360 THE EULOGY OF RICHARD JEFFERIES. 



" He died at Goring at half -past two on 

 Sunday morning, August 14, 1887. His soul 

 was released from a body wasted to a skeleton 

 by six long weary years of illness. For nearly 

 two years he had been too weak to write, and 

 all his delightful work, during that period, 

 was written by his wife from his dictation. 

 Who can picture the torture of these long 

 years to him, denied as he was the strength 

 to walk so much as one hundred yards in the 

 world he loved so well ? What hero like this, 

 fighting with Death face to face so long, fearing 

 and knowing, alas ! too well, that no struggles 

 could avail, and, worse than all, that his dear 

 ones would be left friendless and penniless. 

 Thus died a man whose name will be first, 

 perhaps for ever, in his own special work." 



" Monday, Aug., 15. 



" . . . I went yesterday, expecting once 

 more to speak with him. I found him lying 

 dead, twelve hours dead. I saw him with 

 Mrs. JefFeries and their little Phyllis. A 

 pitiful sight to see them kiss the poor cold 

 face ! God help them ! All through his last 



