Some Reminiscences of Mr Carr-Ellison. 513 



His antiquarian knowledge, on which I need here add nothing 

 to what has been said by others, was quite equalled by his 

 architectural ; aud few amateui's were more at home in detecting 

 at once the orifrinal form and state of a church from the frag- 

 mentary remains left by churchwardens and restorers. Few 

 men were mure thoroughly master of the various links between 

 the Byzantine, the Lombard, and the Norman ; aud though many of 

 his theories might be questioned, no one could question his 

 knowledge of the facts. This knowledge rendered him a most 

 valuable counsellor in all cases of Church restoration ; and many 

 a deed of vandalism he prevented, though sometimes, as at 

 Whittingham, he was too late. But with his love of every Saxon 

 relic, he combined the thoroughly practical spirit of the sanitary 

 reformer, and had no idea of building modern churches unsuited to 

 modern requirements, any more than of building cottages with- 

 out any modern improvement. 



In the old church of Jarrow he delighted, aud the connexion of 

 the Venerable Bede with his own estate at Hebburn was a topic 

 of much interest. One of his first cares after he succeeded to 

 the property, was to direct the attention of the Dean and Chapter 

 of Durham to Bede's "Well, on the confines of the two domains, 

 and to take measures that it should be reverently cared for. 



But of all his many tastes, the love of nature perhaps predom- 

 inated over that of art, though his love of antiquities could 

 colour his love of nature. It was the two combined which led 

 him to be the first to resuscitate the ancient sport of hawking, 

 which he did long before the days of Brodrick or Salvin, while 

 golden eagles, eagle owls, and many other birds of prey, enjoyed 

 ease and plenty in his aviaries 50 years ago. 



His interest in natural history was scientific as well as 

 practical, and he was one of those thoughtful observers who 

 could have given many a hint to Darwin, For instance he once 

 remarked to me : Why is it that while no plant appreciates a rich 

 soil so thoroughly as the hawthorn, you never see a hawthorn 

 growing wild or spontaneously except in the very poorest soils ? 

 The answer is, because the hawthorn as a seedling is a very weak 

 and feeble plant. Seedlings in good soil are soon choked by the 

 luxuriant growth of grasses and weeds. In a poor and barren 

 field the grass is so thin and weak at the bottom that the 

 hawthorn can get up a few inches without being choked, and thus 

 it is safe. — An admirable instance of the struggle for existence. 



2m 



