'the perfected child spirit'. Even as a girl of sixteen I never could bear Longfellow's verse— Not as a child shall we again behold her. To me and I fancy to most women-Heaven would be incomplete without children. What a wonderful bit that is in the Paradiso, where Dante is taught that though there are different degrees of knowledge in the future life, yet Heaven is perfect for each one because they couldn't desire anything but God's will. "Will you thank your daughter very much for copying Archbishop Laud's prayer. It is most beautiful. I wonder whether he wrote it after Prynne so cruelly took away his manual of prayer from his cell? "Yours very sincerely, "A. E. BAYLY, Another letter to the same friend a few days later says: "I am so grieved to hear of your illness, and fear that coming out on that stormy afternoon must have done you harm. I have thought a great deal over what you said about prayer. I am sure it does too often get crowded out of my life, and that something more of a system might be helpful. The worst of it is that systems always tend with me to become mechanical, what I think I called 'hypocritical,' and that made me fall back much more on the sort of informal prayers that one prays while going about in ordinary life. "But I know there must be a way of wider inter cession which can be combined with perfect sincerity, and, as you say, God understands our hearts. Our tired brains and wandering imagination are perhaps not such dreadful hindrances in His sight. There is a saying of Dr. Arnold's quoted in Bishop Westcott's Lessons from Work which struck me, 'Prayer and kindly intercourse with the poor are the two great safeguards of spiritual life'. How good of you to send me Dr. Rendall's sermon. I look forward very much to reading it. I think I met him and his wife the summer before last at Canon Rawnsley's. there anything we could do for you and Mrs. T.? To be ill in a hotel always seems to me rather dreary, though people are very kind. Have you all the books you care for? I do so hope you will soon be better," etc., etc. Is In December Edna Lyall wrote to Mr. Longman about the publication of the children's book of which she had been thinking in the summer, and says: "Some months ago you asked me to let you have the first offer of my next book. I am now writing a children's story, and do not feel sure whether you ever publish such things, but I just mention it in case you care to think of it. It is for children of eight or nine years old, and would want really good illustrations and attractive getting up, as it is quite a quiet book and not a story of thrilling adventures, being in truth a real study of child life five-and-thirty years ago. It would probably be finished by the late spring, and might be published next autumn." CHAPTER XII. PEACE-1902, 1903. Inspiration—The pantomime-Letter to a godson-The Hinderers -Cambridge-Proclamation of Peace-Free Trade-Sydney Wharnecliffe-The Lakes again-Belgium-More sorrow-The Boer Generals-Ideal Christmas-Last illness. CHAPTER XII. PEACE-1902, 1903. "Each individual man and woman is called on to be Christ's co-worker in the great fight against evil, the great struggle for righteousness, peace and joy."-The Hinderers. THE new year of 1902, which was to be Edna Lyall's last year on earth and full of much sorrow, began with an inspiration which gave her a great deal of joy. She speaks of it in many letters written from her bed on the 2nd January. One to an intimate friend, who had sent her a book on the future life, says :— "Do you know you sent me a copy of this book before, so I am returning the new copy. It was very dear of you to think of me. I think the writer has done a good deal in calling attention to the clear teaching in the Bible about 'Paradise'. In some points I don't think he appeals to me, though, so much as Dean Plumptre in his Spirits in Prison. That, however, is because now and then he comes down from the spiritual heights into controversial and passing details, and here his 'High Church' views clash with my 'broad do. do.'. In certain regions (heavenly places to my mind) one can sympathise absolutely and meet heart to heart with high, low, broad, Quakers, Nonconformists, Roman Catholics, but in passing to dogmatic regions the dividing distances become very plain. I said this the other day to Mr. T., a delightful clergyman who sometimes stays in Eastbourne-an extremely High Churchman and a saint. He said: 'Yes, like the trees in a forest; though the trunks are far apart, yet the branches up above meet'. I think it is such a nice parable, and the moral of it seems to me, let each be well rooted in truth and sincerity and develop for their various purposes, not expecting that the trunks will ever be united or precisely uniform, but living for the most part in the meeting upper branches where the air and sunshine can freely come. ... "I liked your Christmas letter so much. . . . Forgive a scrawl. I'm writing in bed, but am wellwrapped up and am enjoying a wide open window and a lovely day. Colds have been going through the house, . . . and now I am having a turn, as of course my silly temperature dances up o' nights and Dr. C. insists. All the same he says I am certainly better than when he last saw me, better pulse, etc., etc. He even allows me to go to [London] for three or four days next week if I am very careful as to avoiding chills. I rather need a little change, but don't dare take longer or go further afield, and shall do even this little jaunt in a Pullman! I am so happy, for on New Year's morning an idea for a fresh book came to my mind. It must be nearly as good as a mother's knowledge that she is to have a child!" To another friend she says:— |