200 PROCEEDINGS OF THE COTTESWOLD CLUB 



William Lucy's daily life. He was very reticent, even to 

 an intimate friend, of speaking of his own inner state, 

 hut his conduct and his spirit manifested it more clearly 

 than words. 



" Wisely forseeing the danger of confining his circle of 

 ideas too exclusively to business matters, he chose the 

 study of geology as a relaxation from the cares of bread- 

 winning. This enforced a little leisure on him, and 

 gave interest to his country walks, which as we all know 

 was shared by many of his friends : and more especially 

 by the members of this Club. How excellent a leader 

 he was to us, as our President, every one of us will 

 testify. It was my own lot, besides so often accompany- 

 ing the Club under his guidance in our field excursions, 

 to share his walks for hundreds of miles, both in Eng- 

 land and on the Continent ; and as I look back on 

 these journeys I am reminded of some of those little 

 acts of self-denial, and of consideration for others, that 

 so endeared him to those who knew him. I have said 

 ' Httle acts ' : but they were little only in the sense that 

 the ruby or the diamond are so : for it is precisely such 

 acts that build up the ultimate character. For forty 

 years I knew William Lucy very intimately. I have seen 

 him lifted on the wave of prosperity without losing his 

 balance of simplicity and humility in the smallest degree. 

 I have seen him plunged into disappointment, and trial, 

 and sorrow, and yet bear himself with the same quietude 

 and sweetness of spirit that he had shown in his happier 

 days. Age, that for some men is dark and unlovely, 

 was not so with him ; and now that it, too, is closed we 

 have seen in it the fitting end of a life spent in the 

 patient endeavour to do justly, to love mercv, and to 

 walk humbly with God. We know not what there is 

 beyond our sight, or in another state of existence ; but 

 we do know that a life so spent cannot fail of its 

 reward." 



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