hope that I may
be permitted to grapple with that considerable armful of work,
which had been long marked out for my old age; the question of my
recovering sight being for the present in abeyance.

_Sept. 13._--I am not yet thoroughly accustomed to my new stage of
existence, in part because the remains of my influenza have not
yet allowed me wholly to resume the habits of health. But I am
thoroughly content with my retirement; and I cast no longing,
lingering look behind. I pass onward from it _oculo irretorto_.
There is plenty of work before me, peaceful work and work directed
to the supreme, _i.e._ the spiritual cultivation of mankind, if it
pleases God to give me time and vision to perform it.

_Oct. 1._--As far as I can at present judge, all the signs of the
eye being favourable, the new form of vision will enable me to get
through in a given time about half the amount of work which would
have been practicable under the old. I speak of reading and
writing work, which have been principal with me when I had the
option. In conversation there is no difference, although there are
various drawbacks in what we call society. On the 20th of last
month when I had gone through my crises of trials, Mr. Nettleship,
[the oculist], at once declared that any further operation would
be superfluous.

I am unable to continue attendance at the daily morning service,
not on account of the eyesight but because I may not rise before
ten at the earliest. And so a Hawarden practice of over fifty
years is interrupted; not without some degree of hope that it may
be resumed. Two evening services, one at 5 P.M. and the other at
7, afford me a limited consolation. I drive almost every day, and
thus grow to my dissatisfaction more burdensome. My walking powers
are limited; once I have exceeded two miles by a little. A large
part of the day remains available at my table; daylight is
especially precious; my correspondence is still a weary weight,
though I have admirable help from children. Upon the whole the
change is considerable. In early and mature life a man walks to
his daily work with a sense of the duty and capacity of
self-provision, a certain {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{