must be included the worthy chronometer maker, who expressed his feelings in the following letter:—
To M. F. Maury.
From a chronometer maker, a plain English machinist.
| My dear Sir, | Leicester, England, July 2nd, 1864. |
The watch can scarcely be held in fonder remembrance than your letter, received this morning, will be cherished by me.
Devoted as my life has been to the retired pursuit of mechanical art, it is not often that I have coveted great wealth or worldly position; but there have been times when the possession of these would have enabled me to fulfill the yearnings of my inclination—yearnings that were never more strongly called into action than on your arrival in this country a year ago, when I should have been gratified beyond expression to have had the power to be amongst the first to offer a secure and suitable asylum to yourself, and as many of your family as could be snatched from the frightful war which has devastated so promising a land for the last two years; not that my sympathies were called forth on any political grounds, for whenever either side has been victorious and inflicted great injury on the other, I could only mourn for it as an injury inflicted on itself, and regard it with the same feelings as though a noble form were tearing itself to pieces during the temporary absence of reason. Whatever may be the result of the contest, it must be a source of gratification for you to know, that, although you are not now young, your life has chiefly been spent in the good work of enabling mankind to cross the ocean with less risk from the elements than formerly. I have never met with a scientific man, who did not bear testimony to the great services you have rendered to mankind.
Hoping that you will not think me presumptuous in thus addressing you,
G. F. Loseby.
