340 MEMOIR OF DR. HARVEY, 



CHAPTER XVII. 



HOME LIFE AND CORRESPONDENCE. 



Although surrounded by friends, and occupied more closely 

 than ever by his College duties, Dr. Harvey's life had been 

 rendered very lonely by the blanks left in his family circle 

 during the past few years. But the spring of 1861 brought an 

 important change in his circumstances. On the 2nd of April 

 he was married, in Limerick, to Miss Phelps, a lady whom he 

 had long known. His choice was most fortunate, and his remain- 

 ing years were as happy as devoted affection could make them. 

 But almost immediately after his marriage his health gave way. 

 While lecturing at Glasuevin, the first symptoms of haemorrhage 

 from the lungs appeared, and were succeeded by a severe attack, 

 from the effects of which he never entirely recovered. His 

 physicians expected that a sojourn for a time at his beloved 

 Miltown Malbay might suffice to restore him to health. He 

 derived temporary benefit, but the following spring brought re- 

 newed delicacy, and thus he continued to fluctuate for the short 

 allotted period of his clays, the insidious disease never altogether 

 losing its grasp, though hope again and again revived. 



The Social Science Meeting was held in Dublin during the 

 August of this year (1861). Dr. and Mrs. Harvey had looked 

 forward with pleasant anticipation to seeing Dr. and Mrs. Alfred 

 Gatty at their home during the session, but Dr. Harvey's ill- 

 ness sadly overruled this pleasure. It was arranged, however, that 

 these English friends should include Miltown in their tour to 

 the west of Ireland, and thus secure the mutual pleasure. An 

 account of the visit will be found in Mrs. Gatty 's sketches of 

 tin? brief trip to Ireland, entitled " Old Folks from Home." 



