1859. PEACE AND JOY. 475 



for unmerited praise, but I was too ready to settle that I did merit 

 it. Now the word ' duty' seems the biggest word in the world, 

 and is uppermost in my serious doings. I must not deny that 

 this feeling is helped by bodily quiescence, to use no stronger 

 word. My physical activities and locomotive powers steadily 

 abridge their circle of energy. I am thus debarred from the 

 restless life I would otherwise lead, and I fear sometimes that I 

 set down to rational contentment what is only lazy valetudin- 

 arianism. 



" Yet I have a peace of mind and a calm joy, when not posi- 

 tively suffering (and then they look through the darkness) such 

 as I did not know before. Of such feelings it is not wise or safe 

 to write. They suffer by handling, and I say no more about 

 them. I was trying to make a clean breast of it, and have only 

 achieved this long drone. Set it down in part to an aching arm, 

 and the anti-rheumatic practice it demanded. . . . 



" I hope to be at the Aberdeen meeting of the British Asso- 

 ciation a month hence, and if so, will write you all about it." 



One more quotation from Burntisland letters ; it is addressed 

 to Dr. Cairns : " In body and soul I am at peace with God and 

 man, thanks to Him who giveth us the victory over all our 

 enemies. That wondrous 15th chapter of 1st Corinthians! It 

 stirs me like a trump of doom. I cannot read it aloud without 

 finding my voice break down ; all the immortal dead I know 

 seem to gather about me as its mingled pathos, and jubilation, 

 and summons sound out from its solemn diapason. Tears and 

 confession and thanksgiving take the place of articulate didactic 

 words, and the image of the heavenly obliterates all else. 



" It would be a very great kindness if you could lend me 

 your sermons on as much of the Corinthians as you please, 

 but especially those on the Resurrection, the physical aspect 

 of which has much occupied me, and been twice preached 

 upon." l 



The hope of being present in Aberdeen at the meetings of the 

 British Association w r as realized. A house was taken, five 



i A friendly debate on these Sermons on the Kesurrection, which were talked over 

 amidst the hurry of the Aberdeen Meeting, was the last discussion held by thosse 

 friends in this world. 



