Dr. Smiles Dr. Dohrn. 301 



literature. Dr. Smiles's book appeared. Its merits 

 were applauded by all the reviews, and before long 

 there was scarcely a better known name in Great 

 Britain than that of Thomas Edward, nor perhaps 

 was the Queen ever more fully in accord with her 

 subjects than when she bestowed upon this forlorn 

 shoemaker a substantial mark of sympathy and 

 regard. 



In November, Robertson was writing as follows to 

 Dr. Dohrn : 



" MY DEAR DR. DOHRN, 



"Just as I was ready to post the enclosed 

 your exceedingly welcome letter of November 23, 

 1874, reached me. It truly caused as much joy 

 amongst us as if it had been from a lost son. Although 

 we heard sometimes regarding you, still there was the 

 blank that it was not from yourself. We are glad 

 to hear that your health is so much improved, and 

 that all other matters are so much brighter, and that 

 you are so hopefully surmounting the obstacles that 

 had been strewn so thickly over your path. We are 

 glad also to learn from many sources that the station 

 is attracting the favourable notice of nations and men 

 of science of the highest standing, and it is to be 

 hoped that benefactors will not be long wanting to 

 place it in perfect independence. 



" Further, convey to your dear wife our many thanks 

 for her fine portrait, which we are all highly delighted 

 with. We claim in lieu of your (unfulfilled) promise 

 to come and visit us on your marriage jaunt, that 

 you soon give us the great pleasure of making Mrs. 



