Page:The life and letters of Sir John Henniker Heaton bt. (IA lifelettersofsi00port).pdf/64

 congenial, so characteristic, and so nobly active a career, and where you had friendship, sympathy, gratitude and encouragement from all your fellow-members, of whom I had the honour and the pleasure of being one during many years. Still I must say, of course, that, if you feel you are taking the right decision, you are the man whose decision ought to settle the question in the minds of all who know you as I do. My heart is filled with gratitude to you for most valuable services rendered to me at a time when broken health and other troubles made the friendship and the support of men like you a very shelter against the storm. Forgive me, therefore, if I do not write more cheerfully on this coming event in your life of public and private benefaction.

Pray forgive me for addressing you through the mechanism of the typewriting machine. The truth is that for several years past my sight has been so weak that I have been unable to use the pen for anything much beyond a mere signature.