you very unwell. I hope you have ere this perfectly recovered. I suppose maladies of this kind must be expected to take rather severe hold of us now, as we are both past the meridian of life. I am, however, very thankful for the measure of health I enjoy, and the pleasure mechanical pursuits give me. I fully sympathise with you in the contempt (shall I say?) which you feel for the taste of so many people who find their chief pleasure in 'killing something,' and how often their pleasures are fatal! Two distinguished men killed only the other day in hunting. For my part I would rather take to the bicycle and do my seventeen miles within the hour."

He proceeds: "I have no doubt your windmill is very nicely contrived, and has afforded you much pleasure in constructing it. The only drawback to it is, that in this variable climate it is apt to strike work, and in the midst of a job of polishing I fear no increase of wages would induce it to complete its task! If water were plentiful, you might make it pump up a quantity when the wind served, to be used as a motive power when you chose."

This reference alludes to a windmill which I erected on the top of my workshop, to drive the apparatus below. It was the mirror of a reflecting telescope which was in progress. The windmill went on night and day, and polished the speculum while I slept. In the small hours of the morning I keeked through the corner of the window blinds and saw it hard at work. I prefer, however, a small steam-engine, which works much more regularly.

It is time to come to an end of my Recollections. I have endeavoured to give a brief résumé of my life and labours. I hope they may prove interesting as well as useful to others. Thanks to a good constitution and a frame invigorated by work, I continue to lead, with my dear wife, a happy life. I still take a deep interest in mechanics, in astronomy, and in art. It is a pleasure to me to run up to London and enjoy the collections at the National Gallery, South Kensington, and the Royal Academy. The Crystal Palace continues to attract a share of my attention, though, since the fire, it has been greatly altered . I miss, too, many of the dear accustomed faces of the old friends we used to meet there. Still we visit it, and leave to memory the filling up of what is gone. All things change, and we with them. The following Dial of Life gives a brief summary of my career. It shows the brevity of life, and indicates the tale that is soon told. The first part of the semicircle includes the passage from infancy to boyhood and manhood. While that period lasts, time seems to pass very slowly. We long to be men, and doing men's work. What I have called The Tableland of Life is then reached. Ordinary observation shows that between thirty and fifty the full strength of body and mind is reached ; and at that period we energise our faculties to the utmost.

The Dial of Life

Those who are blessed with good health and a sound constitution may prolong the period of energy to sixty or even seventy; but Nature's laws must be obeyed, and the period of decline begins, and goes on with accelerated rapidity. Then comes Old Age; and as we descend the semicircle towards eighty, we find that the remnant of life becomes vague and cloudy. By shading off, as I have done, the portion of the area of the diagram according to the individual age, every one may see how much of life is consumed, and what is left -- D.V.. Here is my brief record: