When worried by business
difficulties or losses he very soon recovered his optimism, and seemed
quite confident that all would come right (as indeed it generally did),
and latterly he became convinced that all his past troubles were really
blessings in disguise, without which as a stimulant he would have done
no useful work.
His life was a happy one, and even the discomforts caused by his
ailments, which were at times very acute for days together, never
prevented him from enjoying the contemplation of his flowers, nor
disturbed the serenity of his temper, nor caused him to complain.
Although rather delicate all his life, he rarely stayed in bed; in fact,
only once in our memory, during an illness at Parkstone, did he do so,
and then only for one day.
On Saturday, November 1st (1913), he walked round the garden, and on the
following day seemed very bright, and enjoyed his dinner and supper, but
about nine o'clock he felt faint and shivered violently. We called in
Dr. Norman, who came in about an hour, and we heard them having a long
talk and even laughing, in the study. As the doctor left he said,
"Wonderful man! he knows so much. I can do nothing for him."
The next day he did not get up at the usual time, but we felt no anxiety
until noon, when he still showed no inclination to rise. He appeared to
be dozing, and said he wanted nothing. From that time he gradually sank
into semi-consciousness, and at half-past nine in the morning of Friday,
November 7th, quietly passed on to that other life in which he was such
a firm believer.
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