FIFTY YEARS. 85 



congenial pursuits which promised no more substantial return 

 than a bare maintenance, was altogether beyond my hopes. It 

 is now thoroughly equal to my ambition. Anything higher 

 would only bring with it increased cares, and involve greater 

 temptations to worldly distraction. ... I honestly believe that 

 I am succeeding in carrying the University through a very 

 important phase of its development as few other people could 

 do, the range of knowledge required to make the various exami 

 nations go smoothly, to say nothing of habits of business, being 

 very considerable. So that although I am not badly paid for it, 

 I consider that, in giving up myself heartily to University work, 1 

 am really labouring efficiently for the public weal. 



I have now thoroughly determined to devote what remains 

 to me of working power to original scientific research. My two 

 large Physiologies have been for some time out of print, and 

 Churchill has been at me for new editions. For some time I 

 rattier clung to the idea of reproducing them with assistance ; 

 but I have now quite come to the conclusion that I must give 

 them entirely up, and a new edition of my &quot;Human Physi 

 ology &quot; is now being prepared by a gentleman whom I have 

 recommended to Churchill. It is, of course, a considerable 

 regret to me to give up what I have worked so hard upon, and 

 to feel that I have no right henceforth to call myself a phy 

 siologist. But, as I had to choose between imperfectly keeping 

 up with this subject and entirely giving up original research, 

 1 could not hesitate in preferring the latter. . . . 



Of my more particularly personal state I shall say less, for L 

 have less to say. I feel deeply thankful for the many mercies 

 I have experienced, not less for the discipline I have undergone. 

 As I heard old Mr. Robberds say, on an anniversary of his 

 commencement at Cross Street, &quot;God and man have been very 

 kind to me.&quot; And I trust that others can perceive that the 

 discipline of life has not been without its salutary effect. I am 

 sometimes disquieted by intellectual doubts and difficulties, and 

 I often mourn that I cannot feel what others seem to experience 

 of their personal relation to the Deity. P&amp;lt;ut I believe that these 

 difficulties are a necessary result of the habits of thought which 

 have been growing up with me ; and as they never obscure my 

 view of dutv, I find it better not to trouble myself too much 



