XXIV 



September, 1871, " a great success for me and Mrs. Alien to come 

 here (Lynvilg-Avieore) for a holiday. I knew the country well 

 from my residence at Rothiemurchus (close by) with the Bedford 

 family in the autumn of 1836 and 1837 ; and I bad most agreeable 

 recollections of rambles among the Grampians and various parts of 

 the neighbourhood. Mrs. Allen and I have not exactly rambled over 

 the top of Cairngorm and Ben Muichdhui as we used to do when some- 

 what younger, but we have really done an immense deal of walking 

 for such old people, and have profited in health, and enjoyed our- 

 selves to the full. The scenery is just what we like — grand and open 

 and vet beautifully combined with river, lake, natural wood, rock, and 

 mountain. The birches especially are charming, and the remains of 

 some of the old Caledonian forests of Scotch firs, some of the best 

 existing. I am sorry to think the time of our remaining here approaches 

 its termination, as I must be in Glasgow for meetings on the 20th, 

 and intend to leave this on the 19th." 



In 1872 he again went abroad with his family and with Dr. Sharpey 

 to visit Professor Kolliker and other friends in Germany, and in the 

 summer of that year he extended his tour to the north of Italy. The 

 summer of 1873 found him once more travelling in the north of 

 Scotland, and visiting his many friends. 



On his son's marriage to Miss Aikin in 1875, he began to think 

 seriously of retiring from his professorship ; and after some delay, 

 finally ceased his active connexion with the University of Glasgow 

 in 1877 — a connexion which had extended through different members 

 of the family without interruption for 116 years. He then came to 

 London, where he took a house next to that of his son. Here he took 

 an interest in all that was going on in the world of science — occupying 

 himself especially in the affairs and work of the Royal Society. He 

 was now able to enjoy, and he much appreciated the quiet home-life 

 he was able to lead in peaceful retirement, " listening to the innocent 

 prattle of his grandchildren." It was a new pleasure and an amuse- 

 ment to have them with him in his study. 



It is not easy to convey to others a sufficient appreciation of 

 Dr. Allen Thomson's numerous contributions to biological science. 

 His earlier papers were on embryology, which throughout life con- 

 tinued to be the favourite subject of his study and researches, working 

 hard to keep pace with the rapid progress of the science. It was in 

 this field that he won his laurels ; and although his name may not 

 be associated in the history of that science with any one great 

 discovery (although he contributed many new facts), yet he will 

 always be regarded as having done much, perhaps more than 

 anyone else in this country, to make this difficult department of 

 biological science familiar to British biologists. He directed his 

 attention to it when few in this country did so, and did much by 



