i*7a-3 



THE HOME. 



317 



Eternity I have ever gazed on. These everlasting hills, in 

 the later periods of whose lives have risen up the tall giants of 

 East and West, North and South — Alps, Andes, Himalayas, 

 Rocky Mountains — all creatures but of yesterday; while the 

 waters have ebbed and flowed at the feet of these calm rocks, 

 and successive epochs of forest life have swept over their 

 surface, like successive winds of vegetation . . , . and now 

 this little boat-fly of a vessel brings the germ-life of immortal 

 souls to get a glimpse of its unchanging forms, and again all is 

 silence ! What spirit-life hovers in these abodes ? Have angels 

 pleasure in such scenes ? And how little do the visitors care 

 for them : a momentary wonder ; common talk and lounging — 

 ■ Have you done the Saguenay ? ' • 6 Yes ! ' and that is all." 



On September 1 he wrote to Mary a long letter from Quebec, 

 headed " Meeting the Wife," and was rejoiced to find that the 

 benefit from her English visit had even surpassed their expec- 

 tation. A few days before, in a note to Susan, thanking her 

 for all she had done for her recovery, he says, " Our delicious 

 autumn will be all in her favour. . . . Here is her beloved 

 balcony, with walls of tradescantia, convolvulus major, and 

 scarlet runners, roses, sweet peas, petunias, geraniums, balsams, 

 etc., screening from view. In a few weeks, the glories of the 

 Mount will be unrivalled. ... As to myself, I am wonder- 

 fully refreshed. Andrew and I have played at work. I have 

 religiously followed the humour of the moment. Who else has 

 such a bedroom as we ! the hair mattresses just done up, spread 

 on that balcony floor : moon and stars last night, sun and 

 balsams this morning, with the deepest blue sky, birds on tele- 

 graph wires, wild bees from nests under eaves, and the most 

 delicious perfumed air." 



The next summer (1873) his sister Mary accomplished a 

 journey to America, to which he had long been urging her; 

 but he was exhausted by his school, etc., and was not equal to 

 the exciting labours which were a necessity to her. During 

 her ten days' stay at Montreal she spoke in two churches, two 

 Sunday schools, the Natural History rooms, and the Council 

 Chamber. Philip took notes at some of these meetings, and 



