Page:Life of Octavia Hill as told in her letters.djvu/364

 it. However, I learn gradually how to overlook and test it better and better ; and I gather round me an ever larger, more capable, and more sweetly attached body of fellow-workers. As to the gracious thoughtfulness for others, and silent self-control and sweet temper, I never had ' much gift for them ; and I do fear that, deeply as 1 honour them, and hard as I strive to live up to my ideal, I still fail very decidedly, which is wrong. I used to think that time would soften passionate engrossment, and leave me leisure to perceive the little wants of others ; but I think I pant with almost increasing passionate longing for the great things that I see before me. We are getting on about the open spaces gradually,, and, I think, surely ; but there is no need to trouble anyone yet, till those we-have in view are more definitely arranged about. It is a great joy to me that something will be done. Will you be interested I wonder, in the enclosed letter ? My sister l wrote it for our pupils, past and present ; but I was so delighted with it, that I took possession of it, and printed it for private circulation. Though it is only a week old, it is meeting with the warmest response, so that I fancy we shall have to let it become something larger and more public. I want our Clubs, Institutes, school-rooms, when we have our parties there, and the outsides of our churches and houses, to be brighter.

May 22nd, 1876.

What time, I wonder, will it take, before we fairly encounter the opposite tide, wave to wave you with your steady gain the Enemy with his steadier and This is the letter by which Miranda inaugurated the Kyrle Society.