CHAP. XIII.] ILLNESS AND DEATH. 407 



give his lectures. And before leaving Cambridge for 

 the vacation, he was more than once very seriously 

 unwell. 



In June he returned, as usual, to Glenlair. His 

 letters continued to be marked by humorous cheerful- 

 ness, and, as was always the case, contained informa- 

 tion about everything and everybody except himself. 

 He was still unwearied in his exertions for those to 

 whom his services could be of use. But some casual 

 remarks gave cause for apprehension that he was not 

 gaining strength, and after he had been in Scotland 

 for a few weeks he wrote that " he felt like a child, as 

 for some time he had been allowed no food but milk." 

 By and by the reports were more encouraging, and 

 in September, according to appointment, Mr. and 

 Mrs. Garnett were received at Glenlair. On Maxwell's 

 coming out of the house to welcome them, Mr. Garnett 

 saw a great change in him, and was for the first time 

 seriously alarmed. 



In the evening, however, the master of the house 

 conducted family worship as usual for the assembled 

 household. And the days passed much in the same 

 kindly fashion as of old, linking the present to the 

 past in " natural piety." There were the drawings of 

 the oval curves of 1846 ; the family scrap-book, with 

 Mrs. Blackburn's water - colour sketches from the 

 earliest time ; the Glenlair autograph book (see above, 

 p. 16) ; the bagpipes which saved the life of Captain 

 Clerk in the Hooghly ; and a host of other treasures 

 which Maxwell took delight in showing. He led his 

 guests down to the river, and accompanied them a 



