HOME LIFE AND CORRESPONDENCE. 317 



comfort during what he styles in a letter " this dreaiy period." 

 Her lessons and collects had for a long season, and " in perils by- 

 land and sea," become his daily food. He was fortunate also at 

 this time in having the companionship of his cousin, the late 

 Dr. Fisher, then under-librarian in Trinity College, to whose 

 memory a tribute has appeared from the pen of Dr. Todd, S.F., 

 T.C.D., in "Notes and Queries," February 2, 1867. He did not 

 cease to devote himself with his customary diligence to his 

 botanical duties and employments ; the productions of the 

 vegetable kingdom still possessing unfailing interest, speaking as 

 they did to him of the Divine hand that had formed them. 



To Miss Harvey, New York. 



Trinity College, March 18th, 1858. 

 Why you desire a letter from me is a puzzle ; for, to myself 

 they are generally " dull, stale, and unprofitable," and I seldom 

 write latterly except on matters of business, or where duty 

 imperatively calls on me. I have only returned home from 

 having spent a week or more watching day by day the rapid 



progress of poor M 's illness, which is now past all human aid, 



I am prepared any day to hear that she has entered into her 

 eternal rest. Would that we were all as well prepared to meet 

 death as she is ! Her life has been a short one, and she was 

 little known beyond her own circle ; but no one who was much 

 about her, or knew her, could help loving her, and she will be 

 sadly missed. It was very pleasant to sit by her side and see 

 the beautifully peaceful and bright expression of her coun- 

 tenance. She could not say much, for speaking brought on the 

 cough ; but every now and then came an intelligent smile, as 

 much as to say, " I am happy and I love you all." Once she 

 said to me, with one of those happy glances, "I know all" 

 meaning that she knew how very hopeless her disease was ; and 

 then she expressed her willingness to go at any time that it was 

 the Lord's will, feeling chiefly on her mother's account. She 

 could not speak on this subject to her mother without agitation, 

 and so she wrote her a note in pencil, telling her how she felt. 

 Her mind has been thus happy throughout her whole illness, 

 and I trust that He who has been with her all her life long 

 will be with her while she is passing "the river" — I was going 



