BEGINNING OF THE END. 261 



on previous occasions, that, from the very time that this 

 present tour was arranged, he repeatedly expressed a 

 wish that he could avoid it. Only a few days before 

 leaving home for the last time, indeed, he said that if 

 there had been one lecture less arranged, he would even 

 then, at the eleventh hour, relinquish the tour altogether, 

 rather than go through what he knew lay before him. 

 The shadow of what was to come seemed upon him, 

 and he never left home for a lecturing expedition in 

 such marked depression of spirits. 



However, engagements were engagements, and he 

 had never yet disappointed the public through any fault 

 of his own ; and he accordingly left London for Glasgow 

 on February 20th, and lectured at Tillicoultry on the 

 next day. On the 22nd he went to Dollar, where he 

 lectured in the evening. The next three days he spent 

 at Fettes College, near Edinburgh, lecturing twice, and 

 remaining over the Sunday ; and on that day he made 

 the last entry in his diary a mere brief reference to 

 some letters which he had written. 



On Tuesday, the 25th, he travelled southwards, and 

 on the following day was to have lectured at Sedbergh 

 Grammar School, in Yorkshire. But drowsiness over- 

 came him in the train, he passed the junction at which 

 it was necessary for him to change, and was unable to 

 return in time to reach the school. 



On this day the illness which carried him off 

 assumed its final form. Even on Sunday, the 17th, he 

 had been very unwell, and by advice had stayed quietly 

 indoors until the evening, when he had promised to 



