THOMAS ANDREW KNIGHT, ESQ. 51 



" Sept. 2, 1830. 

 " MY DEAREST F , 



" I read your very kind letter with some degree of melan- 

 choly pleasure, though mingled with much pain. The cer- 

 tainty that the dear object for whom we all mourn must be 

 happy, must be to you, as it is to us all, the chief solace and 

 comfort. She is much happier than she could ever have been 

 in this troubled world ; she loses nothing ; for a few short 

 years probably of more painful than pleasing existence must 

 have brought her to the end of this present life. 



" The opinion that persons quitting this life have felt the 

 glowing happiness you describe, is not new. The following 

 lines are quoted in the Spectator, but by whom written I do 

 not know : 



' Leaving the old, both worlds they view, 

 "Who stand upon the confines of the new.' 



" I wish to repeat to you again, what I said in my last, that 

 time will render your feelings less acutely painful than you 

 can now imagine, and that we may look back upon such scenes 

 of past distress with some degree of melancholy pleasure, parti- 

 cularly when we can look forward, as you can with confidence, 

 to meeting the dear object of your past solicitude in a better 

 world. I need not tell you, if words would tell, what I feel for 

 your sufferings, but you have still some blessings left, to which 

 a large portion of the human race are strangers, and I hope 

 you will look forward with hope to the remaining portion of 

 your life, and to our all meeting again in a happier world. 

 Remember me most kindly to Mr. S. 



" Your ever affectionate Father." 



" Doicnton, May 30, 1833. 



"MY DEAREST CHARLEY, 



'' It was with very painful feelings that I interfered to per- 

 suade you not to go to Paris, upon which { thought you had 

 set your heart : and I felt great pain at the thoughts of robbing 



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