Page:James Thomason (Temple).djvu/80

72 subjects, which regard another world. We had much most interesting conversation, and endeavoured more especially to consider how we should carry out our Christian principles into our daily walk as public servants. It is an important subject, on which as each year passes we should more earnestly reflect.'

When starting from Agra, with its peerless architecture, for Allahábád, which was comparatively plain, but was Montgomery's station — Thomason writes to his children. He wishes to impress them with the superiority of moral loveliness over the beauties of nature and of art. So he says, — 'What are the marble structures, the swelling domes against the azure sky, the imperial ruins to me, as compared with my brother-in-law's hearth and the juvenile circle that surrounds it.'

In the beginning of 1842, he was at Calcutta, and witnessed the arrival of Lord Ellenborough as Governor-General. He was immediately sent for by His Lordship, who spoke to him in the most kind and complimentary terms, and had evidently heard of his fame. He was afterwards appointed Foreign Secretary, and so filled an office held to be one of the most dignified and interesting in the country, being commonly called 'the blue ribbon' of the Indian service. He wrote privately: — 'My attitude is one of a disciple, and my business is to give currency to the thoughts of others rather than to express my own.' Again he wrote: — 'Lord Ellenborough is exceedingly affable and considerate to me. He allows me the fullest access and unreserved communication.' His semi-official corre-