7^ THE DROPPING CAVE. 177 



are not under the teaching of the Spirit of God I am 

 deceived, and if I do not find you soon established 

 in the way of happiness, peace, and life, I shall be 

 miserably disappointed/ 



One cannot help remarking, by the way, that this cor- 

 respondence is creditable to these young friends. ' How/ 

 exclaims Miller in one of his letters, ' can I repay you 

 for that deep, that generous interest which you take in 

 my spiritual concerns ! How can I make a suitable 

 return for a friendship which, unlike the cold, selfish 

 attachments of earth, approaches, in its nature and 

 affectionate disinterestedness, to the love of Heaven? 

 Perhaps I say too much I am certain you will think 

 so but with a heart so full a wiser man could hardly 

 say less/ Modest, noble, kind-hearted Hugh ! How 

 many would have resented Swanson's interference in 

 affairs which jealous pride and sensitive independence 

 might so plausibly allege to lie solely between a man 

 and his Maker ! Prom the meanness of such pride and 

 the bitterness of such independence, Miller's true heart 

 guards him well. He is deeply grateful. Swanson, for 

 his part, thrilling with joy in the possession of the pearl 

 of price, yearns to share the treasure with his friend, and 

 to seal their friendship with the seal of immortality. 



Pleased, perhaps, for the moment, that his corre- 

 spondence with Swanson should take a less earnest turn, 

 Miller recurs, in his next letter, to his vein of light, 

 miscellaneous writing. On the 26th of February he 

 gives his friend an account of a solitary excursion 

 undertaken by him, some weeks previously, to the Drop- 

 ping Cave. The day was tempestuous. ' Availing my- 

 self/ he writes, c of the moment when a huge wave in 

 retiring left the beach uncovered, I sprung forward and 

 gained the cave. There I seated myself on the very 



VOL. I. 12 



