His parents and sisters were not forgotten. His letters to home are
again somewhat in the apologetic vein. He feels that some explanation
must be given of his own work, and some vindication of his coadjutors:
"We are working hard," he writes to his mother, "at what some
can see at a glance the importance of, while to others we
appear following after the glory of discovering lakes,
mountains, jenny-nettles, and puddock-stools. In reference to
these people I always remember a story told me by the late
Dr. Philip with great glee. When a young minister in
Aberdeen, he visited an old woman in affliction, and began to
talk very fair to her on the duty of resignation, trusting,
hoping, and all the rest of it, when the old woman looked up
into his face, and said, 'Peer thing, ye ken naething aboot
it.' This is what I say to those who set themselves up to
judge another man's servant. We hope our good Master may
permit us to do some good to our fellow-men."
His correspondence with Sir Roderick Murchison is likewise full of the
idea of the colony.
Pages:
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549