214 REMINISCENCES OF 



the end of January, 1895, he suffered from one worse 

 than any before. The Christmas had been a singu- 

 larly happy one, all his own children and many of 

 my people had been about us ; perhaps the strength 

 had been once more overtaxed, and for nearly five 

 months he was invalided. 



He still retained interest in passing events. During 

 the latter half of April he was able to drive and 

 even walk a little. He went once to a meeting of 

 the Royal Society, Dr. Scott was guardian ; and 

 when the tired, nervous face became overstrained, he 

 fabricated some excuse for bringing his friend away. 



The invalid was enthusiastically interested in the 

 School Boards, and on election day was sufficiently 

 well to be driven in the carriage of sympathetic 

 friends to the polling booth ; for the hour he looked 

 brisk, and young, and full of life. 



After this, one or two walks on Clapham Common, 

 and the last one to the garden of a nurseryman who 

 had had some favourite plants in charge for the 

 winter; he grew tired on the way home, and we 

 drove, but he came into his house a little saddened. 



During May and part of June he was confined to 

 his room ; even still he loved to be surrounded by his 

 children and a few intimate friends, and the tea-table 

 upstairs was almost as often cheered by the pre- 

 sence of some bright visitor as the table downstairs 

 had been. 



But his powers waned steadily, the last and most 

 touching loss being that of sight. I do not think he 



