LETTERS OF SYMPATHY 41 



Professor Tail's son-in-law, officialing al ihe funeral service. The body 

 was inlerred in the Church Yard immediately to the easl of the church. 

 The pall bearers were Professor Tail's ihree surviving sons, his Iwo 

 brolhers-in-law (Professor Crum Brown and Mr J. S. Porler), Lord 

 Kelvin, Sir Thomas R. Eraser, and Sir John Murray. 



Among the many letlers of sympathy which Mrs Tait and her family 

 received during ihe sad days which followed Professor Tail's dealh, one 

 may be given in full. 1 1 was from Sir George Slokes, lo whom all ihrough 

 his life Tail looked as lo a masler, and from whom he had frequently 

 laken advice and suggeslions in his scientific work. 



LENSFIELD, CAMBRIDGE. 

 9 J u fy> 1901. 



Dear Mrs Tait, 



Now that the earth has closed over the remains of one most dear to you, 

 permit me as a very old friend of your husband, and as one who not very long ago 

 sustained a bereavement similar to that which you have just passed through, to 

 express to you a feeling of sincere sympathy. When the last rites are over, and all is 

 quiet again, the feeling of loneliness comes on all the more strongly. But we 

 " sorrow not even as others which have no hope." Your husband was distinguished 

 in the world of science. But it is more consolatory to you now to think of him 

 who, with all that, looked " at the things which are not seen." We can think of 

 him as one of those who in the beautiful language of the first reformed prayer 

 book "are departed hence from us, with the sign of faith, and now do rest in the 

 sleep of peace." 



Pray do not trouble yourself to make any reply to this letter. 



Yours very sincerely 



G. G. STOKES. 



The following extracls from lellers wrillen by former colleagues in 

 Edinburgh University describe in appropriate language the real character 

 of ihe man : 



"To me he was a dear friend as well as a colleague, and in his loveable 

 simplicity and warmth of heart one sometimes forgot his great gifts of intellect." 



And again: 



" No one could know him without being drawn to him by the warmest ties. My 

 early recollections of him go back far into the past century. He was always so 

 hearty and kindly, so ready to help and so pleased to have his friends around 



T. 6 



