1879 LETTERS-A DREAM 497 Lightfoot have been answered. I knew you were with us then, and we are with you now. He is all strength and all modesty. I could not have believed he would be so bright. But it is his perfect confidence that God wills it, and leads him, and the sorrow turns into joy that actually beams about him. But I can't really write about things, however dear to me, while I am all the while thinking of the sorrow of your mother and of you all. ......I had again a great congregation and the Judge: but my sermon was long and uneven, and not calculated to do anybody any good except the preacher by humiliating him. I hope that it may do its proper work. I can't get at the core. It is so because my life is behind my light. A dream, sent to Dr Ogle. Written in my Diary Ap. 29, 1879. May 23, 1879. Some weeks ago I woke early with a pain in my chest. I found that this pain had caused me an odd dream. I had dreamt that I had been suffering so severely that our doctor, Mr Sharp, had been sent for. He looked very serious in my dream, and after examining me said, "I ought to tell you this is very serious indeed. You have Angina Pectoris." I, in my dream, exclaimed in great indignation, "Angina! Angina! Angina if you please, Angina!" I told my wife almost immediately and afterwards I told some friends at breakfast; and then the impression of my dream grew so strong on me that I said to myself, "How odd it would be if it were Angina after all-and if my dream were a relic of some correction which I had found (and forgotten) upon the ordinary pronunciation." I actually went into my study, and looked it out. I found of course "Angina" in Forcellini and some authority quoted. B. I. 32 On last Sunday (27th April) I dined in the Hall at Trinity. I sat at the right of the Master, H. A. J. Munro sat next to me. There was a conversation about Public Schools, about Lee, and about Arnold, and thence of the effect of his death. Munro said to me, "Did he not suffer acutely for some hours before he died?" I replied, "Yes, he died of Angina Pectoris." He smiled grimly, as his wont is, and said softly, "Of Angina, as we now call it." My dream flashed on me, but it was too pat to mention it, and I said, "Why do we? Why so?" He replied, "There are only two passages where it occurs in verse: one is in Lucilius, but the old editors were so persuaded it was Angina, that they spoiled the hexameter itself by altering it. It occurs also in Serenus Sammonicus at the beginning of a line and there too the editors changed it." Somebody said, "What is that?" and Munro said, "Here's the Bishop of Truro making a false quantity!" and we all laughed. Next morning I said to the Master at breakfast at the Lodge, "I believe it was as much news to the rest of the High Table as it was to me." He said, "Of course it is; I happened to know it, because Munro pointed it out to me some few weeks ago as a new discovery of his." I told the Master my dream to his amusement. (It is Angina in the newest edition of De Vit.) May 13. On my return home I asked my wife and children (before telling them about Cambridge) whether they remembered my telling them my odd dream-and she and the two eldest at home remembered it perfectly. Notes added later. E. W. TRURON. Serenus Sammonicus de Medicina praecepta v. 282. The reading of the printed editions which attempted to correct what was conceived to be an error is, Verum angina sibi mixtum sale poscit acetum. The original reading of the MSS. is Angina tum vero mixtum sale poscit acetum. Another editorial attempt at correction was Ast angina etc. The fragment of Lucilius (ap. Non. c. 1. n. 150, Forcellini's 1879-1880 LETTERS-ON BISHOP AUCKLAND 499 reference) runs in the printed edition, if I remember, but I have not the book down here; ...angina una quam sustulit hora. The MSS. have " quam una angina sustulit hora.” 13 Feb. 1889. EDW. C. To Canon Westcott, on a visit to Bishop Auckland, and the visit of Archbishop Tait to Cornwall. TRURO. MY DEAR WESTCOTT, All Saints' Day, 1879. It is a beautiful day to write to you on, though after too long an interval. The sunlight on the Beech Trees all day and the brilliance of the moonlight to-night, have given a wonder ful dress to-day to many memories. I had a wonderful visit to Bishop Auckland-and oh! how we wished for you! It was both out and in, house and surroundings, present and past, much more than I expected. There was a joyous solemnity about Lightfoot which was most impressive, and his arrangements were (as Arthur said) "regal." I think he will be very happy, unless Cambridge stings him from time to time. The Archbishop has done good to everybody by coming here. He is "regal" and pathetic. I think he helps me to picture Oedipus Coloneus, only blameless and a Christian. What curious and manifold elements in our spiritual food! and how much do our spirits assimilate? Ever your most affectionate, E. W. TRURON. To Canon Mason. m. Jan. d. x. MDCCCXXC. (1880.) AGAPITISSUME, Omne quod facis In vinculo pacis Facis rectissume. Quum Constantinenses Ad Cantabrigienses Nec non delibutos Cras de "Feri-severe" Plura dic mihi vere. Pax tecum et mecum. Amen. To Canon Mason, on lay work. TRURO. 23 April, 1880. I am most thankful about the Lay Readers you mentionthere has been a pause in this part of our work-and hamlet work depends on Lay Readership spreading as a system-and on hamlet work depends entirely whether we, as a Church, can ever supply what Methodists etc. now supply in a small way. So that we must (and you must) do all you can to push Missionising in this form. To his Wife. CONVOCATION HOUSE. 2 June, 1880. ...... My two sermons on Sunday are very oppressive to my soul-not the writing but the shortening-for these Londoners won't stand more than 25 minutes and I can't work anything out in that time. And really these are days when one ought to try to make people see. It's no use stroking them while they stand purring or making feints at them while they stand "spitting." It's the time to put facts and reasons before them. 1 Canon Mason was engaged to take a Mission at Constantine, but had been appealed to at the same time to conduct one in his old parish at Cambridge: he had consulted the Bishop as to what he should do. 2 Canon Mason cannot interpret this. I am so full always of the thoughts of the fearful battle we wage, that I can scarcely do more than pray for those who go and those who stay. But when comrades drop at one's side every hour under this sharp-shooting death, I can scarcely say more than "Thou dost all things well," and beg Him to excuse me for not seeing more of His ways. We seem to want everyone and to keep no one. All the best soldiers are killed off and we go scrambling on-all those that are finer and nobler and more beautiful seem not to be allowed to help us-only us crooked, scarred, hard-hit ones are let drag out the contest. But for them ἀναπαῦσον αὐτούς, Κύριε, ἐν τόπῳ φωτεινῷ ὅπου ἐπισκοπεῖ τὸ φῶς τοῦ προσώπου Σοῦ· ἔνθα ἀπέδρα λύπη καὶ στεναγμός. Αμήν. I have had to preach six sermons and make 20 speeches this week and can't hold up my head any longer. Your loving, E. W. TR. To Canon Mason. RISEHOLME. 2 Oct. 1880. I can see no reason why you should not hold your brother's mission if you wish. He pleads very hard and affectionately. Ergo, (1) If you feel it will not hinder but enrich your special work, why not go? (2) You have to care for and husband strength and vigour, and if these would not be expended hurtfully, it cannot be argued against. Whichever way you decide I shall be pleased. My feeling is rather that of the Lord's Brethren (but our Lord does not say whether they were right), that at some rare times a retired intensive work may be made by being "openly known" more intense. It seems to me so far as I can see that the 1 "Give them rest, O Lord, in a place of light where the light of Thy countenance looks upon (all), where wailing has fled away and groaning. Amen." A free quotation from one of the Greek liturgies. |