270 MEMOIR OF GEORGE WILSON. CHAP. X. 



years later, from a great enlargement of the spleen, un- 

 suspected at the time. The following was received by Dr. 

 Cairns shortly after he was able to leave bed : 



"Feb. Jt/1, 1855. 



" DEAR JOHN, 



I am persuaded 



That neither Death, when the faint soul, invaded 

 By its last enemy, awaits the strife ; 

 Nor all the boundless energies of life ; 

 Nor all the awful might that dowers 

 Angels and principalities and powers ; 

 Nor present things, nor things to come ; 

 Nor height, though higher than the heaven's dome ; 

 Nor depth, though deeper than the Gulf of Gloom ; 

 Nor aught that in the universe finds room, 

 Shall be able us to sever 

 From the love of God, which ever 

 Is in Jesus Christ our Lord. 



"What madness, you will say, what audacity and folly, 

 to meddle with that sublime passage, and spoil it by a paltry 

 paraphrase ! To which I say Amen ; and yet I went and 

 did it whilst lying awake in darkness on Sunday night. It 

 insisted on being paraphrased, and won't trouble me again. 

 . . I have had a perilous attack, and was close upon the 

 grave. ... I was in bed both times, and on the second 

 occasion, when there was a gush of blood, a very dying-like 

 sensation came over me. God has still preserved me, and 

 I trust to do Him some service. I have enjoyed much 

 peace of mind this winter. Pray for me, that I may be 

 kept from fainting or failing till He calls me." Ten days 

 later he writes to Daniel from his rooms in town, having 

 resumed duty to the extent of one lecture a day ; " I had a 

 narrow escape from death, for the loss of a little more 

 blood would have ended matters; and indeed I lost 



