268 MEMOIR OF GEORGE WILSON. CHAP. VT. 



charge. These you must take on yourself. I cannot get clear 

 light for myself, and how can I help another to find it ? But 

 my dear little Ann will be much in my thoughts, and most 

 fervently shall I strive to work out good for her. At present 

 I often think, as I did last night, that I could at least sing 

 to her, and sing I shall, please God, to the little lady, some time 

 soon, till her hazel eyes are like to be gazed away in wonder 

 and delight." 



To JAMES EUSSELL, ESQ. 



" February 20, 1842. 



" MY DEAR JAMES, I do not think you will accuse me of 

 Sabbath desecration because I spend a portion of this Sunday 

 evening in writing you. Your letter to Mary, and a state- 

 ment from Mr. Cairns, lead me to lose no delay in assuring you 

 that the evils of our present sickness have been exaggerated to 

 you, especially in so far as I am concerned. I have, indeed, for 

 the last fortnight, been lamed by my rheumatism settling in my 

 ankles and knees, and making locomotion irksome and even 

 painful ; but, on the whole, my general health is decidedly 

 better, and my energy and cheerfulness greatly superior to what 

 they were at Christmas. The old gentleman had seen me limp- 

 ing, which in part resulted from my having leeched and bandaged 

 my ankle that morning ; but he also saw me eat a hearty dinner, 

 and might have mentioned that good symptom, which he did 

 not, I fear. Although I walk with difficulty, and lose some 

 sleep at night with pain, I can talk three hours, and stand on 

 my feet all day. I do not indeed complain, and have no claim 

 on your sympathy to the extent to which you have given it, 

 but I am none the less grateful for it, I assure you. . . . 



" At present Mary is living very low [she had burst a blood- 

 vessel], confined to bed, and suffering (but not much) from pain 

 in the chest ; she has no cough ; altogether, she is as well as 

 could be expected, and all immediate danger is past. I think 

 she will recover well, but slowly ; but the greatest caution is 

 necessary in all exertion. You can believe it has caused us all 



