y　of　it；　and　though　doubtless　I　shall　recoil　afraid；　to　rejoice　that　life　should　close　so　soon。　Better　to　die　than　to　see　those　we　love　die。　For　to　most　of　us　existence　here　at　the　best　is　unhappy。　Goodness　and　the　desire　to　better　the　state　of　others　are　the　only　happy　things　in　it；　and　the　first　in　our　half…brutal　nature　is　hard　to　attain。　But　I　think　it　can　be　attained　if　opportunity　and　space　endure；　and　then；　our　many　past　sins；　errors　and　foulness　of　thought　and　deed　notwithstanding；　why　should　we　fear　to　die？　Surely　those　men　are　mad　who　in　their　little　day　reject　the　offerings　of　religion；　for　through　faith　the　munion　of　the　creature　with　his　Maker　is　real　and　possible　to　him　who　seeks　it；　whatever　the　fashion　of　his　seeking；　and　without　that　munion　light　is　not。　Love　also　is　real　and　immortal；　not　lust；　but　the　love　of　children　and　friends　and　fellow…beings　—　that　light　shall　always　shine。　For　myself　I　hope　to　live　long　enough　to　win　sufficient　success　and　money　to　do　some　little　good　to　others。　If　I　fail　in　the　attempt　。　。　。　may　the　earnest　endeavour　be　accepted！　At　least　we　should　try；　since　all　we　have；　intelligence；　attributes；　means；　is　but　lent　to　us。　I　wonder　if　you　will　set　me　down　as　a　simple　religious　enthusiast　or　as　a　little　mad　with　my　notions　of　the　efficacy　of　faith　and　prayer。　Perhaps　I　am　the　latter　—　sorrow　breeds　it　—　but　at　least　my　madness　is　a　star　to　follow　。　。　。　。

My　dear　Lang；　that　friendship　to　which　you　make　such　touching　allusion　always　has　been；　is　and　will　be　returned　by　myself。　I　will　say　no　more。

In　the　letter　to　which　the　above　e　verses　by　Lockhart　to　exemplify　his　own　state　of　mind；　which；　as　he　says；　“are　good　and　simple”　—　so　good；　and　at　this　moment　so　appropriate　indeed；　that　I　cannot　end　these　remarks　better