es for persisting
in the life of retirement which I have led for so many years past. Do
not think that calamity has chilled my heart, or enervated my mind.
Past suffering may have changed, but it has not deteriorated me. It has
fortified my spirit with an abiding strength; it has told me plainly,
much that was but dimly revealed to me before; it has shown me uses to
which I may put my existence, that have their sanction from other voices
than the voices of fame; it has taught me to feel that bravest ambition
which is vigorous enough to overleap the little life here! Is there
no aspiration in the purposes for which I would now live?--Bernard!
whatever we can do of good, in this world, with our affections or our
faculties, rises to the Eternal World above us, as a song of praise from
Humanity to God. Amid the thousand, thousand tones ever joining to
swell the music of that song, are those which sound loudest and grandest
_here,_ the tones which travel sweetest and purest to the Imperishable
Throne; which mingle in the perfectest harmony with the anthem of the
angel-choir! Ask your own heart that question--and then say, may not
the obscurest life--even a life like mine--be dignified by a lasting
aspiration, and dedicated to a noble aim?

I have done. The calm summer evening has stolen on me while I have been
writing to you; and Clara's voice--now the happy voice of the happy
old times--calls to me from our garden seat to come out and look at the
sunset over the distant sea. Once more--farewell!

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Basil, by Wilkie Collins

*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BASIL ***

***** This file should be named 4605.txt or 4605.zip *****
This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
http://www.gutenberg.org/4/6/0/4605/

Produced by James Rusk

Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions
will be renamed.

Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no
one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation
(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without
permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules,
set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to
copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to
protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project
Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you