300 MEMOIR OF GEORGE WILSON. CHAP. VII. 



but possessing, as I possess, a human nature, though (unlike 

 mine) his nature is sinless, and is unspeakably glorious." 



Kecovery proceeded favourably, so that in six weeks the 

 wound had closed all but one small aperture, and he was able 

 to move about a little on crutches. " He came forth with a spirit 

 strengthened from heaven, to bear the life-long burden of a 

 feeble body, and to accept life on the most disadvantageous 

 terms as a blessed and divine ministry. The inward man had 

 gained infinitely more than the outward man had lost ; and, 

 with all his originally noble qualities exalted, there was found 

 a humility, a gentleness, a patience, a self-forgetfulness, and a 

 dedication of life to Christian ends and uses, which henceforth 

 made every place and work sacred." 1 



What has been truly called "his unconquerable gaiety of 

 heart," is seen in one or two notes written in the first few 

 weeks after the amputation. The first two are addressed to 

 James Russell, who was giving expression to his sympathetic 

 love in all kinds of presents, to cheer or amuse the patient. 

 One of these was an accordion, which he fancied might help to 

 beguile the tedious hours of convalescence. The first letter is 

 merely dated "Friday," but it is evidently written about the 

 close of January : 



" MY DEAR JAMES, Your kind letter demands something 

 more than a mere statement in Jessie's bulletin concerning me. 

 I could write you a whole folio of news from the world of pain, 

 so far as intellectual capacity is concerned, or even physical 

 strength, but I have to lie in such a constrained twisted posture, 

 propped up by pillows, and what not, that I can hold the pen 

 for only a short period at a time. But I can at least tell you, 

 that my case proceeds steadily, to my own comfort and surprise, 

 and to the satisfaction of the doctors. I am now lifted out of 

 the region of acute suffering, into that of dogged endurance of 

 quite bearable pain, and am losing day by day the spectral 

 ghastliness which made me for days look, while sleeping, like a 

 corpse. 



" I have no repentance or repining at the step I took, or the 

 loss I sustained. It pleased God, who speaks to some with the 



1 ' Macnullaii's Magazine,' January 1860. 



