362 MEMOIR OF GEORGE WILSON. CHAP. IX. 



cal fatigue, depressed energy, and painful emotion, which I 

 know better than to cherish, but have not learned the way to 

 cure. ... Of James I think with more mingled feelings than 

 of Mary, but with unabated, nay, with ever-mellowing affec- 

 tion. . . . 



" On all this I will say no more. It would distress others 

 too much to speak thus to them, and might seem to betoken 

 less affection for their devoted love than they deserve or I feel. 

 There are some affections which do not grow by excluding or 

 uprooting others, but, like vines and elms, grow best together, 

 and I should mourn the day when I found it impossible to 

 cherish together love for the departed, and the living." 



The loss of the terrier, Grim, was associated with his sister 

 Mary's love for the dog ; and in December 1849 he writes to a 

 friend, Mr. J. C.Brown, " Have they told you that Grim is dead ? 

 Poor little fellow, he was suddenly attacked in the very midst of 

 his gambols by a stroke of apoplexy, and died in a few hours, in 

 spite of the promptest treatment. The sight of animal suffering 

 is always to me very horrible, and the loss of my kind little com- 

 panion has vexed me grievously. He was dear to me for his 

 giver, my good cousin Alick's sake, and still more as a memento 

 of my dear sister Mary, with whom I always in thought asso- 

 ciated him ; and I feel his loss very bitterly. Somehow, Christ- 

 mas has always been a sad period with me, and this year is like 

 preceding ones in that respect." Of a visitor who was present 

 when Grim was seized by illness, he remarks : " Your brother 

 David is a fine fellow, his sympathy with me over my little 

 dog's dying agonies endeared him to me. I loved the poor fel- 

 low for Mary's sake, and lamented him sincerely." Grim was a 

 general favourite with his master's friends, and was always 

 recognised as a member of the family, being spoken of as " my 

 son Grim." A letter to Miss Abernethy contains this para- 

 graph : " Mi respectabel parint is tolerabil, and if the Guvirnor 

 wood not li on the sofa, but run after the geeg as i doo, which 

 wood be quite well, butt the oald geinleman luvs too grumbel. 

 And am yoor afekshinate stepsun, 



" GRIM WILSON." 



