can obtain another situation. I need not
suggest to you, my dear brother, to write to your old friend, and
ascertain his position, and if he requires it give him a helping hand.
I must now tell you the determination to which David has come, though he
will write to you himself on the subject. We were not till lately aware
of the assistance we have received from dear Mrs Galbraith and other
friends, from whom we have discovered our kind Janet has been in the
habit of demanding whatever she considered necessary for us. I am sure
that she would not have begged a sixpence for her own support. I am now
thrown more completely than ever on her hands, and though I am anxious
to do anything I can to maintain myself she will not hear of my leaving
her. I would take a situation as a child's governess, or as a companion
to a lady, such as I have been to Mrs Galbraith, or go into service,
but she insists that I must bide at home with her, as she could not
trust me out of her sight, but that I am welcome to ply my needle as
much as I please, and that she doubts not she shall find work for me if
I follow her wishes, which David is anxious that I should do. He cannot
bring himself to draw on her resources, so as to continue his studies
till he can become a minister, which will not be for some years yet. He
has often talked of going out to join you in Canada, and his heart is, I
am sure, set on so doing. He has his doubts as to his fitness for the
ministry, and says that head-learning and book-learning are not
sufficient, and that he is conscious of being destitute of all other
qualifications. He declares he should sink down with nervousness
directly he enters a pulpit, that his voice and memory would fail him,
and that he does not possess that love of souls and desire to win them
to Christ, which he considers the chief qualification for the preacher
of the gospel. I agreed with him when he made the last remark; but
still I trust that he is mistaken about his qualifications. Nothing I
have urged has had any effect in inducing him to alter his
determination. Though he studies as hard as ever, he almost starves
himself in his anxiety not to be a burden to Janet, he will not buy any
fresh books, or spend more money than he can possibly help; indeed, I
must own to you that she would have great difficulty in giving him any,
though she tries to make him believe, as usual, that she has as much as
he can require. I begged you before n