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the mind has blown geographically from 'Araby the blest；' but
thermometrically from Iceland the accursed。 I have been made a
prisoner of war； hit by an icicle in the lungs； and have shivered
and burned alternately for a large portion of the last month； and
spat blood till I grew pale with coughing。 Now I am better； and
to…morrow I give my concluding lecture （on Technology）； thankful
that I have contrived； notwithstanding all my troubles； to carry
on without missing a lecture to the last day of the Faculty of
Arts； to which I belong。〃 （15）
How long was it to last？ He himself began to wonder； for he had
long felt his life as if ebbing away。 At length he became
languid； weary； and unfit for work； even the writing of a letter
cost him a painful effort； and。 he felt 〃as if to lie down and
sleep were the only things worth doing。〃 Yet shortly after； to
help a Sunday…school； he wrote his 'Five Gateways of Knowledge；'
as a lecture； and afterwards expanded it into a book。 He also
recovered strength sufficient to enable him to proceed with his
lectures to the institutions to which he belonged； besides on
various occasions undertaking to do other people's work。 〃I am
looked upon as good as mad；〃 he wrote to his brother； 〃because； on
a hasty notice； I took a defaulting lecturer's place at the
Philosophical Institution； and discoursed on the Polarization of
Light。。。。 But I like work： it is a family weakness。〃
Then followed chronic malaisesleepless nights； days of pain；
and more spitting of blood。 〃My only painless moments；〃 he says；
〃were when lecturing。〃 In this state of prostration and disease；
the indefatigable man undertook to write the 'Life of Edward
Forbes'； and he did it； like everything he undertook； with
admirable ability。 He proceeded with his lectures as usual。 To
an association of teachers he delivered a discourse on the
educational value of industrial science。 After he had spoken to
his audience for an hour； he left them to say whether he should go
on or not； and they cheered him on to another half…hour's address。
〃It is curious；〃 he wrote； 〃the feeling of having an audience；
like clay in your hands； to mould for a season as you please。 It
is a terribly responsible power。。。。 I do not mean for a moment to
imply that I am indifferent to the good opinion of othersfar
otherwise； but to gain this is much less a concern with me than to
deserve it。 It was not so once。 I had no wish for unmerited
praise； but I was too ready to settle that I did merit it。 Now；
the word DUTY seems to me the biggest word in the world； and is
uppermost in all my serious doings。〃
This was written only about four months before his death。 A
little later he wrote； 〃I spin my thread of life from week to
week； rather than from year to year。〃 Constant attacks of
bleeding from the lungs sapped his little remaining strength；
but did not altogether disable him from lecturing。 He was
amused by one of his friends proposing to put him under
trustees for the purpose of looking after his health。
But he would not be restrained from working； so long
as a vestige of strength remained。
One day； in the autumn of 1859； he returned from his customary
lecture in the University of Edinburgh with a severe pain in his
side。 He was scarcely able to crawl upstairs。 Medical aid was
sent for； and he was pronounced to be suffering from pleurisy and
inflammation of the lungs。 His enfeebled frame was ill able to
resist so severe a disease； and he sank peacefully to the rest he
so longed for； after a few days' illness：
〃Wrong not the dead with tears！
A glorious bright to…morrow
Endeth a weary life of pain and sorrow。〃
The life of George Wilsonso admirably and affectionately
related by his sisteris probably one of the most marvellous
records of pain and longsuffering； and yet of persistent； noble；
and useful work； that is to be found in the whole history of
literature。 His entire career was indeed but a prolonged
illustration of the lines which he himself addressed to his
deceased friend； Dr。 John Reid； a likeminded man； whose memoir he
wrote：…
〃Thou wert a daily lesson
Of courage； hope； and faith；
We wondered at thee living；
We envy thee thy death。
Thou wert so meek and reverent；
So resolute of will；
So bold to bear the uttermost；
And yet so calm and still。〃
NOTES
（1） From Lovelace's lines to Lucusta （Lucy Sacheverell）； 'Going
to the Wars。'
（2） Amongst other great men of genius； Ariosto and Michael Angelo
devoted to her their service and their muse。
（3） See the Rev。 F。 W。 Farrar's admirable book； entitled 'Seekers
after God' （Sunday Library）。 The author there says： 〃Epictetus
was not a Christian。 He has only once alluded to the Christians
in his works； and then it is under the opprobrious title of
'Galileans；' who practised a kind of insensibility in painful
circumstances； and an indifference to worldly interests； which
Epictetus unjustly sets down to 'mere habit。' Unhappily； it was
not granted to these heathen philosophers in any true sense to
know what Christianity was。 They thought that it was an attempt
to imitate the results of philosophy； without having passed
through the necessary discipline。 They viewed it with suspicion；
they treated it with injustice。 And yet in Christianity； and in
Christianity alone； they would have found an ideal which would
have surpassed their loftiest anticipations。〃
（4） Sparks' 'Life of Washington；' pp。 141…2。
（5） Wellington； like Washington； had to pay the penalty of his
adherence to the cause he thought right； in his loss of
〃popularity。〃 He was mobbed in the streets of London； and had his
windows smashed by the mob； while his wife lay dead in the house。
Sir Walter Scott also was hooted and pelted at Hawick by 〃the
people；〃 amidst cries of 〃Burke Sir Walter！〃
（6） Robertson's 'Life and Letters；' ii。 157。
（7） We select the following passages from this remarkable report of
Baron Stoffel； as being of more than merely temporary interest：…
Who that has lived here （Berlin） will deny that the Prussians are
energetic； patriotic； and teeming with youthful vigour； that they
are not corrupted by sensual pleasures； but are manly； have
earnest convictions； do not think it beneath them to reverence
sincerely what is noble and lofty？ What a melancholy contrast
does France offer in all this？ Having sneered at everything； she
has lost the faculty of respecting anything。 Virtue； family life；
patriotism； honour； religion； are represented to a frivolous
generation as fitting subjects of ridicule。 The theatres have
become schools of shamelessness and obscenity。 Drop by drop；
poison is instilled into the very core of an ignorant and
enervated society； which has neither the insight nor the energy
left to amend