’Do you mind my saying all this to you? only I would fain say anything that at such a time may, if only for a minute, help to keep the bright side before you.  The spirit of patience did seem so to rest upon him and his dear saintly wife.  The motto of the Christian Year seemed to be inwoven into his life and character.  I suppose he so well knew the insignificance of what to us mortals in our own generation seems so great, that he had learned to view eternal truths in the light of Him who is eternal.  He fought manfully for the true eternal issues, and everything else fell into its subordinate place.  Is not one continually struck with his keen sense of the proportion of things?  He wastes no time nor strength in the accidents of religion; much that he liked and valued he never taught as essential, or even mentioned, lest it might interfere with essentials.

’Oh! that his calm wise judgment, his spiritual discernment, may be poured out on many earnest men who I can’t help thinking lack that instinct which divinely guided the early Church in the “selection of fundamentals.”  We must all grieve to see earnest, zealous men almost injuring the good cause, and placing its best and wisest champions in an unnecessarily difficult position, because they do not see what I suppose Mr. Keble did see so very clearly.

’I know that these questions present themselves somewhat differently to those situated severally as you and we are.  But it is, I suppose, by freely interchanging amongst ourselves thoughts that the general balance is best preserved.  Pray, when you have time, write freely to me on such matters if you think it may be of use to do so.  The Church everywhere ought to guard, and teach, and practise what is essential.  In non-essentials I suppose the rule is clear.  I will eat no meat, &c.

’And now good-bye, my dear Cousin; and may God ever bless and comfort you.

’Your affectionate Cousin,

‘J.  C. Patteson.’

Sir William and Lady Martin had just paid their last visit to Kohimarama, and here is the final record by Lady Martin’s hand of the pleasant days there spent:—­

’One more visit we paid to our dear friend in November 1866, a few months before he left Kohimarama for Norfolk Island.  He invited my dear husband specially for the purpose of working together at Hebrew, with the aid of the lights they thought our languages throw on its grammatical structure.

’The Bishop was very happy and bright.  He was in his new house, a great improvement upon the stuffy quarters in the quad.  His sitting-room was large and lofty, and had French windows which opened on a little verandah facing the sea.