, he began in real earnest to devote himself to the investigation of 

 the Natural History of his native country ; and you will observe, that with 

 few exceptions all his observations date from 1832.* From this period up 

 to the time of my leaving Ireland, he and I were in the constant inter- 

 change of thought in regard to ornithological observations, and he Avas 

 always most particular in noting down at the time anything new that I 

 might have observed in our favourite branch of Natural History ; and the 

 frequent allusions to the ' Falls ' in his works, always recall something to 

 my mind probably long forgotten. Many a pleasant ramble he and I have 

 had together ; one of our favourite excursions was to Colin Glen, entering 

 at the foot and ascending to the top of the glen ; every foot of the Avay 

 would be subjected to his indefatigable research ; the heaps of fallen 

 leaves Avould be our ' diggings,' and were as carefully searched for land 

 shells, as ever were the golden lands of Australia or California for that 

 treasure, the love of which ' is the root of all evil.' The trees and rocks 

 afforded lichens, the sandstone its fossils, Avhile overhead among the foli- 

 age not a bird could open its mouth, Avithout note of observation on our 

 parts. Sometimes the toj) of Colin, and at others that of Devis, Avould be 

 our aim ; if in summer, the golden sunsets as seen from the latter, Avhen 

 the orb of day would sloAvly descend beyond the waters of Lough Neagh, 

 were to rny friend inexpressibly charming ; he saAV nature with a painter's 

 eye and a poet's soul, and the apt quotations from our best poets, Avhich 

 Avere always so ready, would be given Avith great expression. I cannot 

 recall those days Avithout much sorroAV for his loss ; I still looked forAvard 

 to a period Avhen I might again revisit my natiA'e land, and the most pleas- 

 ing anticipation Avas that of again rambling to some of our former haunts, 

 and living over again the days of our youth or early manhood : that vision 

 has faded, never to reappear." 



The usual length of an apprenticeship to business — five years — Avas 

 completed by the subject of the present memoir early in 182(). 



That year Avas a memorable one in the life of Mr. Thompson, then in 

 his tAventy-first year. In the spring he set out on his first visit to the 

 Continent, accompanied by his friend and relative, the late George Lang- 

 try, junior, Esq., of Fort William, Belfast. Their route lay through Hol- 

 land and Belgium, thence by the Ilhine to SAvitzerland, Home, and Naples ; 

 returning homcAvards by Florence, Geneva, and Paris. Travelling Avas in 

 1826 a sioAV and expensive procedure, compared Avith Avhat it noAV is. 



* It Avas in the month of June this year, in company Avith Mr. Hyndman, that 

 he made his first Natural History excursion to Strangford Lou!:^h, County DoAvn, 

 Avhere he visited many of tlio islands. 



