CHAPTER XXXIX 



FAILING HEALTH (1906) 



(Age 72) 



Early in 1906 Lord Avebury suffered a very 

 grievous loss in the death of his old and dear 

 friend, Sir Mountstuart Grant Duff. On January 

 11 he writes : "A sad day. I went to take 

 leave of poor Grant Duff, who is dying. He 

 was quite himself but very weak. He took my 

 hand and asked me to do what I could for Lady 

 Grant Duff and the children, and then dozed 

 off, but woke up now and then. When I was 

 going he asked me to kiss him, and said how 

 much I had done for him. I was so distressed 

 that I could not say as much as I should have 

 liked. He has been a true friend and I shall 

 cherish his memory. How much we have seen 

 and done together." 



Though so simply drawn, it is a most touching 

 picture. It was a friendship which was soon 

 to be linked the closer in his retrospect by the 

 marriage which took place this year of his daughter 

 Ursula to Sir Mountstuart's son Adrian. Lord 

 Avebury was one of the executors, and this 

 business gave him some little extra work during 



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