He grew ardent,
too, in gardening. This he took up at first to please his wife,
having no natural inclination; but he had no sooner set his hand to
it, than, like everything else he touched, it became with him a
passion. He budded roses, he potted cuttings in the coach-house;
if there came a change of weather at night, he would rise out of
bed to protect his favourites; when he was thrown with a dull
companion, it was enough for him to discover in the man a fellow
gardener; on his travels, he would go out of his way to visit
nurseries and gather hints; and to the end of his life, after other
occupations prevented him putting his own hand to the spade, he
drew up a yearly programme for his gardener, in which all details
were regulated. He had begun by this time to write. His paper on
Darwin, which had the merit of convincing on one point the
philosopher himself, had indeed been written before this in London
lodgings; but his pen was not idle at Claygate; and it was here he
wrote (among other things) that review of 'FECUNDITY, FERTILITY,
STERILITY, AND ALLIED TOPICS,' which Dr.
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