CHAPTER XVIII. 



CONCLUSION. 



Some idea of the general course of my father's health 

 may have been gathered from the letters given in the pre- 

 ceding pages. The subject of health appears more promi- 

 nently than is often necessary in a Biography, because it 

 was, unfortunately, so real an element in determining the 

 outward form of his life. 



My father was at one time in the hands of Dr. Bence 

 Jones, from whose treatment he certainlv derived benefit. 

 In later years he became a patient of Sir Andrew Clark, 

 under whose care he improved greatly in general health. 

 It was not only for his generously rendered service that my 

 father felt a debt of gratitude towards Sir Andrew Clark. 

 He owed to his cheering personal influence an often-re- 

 peated encouragement, which latterly added something real 

 to his happiness, and he found sincere pleasure in Sir An- 

 drew's friendship and kindness towards himself and his 

 children. During the last ten years of his life the state of 

 his health was a cause of satisfaction and hope to his family. 

 His condition showed signs of amendment in several partic- 

 ulars. He suffered less distress and discomfort, and was 

 able to work more steadily. 



Scattered through his letters are one or two references 

 to pain or uneasiness felt in the region of the heart. How 

 far these indicate that the heart was affected early in life, I 

 cannot pretend to say ; in any case it is certain that he had 

 no serious or permanent trouble of this nature until shortly 

 before his death. In spite of the general improvement in 

 his health, which has been above alluded to, there was a 

 certain loss of physical vigour occasionally apparent during 

 the last few years of his life. This is illustrated by a 

 sentence in a letter to his old friend Sir James Sulivan, 

 written on January 10, 1879 : " My scientific work tires me 



(345) 



