288 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF 
from his amiable friend, in which, though evidently in a more 
declining state, the cherished hope of again revisiting his 
native land was powerfully and energetically expressed. His 
letter is dated 8th of June. 
* I have, I think, my good friend, plied you with my long ` 
and prosy letters often enough this year, one at least, I 
believe, a month, so that I shall be right in entertaining some 
doubt as to the propriety of thus exercising your patience, 
were it not that I fancy you would wish to know something 
of a man who, years and years ago, took the field of science 
in which to pursue his explorations and Paul-Pryings, by 
which he got shook, not solely in the shoulders, but in his 
locomotives, almost to a positive foundering, as we say of a 
horse—of such a man, I think, you would gladly wish to 
learn how he now stands on his limbs, and whether, after all 
that has been said or sung about his being thrown on his 
beam-ends by that last sad visit to New Zealand, he will 
even yet be able to walk his sober mile in the streets of 
London or not ; I therefore give you this. In regard to my 
health, it is sensibly improving, but only by a slow progres- 
sion and under the most rigorous regimen. No fruits, no 
vegetables of any kind at dinner, no wines, either white or 
red; for I have even now given up old crusted Port (one 
glass of which per diem I had until lately drunk), on account 
of its acidity, and have now taken to toast and water, or 
water slightly brandied. But as I dress altogether with an 
under covering of fleecy hosiery, and above well-found in wool, 
and thus keeping a uniform temperature of warmth, take a 
little exercise in the sun at noon, I feel I have at this time of 
writing acquired a degree of strength to enable me to move 
about a little with cheerfulness and pleasure that a month 
ago I did not possess; sed patientia omnia vincit. Let me 
weather this winter, which I am now in the midst of, in a 
warm, quiet lodging-house, and I hope, with good grounds, to 
be in September restored to my wonted health; but care, 
great care, is to be exercised in the mean time. I am now 
complaining of no disease, but great prostration of strength ; 
