DOI chapter:
Chapter VI: Sickness, Travels, and Old Age
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.62482#0335
SICKNESS, TRAVELS, AND OLD AGE 175
work in concert with others in order to move any great
weight, which concert could not be brought about by too
great an expansion of individual sensations. The more we
felt the more we should be able to impress others, and the
less necessary would be violence. He did not know what
was going on, but was always dreading change, fearing that
things must become worse before the better forced itself
forwards as a necessity. He sees better what might be
done than how to do it. He was thinking about art; for he
writes anything else was for him, alas! quite out of any pos-
sibility ; but he did not like going out of the world without
having done a man’s work in some worthy direction. This
feeling was growing upon him, and added, he could have
felt envious of Leighton and every one who had physical and
intellectual vigour, but he must not hope for increase of
either at his time of life. One thing he wished to impress
upon me, viz. to do the best one possibly can ; one must
have not only interest in one’s work, but satisfaction. While
quick to perceive defects, we should be alive to success. “ If
we do not know when we do well, I am sure we cannot esti-
mate truly our failure, even if it were only because we shall
not know perfectly in what the failure consists.” Very
shortly after receiving this letter a telegram came saying
Watts was seriously ill. We telegraphed our sympathy, and
another arrived. The case seemed hopeless. Quite sud-
denly one morning he had fallen down senseless. He got
better and then ill again. As soon as he could be removed
the doctor ordered him at once to leave Malta. He wrote
from Naples that everything had gone wrong, and all his
“expectations come to naught—a terrible expense of health
and time and money.” He was glad that things had gone
well with me, and looked forward to “great results.” He
said Naples was a lovely place, but the weather had done its
work in concert with others in order to move any great
weight, which concert could not be brought about by too
great an expansion of individual sensations. The more we
felt the more we should be able to impress others, and the
less necessary would be violence. He did not know what
was going on, but was always dreading change, fearing that
things must become worse before the better forced itself
forwards as a necessity. He sees better what might be
done than how to do it. He was thinking about art; for he
writes anything else was for him, alas! quite out of any pos-
sibility ; but he did not like going out of the world without
having done a man’s work in some worthy direction. This
feeling was growing upon him, and added, he could have
felt envious of Leighton and every one who had physical and
intellectual vigour, but he must not hope for increase of
either at his time of life. One thing he wished to impress
upon me, viz. to do the best one possibly can ; one must
have not only interest in one’s work, but satisfaction. While
quick to perceive defects, we should be alive to success. “ If
we do not know when we do well, I am sure we cannot esti-
mate truly our failure, even if it were only because we shall
not know perfectly in what the failure consists.” Very
shortly after receiving this letter a telegram came saying
Watts was seriously ill. We telegraphed our sympathy, and
another arrived. The case seemed hopeless. Quite sud-
denly one morning he had fallen down senseless. He got
better and then ill again. As soon as he could be removed
the doctor ordered him at once to leave Malta. He wrote
from Naples that everything had gone wrong, and all his
“expectations come to naught—a terrible expense of health
and time and money.” He was glad that things had gone
well with me, and looked forward to “great results.” He
said Naples was a lovely place, but the weather had done its