A Memoir of Francis 0. Morris. By his Son, the
Rev. M. C. F. Morris. (John C. Nimmo.)—Few names were better known to the diligent reader of newspapers between the years 1850 and 1890 than that of F. 0. Morris, rector of Nunburnholme. He was a champion of many causes, first, one might say, of the race
of birds, about which he knew as much as any man living, and of many other things and beings. He was a vehement advocate, but always inspired by thorough honesty of purpose and by a most lively sympathy with every creature that he believed to suffer wrongfully, and a strong devotion to truths which seemed to be neglected or ignored. He was a man of large culture— at Oxford he astonished the examiners by taking in Pliny's Natural History (Books VIII.-XL)—with a speciality for natural history. His opus magnum was his "History of British Birds." Other works were "Natural History of the Nests and Eggs of British Birds," "History of British Butterflies," and "British Moths." To vivisection he was strongly opposed; and he was a strong opponent of the theories of Mr. Darwin. In politics he was as strong a Tory as a man could well be. At Nunburnholme, where he lived for nearly forty years, he was a diligent and well-beloved parish priest. There he passed quietly away in February, 1893, being then some six weeks off the completion of his eighty-third year. Five years before a tardy recognition of his services to many good causes bad been made by the bestowal of a Civil List pension of £100. This biography, though possibly a little long for readers not specially interested, shows the good taste and good judgment, as well as the filial piety, of its author.
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