der rather on backs which are
turned to the cold, than only on those which are turned to
congregations. And you will have your reward afterwards, and attain,
with all your flocks thus tended, to a place where you may have as
much gold, and painted glass, and singing, as you like."

Thus much, it seems to me, one might say with some hope of acceptance,
to any very earnest member of either of our two great religious
parties, if, as I say, their faith could stand a strain. I have not,
however, based any of my imaginary political arrangements on the
probability of its doing so; and I trust only to such general good
nature and willingness to help each other, as I presume may be found
among men of the world; to whom I should have to make quite another
sort of speech, which I will endeavor to set down the heads of, for
you, in next letter.

LETTER XIX.

THE GENERAL PRESSURE OF EXCESSIVE AND IMPROPER WORK, IN ENGLISH LIFE.

_April 10, 1867._

111. I cannot go on to-day with the part of my subject I had proposed,
for I was disturbed by receiving a letter last night, which I herewith
enclose to you, and of which I wish you to print, here following, the
parts I have not underlined--

1, Phene Street, Chelsea, April 8, 1867.

MY DEAR R----,--

It is long since you have heard of me, and now I ask your
patience with me for a little. I have but just returned from
the funeral of my dear, dear friend ----, the first artist
friend I made in London--a loved and prized one. For years
past he had lived in the very humblest way, fighting his
battle of life against mean appreciation of his talents, the
wants of a rising family, and frequent attacks of illness,
crippling him for months at a time, the wolf at the door
meanwhile.

But about two years since his prospects brightened * * * and
he had but a few weeks since ventured on removal to a larger
house. His eldest boy of seventeen years, a very intelligent
youth, so strongly desired to be a civil engineer that Mr.
----, not being able to pay the large premium required for
his apprenticeship, had been made very glad by the consent
of Mr. Penn, of Millwall, to receive him without a premium
after the boy should have spent some time at King's College
in the study of mechanics. The rest is a sad story. About a