CHAPTER XI 



RETIREMENT SUMMARY OF CAREER 



RELEASED from official life, and free to go where he 

 pleased in this country or to travel abroad, Sir Andrew 

 Ramsay looked forward to a few years of pleasant 

 rest and cheerful occupation in the pursuits that more 

 especially interested him. And to his friends the 

 regret at seeing him retire from active life was 

 tempered by the reflection that now at last he would 

 be able to work as he chose at those problems which, 

 by the pressure of his Survey duties and his engage 

 ments in London, he had been prevented from 

 thoroughly investigating. But time and over-exertion 

 had done their work upon him. His life henceforward 

 was marked by a calm, painless, and gradual decline. 

 His days for mental exertion were now at an end. 



For a short time after his retirement he remained 

 in London, and had a fair enjoyment of life, usually 

 finding his way to the Athenaeum Club in the course 

 of the afternoon, and having a game of billiards with 

 some friend there. When summer came, and brought 

 with it the time for retreating to Beaumaris, he was 

 able to take short walks and to indulge his favourite 

 pastime of steering a boat. He tried to do a little 

 writing on a geographical subject which he had 

 undertaken. As the autumn approached, the second 



