This closing chapter records the peaceful close of the wonderful career of a remarkable gentlewoman who devoted her life to work in the successful effort to benefit her fellow men. The pages are replete with human nature and human sympathy, and full of unselfish interest in the interests of others whom she numbered among her sympathetic friends and trusted confidants. The “Reminiscences” on which she did but desultory, yet interested, work, during the intervals of temporary respite from the burden of disease and increasing physical exhaustion, were as she feelingly expressed it “a perfect blessing.” Her letters belonging to this period are a noble record of fortitude and resignation during a trying struggle for health and life, and the close is touchingly pathetic.
To Professor Robert Wallace, University, Edinburgh.
November 19, 1900, Monday evening.
Dear Professor Wallace,—I return Sir W. Macgregor’s letter[[110]] with many thanks for letting me see it, for it is very gratifying. It is a great pleasure to me to see how those who understand appreciate your work. I am very glad you are able to tell me that you enjoy your visits to me, but next time I hope that our going to church may be of a less airy sort. I hope that you did not get serious harm?[[111]]
I feel much pleasure (not to say relief) at results of our “Reminiscence” work, and at all those papers being safely lodged in your hands.
P.S.—I am working steadily on the twenty-fourth Report, but if a bit [of “Reminiscences”] comes into my head (the “awen,” as the Welsh say), I mean to put down the ideas.
December 5, 1900.
Here comes such a long story [here cut short] about the “Reminiscences.” I hope it will not be quite too tedious, but really I think we are thriving.
A messenger has just been down from London, and carried off material for ten illustrations.
The materials for letterpress are appearing fairly out of holes and corners also, the chief prize a book of Memoranda for 1891, by my sister Georgiana, giving numbers of dates of my letters, &c.