472 MEMOIR OF GEORGE WILSON. CHAP. XL 



no healthy token if I shrank from daily work. Far otherwise, 

 I wish I were ten times stronger and healthier than I am, to do 

 ten times more work in the great Taskmaster's eye. But in spite 

 of many disheartening and even distressing things, and cares, 

 and fears, and sins, I have tasted so largely of the mercies of 

 God ; the all- attractiveness of the blessed Saviour's character, 

 and the perfection of his example, have risen more recently into 

 such prominence before me ; and the sense of a higher presence, 

 enabling me to enter into communion with God, and to pray 

 acceptably unto Him, has so filled my heart, that the things of 

 this life arrange themselves according to a new perspective, and 

 seem much smaller and farther off than they did before. 



" After a year's experience, I have every reason to be satisfied 

 with my decision about the Chemistry Chair. I have never 

 once repented it." 



"July 20. 



" I have been very busy, with a good deal of work connected 

 with my office. 



" In health, however, I am wonderfully well, and abundantly 

 cheerful I have had the opportunity this summer of taking 

 part in several meetings of a religious character, and have felt 

 more faith, and courage, and comfort in being at them, than I 

 think I ever did before. 



" I have increasingly to thank God that He makes my path 

 clear to me, and that to spend and be spent in Christ's service is 

 my chief desire. These are not things I write about to almost 

 any one but yourself, and they are rather, as I always feel, to be 

 buried in one's own heart, or brought out in prayer to God, than 

 given to the light openly." 



During this spring atod s-ummer one or two scientific papers 

 were read to Societies. One addressed to the Eoyal Society has 

 already received notice j 1 another was read to the Photographic 

 Society ; 2 and a third to the Botanical Society. 3 



1 ' On the Recent Vindication of the Priority of Cavendish as the Discoverer of 

 the Composition of Water.' R.S.E., April 1859. 



2 ' On Dryness, Darkness, and Coldness, as means of preserving Photographs 

 from fading.' ' Journal of Photographic Society, 1859.' 



3 ' On the Fruits of Cucurbitaceae and Crescentiacece, as Models of various articles 

 of Industrial Use.'' Trans. Botan. Soc. 1859.' 



