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The Rev. Leonard Blomefield — In Memoriam. 



Reprinted from the Bath Chronicle, September 7, 1893. 



Advanced some montlis in his 94th year, the Eev. Leonard 

 Blomefield passed away most tranquilly on the 1st of September. 

 During the early months of the summer he had been remarkably 

 well, so much so indeed that perhaps the very continuance of 

 health may seem to have disarmed his usual caution, when he 

 incurred the fatigue that introduced his last illness. The day 

 before he was taken ill he went to the Institution, and spent 

 sometime there at work. Eetaining the clearness of his mind 

 in a wonderful manner to the very last (except when he was 

 unconscious from sheer weakness), he continued to take an 

 interest in passing events, and within two days of his decease, 

 he inquired as to the course of the Home Eule Bill, wondering 

 whether he should live to the Third Reading of it. On the 

 same day, that is Wednesday last, he desired and received the 

 Holy Communion. It was about 2 p.m. on Friday when he 

 passed away so peacefully, that those who were about him 

 hardly knew he was gone. Truly the end was, as his life had 

 been, a happy one. 



Born in May 1800, his age kept pace with the course of the 

 nineteenth century, being, however, some months in advance of 

 it. He would sometimes remark upon it as an ordinary piece of 

 inadvertency to. reckon the year 1800 as the first of the nine- 

 teenth century, whereas it really was the last of the eighteenth, 

 and so he was one of a rapidly diminishing few who could say 

 that they were born in the last century. His earliest reminiscence 

 was the death of Nelson which happened 21st October 1805. 



His temperament was of the kind that wears well ; never 

 torpid and hardly ever greatly excited, he was always alert in 

 some work or the pursuit of some inquiry, but not hurried with 

 impatience to finish or reach his goal . I have not known a more 

 perfect example of the ideal inquirer after truth — unhasting, 

 unresting. 



He has probably not known much physical pain, but he has 

 had two serious illnesses within my knowledge; one in 1859 

 after some hours exposure to a terrific storm, which he has 

 described in the enlarged reprint of " Chapters in my Life ;" 

 and one about ten years ago — an attack of gout. In both he 



