Obituary Notices. 
1229 
as she herself for so many years had shed a kindly light in his 
home, had fostered those studies to which by nature he was 
inclined, and had aided and encouraged him in all his philanthropic 
work on the estate and in the neighbourhood. 
To a somewhat delicate physique and sensitive nature such 
sympathy and support — as could only have been given by his 
mother — were invaluable, and her death was keenly felt for a 
long time, whilst everything that reminded him of her was 
carefully cherished. 
The property (about 2000 acres) which he inherited is a most 
charming one — even in the beautiful county of Sussex. Within 
an easy distance of East Grinstead,* the fine mansion-house (about 
two hundred years old) is surrounded by fine old oaks, Spanish chest- 
nuts, sycamores, maples, groups of rare pines and shrubs. From the 
terrace in front of the house the eye wanders over the extensive 
park and level landscape to the more distant parts of the estate,, 
where Hedgecourt (half a mile) and Wire Mill (a mile) ponds are, 
while all around the rich fields are variegated with woods and 
clusters of trees. The prolific garden, so nicely sheltered, teemed 
with rare perennial and other plants, and choice collections of 
foreign plants occurred in the conservatories. Everything around, 
indeed, indicated the methodical and orderly habits of the owner, 
and his love for both plant and animal. In summer, groups of 
turtledoves, which lived and bred in the oaks near the house, flew 
from cover to cover and from one tree to another, and their cooing 
in the early morning, mingled occasionally with that of the cushat 
and with the notes of the nightingale in the copses and hedgerows, 
was one of the features most novel to a visitor from the north. In 
the quiet evenings the shrill note and the tapping sounds of the pied 
or greater spotted woodpeckers resounded on the terrace. Pheasants 
abounded in the woods, and from the tufts of grass in the en- 
closures near the terrace the heads of the leverets now and then 
were raised. The air indeed was laden with the sounds of life, 
chiefly from bird and insect, and the whole scene was an ideal one 
for a naturalist such as Dr Gatty was. Besides, the larger pond 
The property was originally acquired by Dr Gatty ’s father from one of the 
daughters and co-heiresses of the last Earl of Liverpool, but formerly belonged 
to the Evelyn family. 
