Edzvard Drinker Cope. — Frazer. \2\ 
name that I ever knew. My trouble will probably finish nie in the 
course of time, if it goes on, but it can be eradicated by a surgical 
operation, and that I will probably have to undergo sooner or later. 
* * gives me a remarkable case of permanent cure of a worse case 
than mine by some surgery." * * 
"Philadelphia, March 27, 1897. Dear A. I had a good night last 
night, and am feeling pretty well, excepting that I am weak. I am 
recovering a little my appetite, but my head is somewhat swimmy. 
The crushed strawberry cushion is doing nicely and gets crushed 
a good deal. 
"The sky looks beautiful out of the window, and I dare say that 
in a few days the country will be charming. I am anxious to get 
out, but cannot yet a while." * * 
The following is the last letter written by Edward D. Cope: 
"Philadelphia, March 31st, 1897. Dear Aunt Jane. I understand 
that to-morrow is thy birthday and I wish to send my greetings. 
"I suppose thee is still an invalid, and if so I can sympathize with 
thee feelingly. I have been confined to my room, barring a few 
walks out, for five weeks to-day; some of the days confined to bed. 
"I have suffered great pain and am now recovering slowly from 
the depression caused by powerful drugs taken for relief. My dan- 
gerous symptoms have passed away, but the Morphia-belladonna 
combination makes the strongest constitution stagger The mental 
depression is dreadful; so that nothing in life is in any degree en- 
joyable, except an occasional draught of ice water. So I pity every- 
body I hear of that is sick, and am glad to see so many people well. 
To be well seems to me now to be something extraordinarily for- 
tunate. 
"I hope thee is free from this grievous depression. Whether de- 
pression or not, however, I know many suffer more than I do, and 
so I am thankful. 
"I do not expect to leave the world yet a while, but I shall do so 
when the time comes with the full belief that it will be a change 
greatly for the better. 
"The relation of the Supreme to men is that of father to children, 
and if we keep the relation true, He(?) will not fail. To be sick is 
good for us sometimes. It corrects our perspective of human life, 
and sets things in a proportion which we must sometimes see. 
"In active life we have our special pre-occupation of mind, and 
see chiefly those things. 
"So we do our work; and must do it; but to take a pause some- 
times is good. This applies to me, for I have many enterprises 
going on that need close attention, and other things cannot receive 
much attention. * * May physical comfort attend thy coming 
years; mental peace thee knows how to have, and may it remain. 
Thy affectionate nephew, Edwd. D. Cope." 
