CHAP. XI. HIS DEATH AND CHARACTER. 279 



engraving is made, is 011 the whole the most lifelike repre- 

 sentation of the man as he lived. In person he was large, 

 tall, and commanding ; and strength was one of the attri- 

 butes belonging to his family. But physical endurance 

 lias its limits, and we fear that Mr. Kemrie taxed his 

 powers hey ond what they would fairly bear. He maybe 

 said to have died in harness, in the height of his fame, 

 after threescore years, forty of which had been spent in 

 hard work ; still his death was premature, and in the case 

 of a man of such useful gifts, was much to be lamented. 

 But he himself held that life was made for work, and he 

 could never bear to be idle. Work was with him not 

 only a pleasure, it was almost a passion. He some- 

 times made business appointments at as early an hour as 

 five in the morning, and would continue incessantly 

 occupied until late at night. It is clear that the most 

 vigorous constitution could not long have borne up under 

 such a tear and w T ear of vital energy as this. 



He was very orderly, punctual, and systematic, and 

 hruce was enabled to get through a very large amount 

 of business. No matter how numerous were the claims 

 upon his time, nothing was neglected nor hurried. His 

 reports were models of what such documents should be. 

 They set forth all the facts bearing upon the topic under 

 consideration in great detail ; but with much plainness, 

 force, and clearness. His harbour reports were espe- 

 cially masterly ; in them he elaborately stated all the 

 known facts as to the prevailing w r inds, currents, and 

 tides, usually drawing very logical and conclusive in- 

 ferences as to the particular plan which, under the cir- 

 cumstances, he considered it the most desirable to adopt. 

 In his estimates he was careful to conceal nothing, 

 stating the full sum which in his judgment the work 

 under consideration would cost; nor would he under- 

 state the amount by one farthing in order to tempt 

 projectors to begin any undertaking on which he was 

 consulted. 



