156 LIFE OF GEORGE WILSON. CHAP. VII. 



decline your kindness, you were, my dear sir, very very 

 much mistaken. 



" Your kindly offer made my morning tea and toast taste 

 like very nectar ; I told it to my kind doctor, John Goodsir, 

 the moment he came, and asked him ; no, he asked me, 

 would I accept the offer ? Won't 1 1 was the polite answer. 

 So, my dear Jeems, you're in for them. Boerhaave I have 

 studied in Latin about the thermometer ; he'll be of great 

 use to me for my history. Turner is precious also. I will 

 most thankfully and gratefully accept your offered kindness, 

 and will remind you in return that you will enjoy the con- 

 sciousness of having performed a l virtuous action.' Your 

 loving affectionate 



"GEORGE WILSON." 



"February 7, 1843. 



" I continually improve, and feel most thankful for my 

 present hopeful state. I strive to let 'patience have her 

 perfect work,' but flesh is weak." 



To Miss ABERNETHY. 



"February^ 1843. 



" I am sure you will be very glad to see a few scribbled 

 lines from myself to say I am getting better. Although 

 still with aches enough to make a man who had never been 

 ill think himself in a very miserable way, I have come out 

 of such a gulf of pain and weariness of flesh and spirit, that 

 I feel very thankful for being so well as I am, and am back 

 to many of my old tricks, though still but in a rickety con- 

 dition. I owe you thanks for that refined calf-foot, jelly 

 which you so kindly sent me. But in regard to it, I wish 

 particularly to know if you have turned a homceopathist in 

 your medical practice, and were induced to send me that 



