said she, ’he gaed away trusting in that; and he’ll be sorely disappointed if he doesna’ find it so.’  Let me venture to express my hope, that when my readers and I pass within the veil, we may run the risk of no other disappointment than that these words should prove false; and then it will be well with us.  There will be no disappointment there, in the sense of things failing to come up to our expectations.

Let it be added, that there are disappointments with which even the kindest hearts will have no sympathy, and failures over which we may without malignity rejoice.  You do not feel very deeply for the disappointed burglar, who retires from your dwelling at 3 A. M., leaving a piece of the calf of his leg in the jaws of your trusty watch-dog; nor for the Irish bog-trotter who (poor fellow), from behind the hedge, misses his aim at the landlord who fed him and his family through the season of famine.  You do not feel very deeply for the disappointment of the friend, possibly the slight acquaintance, who with elongated face retires from your study, having failed to persuade you to attach your signature to a bill for some hundreds of pounds ‘just as a matter of form.’  Very likely he wants the money; so did the burglar:  but is that any reason why you should give it to him?  Refer him to the wealthy and influential relatives of whom he has frequently talked to you; tell him they are the very people to assist him in such a case with their valuable autograph.  As for yourself, tell him you know what you owe to your children and yourself; and say that the slightest recurrence to such a subject must be the conclusion of all intercourse between you.  Ah, poor disappointed fellow!  How heartless it is in you to refuse to pay, out of your hard earnings, the money which he so jauntily and freely spent!

How should disappointment be met?  Well, that is far too large a question to be taken up at this stage of my essay, though there are various suggestions which I should like to make.  Some disappointed men take to gardening and farming; and capital things they are.  But when disappointment is extreme, it will paralyse you so that you will suffer the weeds to grow up all about you, without your having the heart to set your mind to the work of having the place made neat.  The state of a man’s garden is a very delicate and sensitive test as to whether he is keeping hopeful and well-to-do.  It is to me a very sad sight to see a parsonage getting a dilapidated look, and the gravel walks in its garden growing weedy.  The parson must be growing old and poor.  The parishioners tell you how trim and orderly everything was when he came first to the parish.  But his affairs have become embarrassed, or his wife and children are dead; and though still doing his duty well, and faithfully, he has lost heart and interest in these little matters; and so things are as you see.