the
outset there may be difficulties and opposition, but patience and
perseverance will in the end bring their reward. And if the warrior
rejoices in the number of his victories, the patriot in the extension of
his country's liberties, the statesman in the success of his peculiar
polity, and the philanthropist in the mitigation of human woes, how much
purer and stronger must be the joy of the man who has been the means of
saving the lives of his fellow-creatures? Alexander, Emperor of Russia,
whose armies had won many a victory on the field of battle, once rescued
a man from drowning, and he ever afterwards said that _that_ was the
happiest day of his life. As no living individual, perhaps, has saved so
many lives, on so many separate and distinct occasions, and under
equally perilous circumstances, as our friend, so we may infer that his
personal joy was proportionately great. He always did his best to save
human life, having made that one of the chief objects of his existence,
and he reaped a rich recompense. He says, 'I always thought it as much
my duty to try and save the drowning, as it was their duty to try and
save themselves; and I always felt myself amply recompensed, and highly
satisfied, when I got them out of the water and saw they were all right.
Physically, I often felt much exhausted by the efforts I had made, and
could eat no food, nor could I take rest, for hours after rescuing the
drowning. But I was filled with a pleasure I could not describe;
sometimes my feelings found vent in tears, and at other times in loud
and hearty laughter; and when questioned as to my feelings, I could only
say, "I can't tell you how I feel." I had this thought and feeling
running through me, throbbing within me, "I have saved a fellow creature
from drowning." And that imparted to me a happiness which no amount of
money, and no decorations of honour, could have given me; a happiness
which no man can conceive, far less describe, unless he has himself
snatched a fellow creature from a watery grave.'

[Sidenote: HIS PERSONAL JOY.]

[Sidenote: THE GRATITUDE OF THOSE WHOM HE RESCUED.]

Our friend also reaped a rich reward in the gratitude of many whom he
had the pleasure of saving. And we have seen that he could receive no
higher gratification than this. King Charles, the First, had such an
unhappy manner that, even in granting a favour, he often grieved those
whom he obliged. And we know that almost as much depends upon the m