xxxi THE AIMS OF HIS LIFE 387 



" No dweller in a baseless world of dreams," Fothergill 

 put his ideals into action, and thus he found his metier, 

 his part in the world, what he was fitted to do ; and he 

 did it simply, courageously and to the full. His primary 

 business was the relief of human suffering, and this aim 

 was lofty, since it took in the spiritual as well as the 

 material, and it was broad, since it included all means of 

 relief which could come within the scope of his benevo- 

 lence. No love of lucre hindered its fulfilment. The use 

 of money is a hard test, but a very true one, to a Christian 

 man. Fothergill was rich, but he was master of his 

 money : it never mastered him. He had no greed, and 

 he laid up little treasure upon earth. He spent his 

 money freely, and spent it well, and he made for himself 

 friends by its means in the everlasting tabernacles. 



Hardly second to the aim of relieving suffering was 

 his zeal for knowledge as a sovereign remedy for human 

 error. The cultivation of physical science, of the natural 

 history of man, and of social and political progress, all 

 engaged his energy and his initiative ; and what he knew 

 he sought to spread. If his character was little developed 

 from an aesthetic aspect, he at least loved the beauty of 

 natural objects, his imagination dignified the tasks of 

 life, and a quiet humour of his own, unlike the coarse wit 

 of the period, softened the severity of his thought. The 

 extent and variety of his interests helped by their balance 

 to keep him free from one-sidedness, from the role of the 

 one idea, and from overstrain of the faculties in his busy 

 work. Thus he touched the course of human activities 

 at many points, entering into the living current, and 

 giving of his own energy to its advance. In return there 

 came back to him the reflex influence of every thought 

 and act bestowed ; he " warmed both hands before the 

 fire of life." 



The period in which he lived was clouded with much 

 strife and trouble. During the greater part of his active 

 life his country was at war, either in Europe, or in India 

 or America, or in all these lands at once. Trade was 

 often hindered, taxes were high, food was dear, and, save 



