In Memoriam — William Hodgson, A.L.S. 



263 



Again and again, as opportunity offered, he returned in after 

 life to his favourite haunts. ' Gatesgill is a beauty spot indeed,', 

 he would say, 'especially when Primus avium is in bloom,' and 

 nothing pleased him better in his latter days, when age and 

 infirmity prevented him from roaming over the country, than to 

 wander along the banks of the river Roe and fish in its waters, 

 for he was a keen angler, or to pay a visit to the spot where he 

 knew some rare specimen was to be found. Although it might 

 almost be said that he knew every square foot of certain districts 

 in Cumberland, yet when writing last year about ' another sally 

 up the Ellen Valley,' where he had gone ' ostensibly to fish,' he 

 stated that he had come across a strange willow, and ' you may 

 take it as a revelation to me to find a practically unknown 

 willow by a stream which I had known and fished for fifty years 

 save one.' 



His guiding principle, as he admitted, was ' Freely ye have 

 received, freely give,' because he remembered, with the greatest 

 thankfulness, the kindness and help which had been given to 

 him by his early mentors in botany. Whenever he found a rare 

 plant he hastened to send on a specimen to some kindred spirit, 

 believing that others would like to enjoy the discovery as 

 heartily as he did himself ; and not only that, but he took almost 

 as much delight in the discoveries of others as if they were his 

 own. There w T as nothing selfish in him, for his stores of in- 

 formation, especially on the Cumberland Flora, v/ere open to 

 anyone who came forward, and he always gave botanical help 

 with a liberal hand for the pure love of it. In fact, this 

 kindness of heart will ever be associated with the name of 

 William Hodgson by everyone who had the privilege of coming 

 in contact with him or receiving assistance from him. The 

 Rev. H. A. Macpherson wrote truly when he said of him, ' We 

 never gripped his hand without feeling - the better for it. 

 Wherever we met him he was always the same, full of 

 enthusiasm for his hobby, and overflowing with kindness and 

 goodwill.' William Hodgson certainly had the power of stirring 

 up the interest of others, and no doubt he felt that his special 

 hobby was worthy of enthusiasm, for he would exclaim when it 

 was doubted that a certain person would be interested in a 

 ramble with him, ' We'll make him enjoy it, we'll make him 

 enjoy it.' His letters (which, by the way, were v/ritten, even at 

 the age of 76, with a clearness and steadiness that many 

 a younger man might have envied) were full of energy and life, 

 and to the very last he would write with unabated zeal of some 



1901 September 2. 



