Believe me, my dear mother,

Your affectionate son,

William J. Wills.

CHAPTER 5.

Postponement of the Exploring Expedition projected at the beginning of 1860.  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.] You need not work yourself up to such a state of excitement at the bare idea of my going, but should rather rejoice that the opportunity presents itself.  The actual danger is nothing, and the positive advantages very great.  Besides, my dear mother, what avails your faith if you terrify yourself about such trifles?  Were we born, think you, to be locked up in comfortable rooms, and never to incur the hazard of a mishap?  If things were at the worst, I trust I could meet death with as much resignation as others, even if it came to-night.  I am often disgusted at hearing young people I know, declare that they are afraid of doing this or that, because they might be killed.  Were I in some of their shoes I should be glad to hail the chance of departing this life fairly in the execution of an honourable duty.”

The following selections from his numerous letters at this time are little more than extracts, and form but a small portion of the whole.  All speak his admiration of a great and beneficent Creator, derived from the study of his works.  He had a great distaste for sectarianism, and for a too slavish devotion to forms and conventionalities, whether in religious or social practice, fearing lest these extremes might savour of untruthfulness or hypocrisy.

Magnetic Observatory, Melbourne, April 18th, 1860.

My dear Bessy,