My Son's Letter to his Sister on going into Society. Mr.
Birnie's Opinion of him, and Extract from his Lecture. Letter from
William to his Mother on Religious Views and Definitions of Faith.
His last Communications to his family at Home, before the Departure
of the Expedition.
I OMIT my son's letters of January and February, 1860, as they
contain nothing on scientific matters, or on the subject of
Australia, although interesting in other respects. They mark the
habitual tone of his feelings and principles, his constant habit of
self-examination, his study of his fellow-men, and how strongly he
was impressed with the truth of Pope's grand conclusion, that
"Virtue alone is happiness below."
"You will be glad to learn," he says, writing to his mother on the
17th of March, "that the Exploring Expedition is postponed for six
months, for want of a suitable leader, as none of the candidates
who offered their services were thought qualified in a scientific
point of view. [Footnote: Oddly enough, Mr. Burke, who was
afterwards chosen, with many requisites of a high order, was
deficient in this, which, indeed, he never for a moment pretended
to possess.
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