XVI 
MEMOIR OF THE LATE 
pages he enriched with many valuable articles, took place in 1836, and 
did not cease until a few months prior to his death. 
The London men of science were not slow in appreciating the value of 
these papers on the Natural History of the Sister Isle, nor the unassum- 
ing worth of the young Irishman who was their author. The consequence 
was, that acquaintance thus commenced ripened in many instances into 
permanent friendships. What wonder, then, that an annual visit to 
London should be one of Mr. Thompson’s greatest pleasures ! There he 
mingled with that variety of intellectual fellowship which the great metro- 
polis alone can afford. There he not unfrequently had difficulties re- 
moved and. doubts cleared up, such as every Naturalist who critically 
examines species has at times experienced. To London he brought for 
comparison, specimens which seemed to him ill-defined, and which could 
not be satisfactorily determined, except by reference to books and spe- 
cimens which were not accessible in a provincial town. The meetings of 
the London societies, the conversaziones where the devotees of science, of 
literature, and of art, mingle so happily together, had peculiar attractions 
to a refined and cultivated mind such as Thompson possessed, and which 
was not narrowed by a too exclusive attention to one pursuit. He took 
pleasure in every ennobling effort of the intellect, in the fair creations of 
the artist — the bright imaginings of the poet, in every discovery within the 
wide domain of physical science, and in the applications of its laws to 
lessen the labour or minister to the happiness of man. 
From about the year 1833 he went steadily on recording the occurrence 
of species previously unknown as Irish, and gradually accumulating the 
materials for a Fauna of Ireland. As his labours became better known, 
correspondents in every province of Ireland sprang up, and information 
of the most varied character poured in upon him. This was sifted with 
exemplary care. Questions were asked, and if not answered with suf- 
ficient perspicuity, new interrogatories followed, until his own mind was 
perfectly satisfied as to the accuracy of the statement. It occasionally 
happened, that the communication related not to something in relation 
to the habits of a well-known species, but to the capture of a species 
which was either rare or known only as the denizen of other lands. In 
such cases he sometimes did not rest content, until he had the oppor- 
tunity of examining the specimen, and determining the species by actual 
inspection. That being done, then all details were given, especially the 
date, the locality, and the name of the correspondent to whom he was in- 
debted for the information. Detached observations, each separately of 
little account, assumed a new character when combined, and bearing the 
stamp of his scrutiny and approval. Parties residing in widely scattered 
localities felt gratified at their observations being permanently embodied 
in Mr. Thompson’s papers, and were thereby stimulated to co-operate by 
every means in their power. Thus a body of observers sprang up, who 
made choice of Mr. Thompson as the channel for what they wished to 
announce, in connexion with the Natural History of Ireland ; and never 
was such assistance more scrupulously acknowledged than by him. Per- 
haps no one of his mental characteristics was more uniformly manifested 
than his anxious desire to record any assistance he had received, and to 
express his gratitude for facts communicated or specimens sent for his 
inspection. 
In the busy community amid which Mr. Thompson lived, he was the 
only one who was devoted to Natural Science, and whose time was so 
entirely at his own disposal as to be given up to its cultivation. Among 
