322 LOSING HIS EYESIGHT. CHAP. xix. 



work the sweeter the rest,' never toiled hard in his life. 

 But there is nothing for the machine that has been 

 long in use but to keep it going, otherwise it would fall 

 to pieces. So I always keep in motion, though the 

 battle is not half won yet." 



One of his troubles was that his eyesight was 

 becoming defective. " You see," he said to his sister, 

 " that I am on the decline not in bodily strength, 

 for I can walk sixty miles without a rest but in 

 eyesight. I have to use spectacles with candlelight, 

 either in reading or writing. I am employing my spare 

 time in working at my plants. I have arranged four- 

 teen hundred specimens, but I may say that I have 

 three thousand specimens altogether, because of the 

 varieties." 



His sister sent him a new pair of spectacles, bought 

 expressly for him at Edinburgh, but they did not suit 

 his eyes. " It is a sad annoyance to me," he said 

 in reply, "that I cannot read with them the more 

 especially as I can hardly live without books, and my 

 time for reading is principally in the evening. As it is, 

 I must endure the drawback. Tew and scanty are my 

 pleasures ; indeed they are such as are usually despised 

 by thoughtless people. I will surely try to live an 

 inoffensive life, though I'm no favourite with anybody. 

 I have a great deal of unknown grief. This world's 

 people have almost left me, and I struggle hard, very 

 hard." 



His sister at once sent him a new pair of spectacles, 

 and they suited him better ; but he said, " It is rheu- 



