7- HIS BROTHER LEAVES HOME. 35 



In the autumn of this year the family circle lost two of 

 its members by his cousin John Russell's marriage, and 

 subsequent departure for Australia, and his brother Daniel's 

 settlement in London. The loss of the brother who had 

 been his daily companion for so long a time, was keenly 

 felt by George. He thus writes of it to a friend : " I have 

 just parted with my brother, who having gone away to 

 London to push his fortune as well as he can, has left us 

 melancholy and distressed, and me especially, who never 

 loved any one so fondly as my brother, and will with diffi- 

 culty find any one to supply his place or cheer my solitude." 

 Their intercourse had been very close and tender, and 

 henceforward George, with his usual self-forgetfulness, tried 

 to contribute to the happiness of the absent one, in making 

 letters do their best to compensate for the pleasures of 

 confidential converse. To this we owe an abundant store of 

 letters, not such as the penny-postage has introduced, but 

 long, well-filled sheets of foolscap, written within and without. 



Before this parting occurred, the examination for the 

 College of Surgeons' Degree was passed. Here is its 

 announcement to Daniel, who was then from home on a 

 visit : 



" 6th September, 1837. 



" MINE GOOD BROTHER AND FRIEND, Give me hold of 

 your right hand ; there, shake it right stoutly, and con- 

 gratulate me on having passed Surgeons' Hall. Ah ! ha ! 

 ha ! it is but two hours since the memorable metamorphosis 

 took place, and here I am ready not merely to perform all 

 kinds of bloody operations, which is small matter, seeing 

 diplomaless folks can haggle wonderfully well, but ready, 

 prepared, and resolved to take fees, and be independent of 

 the subsidies of any one. I took good care none of the 

 good folks at home should know aught about it. I com- 



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