36 
MEMOIR OF 
to the building of airy castles and brain windmills, 
that it has become one of my earthly comforts, — a 
sort of rough bone, that amuses me when sated 
with the dull drudgery of life." No plan appears, 
at this time, however, to have been matured for 
commencing the great Work ; but our author was 
daily adding to an already large collection of draw- 
ings, and prosecuting with zeal his practice as a 
draughtsman, which will bo best understood from 
tlie following letter to bis friend Mr. Bartram : — 
“ To Mr. William Bartram. 
“ KingessinG, March 31 , 1 804 . 
“ I take the first few moments I have had s'r.ce 
receiving your letter, to thank you for your oblig- 
ing attention to my little attempts at drawing, and 
for the very affectionate expressions of esteem with 
which you honour me. But sorry I am, indeed, 
that afflictions so severe as those you mention 
should fall where so much worth and sensibility re- 
side, while the profligate, the unthinking, and un- 
feeling, so frequently pass through life strangers to 
sickness, adversity, or suffering. But God visits 
those with distress whose enjoyments he wishes to 
render more exquisite. The storms of affliction do 
not last for ever ; and sweet is the sereno air and 
warm sunshine after a day of darkness and tem- 
pest. Our friend has, indeed, passed away in tho 
bloom of youth and expectation ; but nothing has 
happened but what almost every day’s experience 
teaches us to expect. How many millions of beau- 
