30 Idle Days ?« Patagonia. 



and materials — wood, ivoiy, steel, and gutta-percha. 

 These painful moments over, with no result except 

 the re-opening of a wound that wished to heal, 

 there would be nothing more for me to do but to 

 lie watching the flies, as I have said, and dreaming. 

 To conclude this vari-coloured chapter, I may here 

 remark that some of the happiest moments of my life 

 have been occasioned by those very circumstances 

 which one would imao^ine would have made me most 

 unhappy — by grave accidents, and sickness, which 

 have disabled and cast me a burden upon strangers; 

 and by adversity, — 



Which, like a toad, ugly ami vonomoiij;, 

 Yet -wears a precious jewel in its head. 



Familiar words, but here newly interpreted ; for 

 this jewel which I have found — man's love for man, 

 and the law of helpful kindness written in the heart 

 ■ — -is worthy to be prized above all our possessions, 

 and is most beautiful, outshining the lapidary's 

 gems, and of so sovereign a virtue that cynicism 

 itself grows mute and ashamed in its light. 



