were cut down before your day. They are not now much missed in the
general landscape. The lapse of half a century has given such a
growth to the surrounding plantations, that where I remember bare
hills, or freshly planted and uglier than bare, there are now great
stretches deserving to be called forest land."

* * * * *

Dr Burton returned from this pleasant little trip well, and in good
spirits, but the winter was one of illness.

On the 8th of November it was found necessary to call in medical advice
on account of a severe exoema affecting chiefly one leg. The doctor
ordered confinement to bed, besides other remedies. On the 8th of
December these had proved successful, and Dr Burton was able to be up,
and, at Christmas, to assist his wife in carrying gifts to all their
poor neighbours--a plan substituted that year for the first time instead
of a Christmas-tree for the same class of people.

Dr Burton was always much interested in the Christmas-tree, and used to
contribute largely to it what he called _trash_--_i.e._, cheap fancy
articles, if he happened to be in London before Christmas-time, or money
if he did not. His mode of visiting poor people was peculiar. He no
sooner heard of any plan of benevolence towards them than he was
determined it should be immediately carried out, and utterly impatient
of all preparations. He chose to carry a basket, the heavier the better,
but would on no account enter a cottage, still less speak to an inmate.
He preferred such expeditions in the dark, that he might successfully
hide himself outside while his wife went in to distribute his bounty.

On the 8th of January 1881 a recurrence of the former symptoms again
obliged him to take to bed. On the 8th of February he was able to rise
and go down to the library.

On the 8th of March he again became ill, and towards the end of that
month had an alarming attack of bronchitis and congestion of the lungs.
Slight hope was entertained of his recovery for some days, but this
illness appeared a turning-point, and by the 8th of April he was able to
come down-stairs. No more 8ths were marked by disaster or recovery till
again the 8th of August.

During the summer Dr Burton appeared to have recovered completely. He
wrote several articles for 'Blackwood's Magazine,' and took regular
walks, first with his wife, and, when his walking power improved so as
to exceed hers, with his son. He als