1844-51. CONSOLATORY LETTERS. 393 



fail, you will give me credit I know for good intent, and I will 

 on my side lay claim to a deep and sincere affection for you. 

 One thing has struck me when ill myself, and when visiting 

 others who were ill, viz., what depths there are in every human 

 heart, which only God can fill ! How impossible it is to find 

 words in which to express to others some of the thoughts which 

 stir our souls most. A remembrance of this gives me a very 

 humble impression of what I can do for another spirit on whom 

 affliction is laid, and makes me rather look to Him who in all 

 the afflictions of His people is afflicted, and who, inasmuch as 

 He hath suffered being tempted, is able to succour us when we 

 are tempted. 



"Were I beside you, so that we could speak together, we 

 should soon know each other as we are, and have open frank 

 communion together. As it is, to write is to draw the bow at a 

 venture, and perhaps send the arrow wide of the mark. 



" I shall do no more, accordingly, in this letter, than send you 

 affectionate good wishes. After making twice over such a 

 recovery from the severest inflammation of the eyes as I did, 

 although my constitution is so bad a one, far, far worse than 

 yours, so bad indeed that no Office will insure my life, I look 

 forward to news of your betterness with cheerful hope ; and 

 strongly feeling that I helped to overtask your eyes by the 

 demands which the Life of Cavendish made upon them, I also 

 look forward to your sending me some work to do for you, 

 whilst your eyes are resting for the future labours which the 

 great Taskmaster has in store for them. And although out of 

 our own works we shall never get contentment, and ought not, 

 if our standard is a high one, it is assuredly a blessed reflection 

 that God has given us grace to think of Him in what we have 

 done as authors, and that however imperfectly we have laboured 

 to honour Him and serve our fellows, He has not left us without 

 some token that He has approved our work. 



" May He give us more and higher work to do for Him, and 

 as a preparation for it, subdue our wills to His, and make us 

 like our blessed Saviour. I have a poor cousin dying, and the 

 spectacle of his sufferings has made me stop fretting over lesser 

 pangs, which seemed less than nothing compared with his. The 



