CHAPTER XVIII 



HIS LAST YEARS 

 By LADY FLOWER. 



THE latter part of life is often spoken of as "going 

 down hill," but with Sir William Flower it was 

 more like the sun setting after a beautiful day ; for 

 all that had distinguished his life in its rise and 

 progress shone forth even more towards its close, 

 just as the sunset brings out lovely colours, lights, 

 and shades unnoticed before, till we feel almost as 

 if this earth were being transfigured into heaven. 



His devotion to duty, his love of work, his 

 keen interest in science, in politics, in fact in all 

 things, both public and private, that bore upon the 

 progress and good of mankind, his own patience 

 under trials, his consideration for others, his love of 

 his family, were only intensified as his physical 

 strength declined. The sufferings of illness were 

 to him "crosses " to be borne with resignation and 

 cheerfulness. When in 1897 the doctors first told 

 him of serious mischief threatened by his heart, he 

 said to his wife that he " only hoped that it would 

 not make him irritable or troublesome to others." 



His aspiration was fulfilled, it never did. 



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