HO LIFE OF GEORGE WILSON. CHAP. VI. 



CHAPTER VI. 



LOSS OF HEALTH PUBLIC LECTURES ON CHEMISTRY 



INVALID LIFE. 



" As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. " 



MERCIFULLY is the future hidden from human eyes, else 

 would the few days of country life by which George Wilson 

 expected to " gain time in the end " have been very dif- 

 ferently anticipated. It may be that compassionating 

 angels watched with wistful eyes his departure from home, 

 but love infinitely more deep and tender than theirs was 

 even now preparing the furnace, by means of which the 

 process of refinement was to be carried on. 



Stirling was the head-quarters of the cousins in their 

 pedestrian tour, a much-valued friend being their hostess 

 there. On the loth of September he writes home, "I 

 should have written yesterday had I not been away up in 

 the country, spending the night in a farm among the high- 

 land moors, about eight miles above Stirling. Hitherto 

 things have gone on most excellently in all respects ; Mrs. 

 M.'s children being in the country, she has devoted her 

 whole attention to making us happy, and we have received 

 every kindness from her. A brief record of what we have 

 been doing will best show you how we have been occupied, 

 and prove to you that we have not misspent our time. 

 Saturday was devoted to a nine miles' walk over the carse 



