Page:Life of Octavia Hill as told in her letters.djvu/244

LIFE OF OCTAVIA HILL CHAP. Often it grieves me to find how much they preserve peace because they know I feel their disputes so sadly ; but I try to console myself, and to hope that beginning from this, they may at last learn how bitterly all their sin pains God who loves them better than I do, and works for them so much more wisely. I never speak to them of Him. I think too much, not too little, is said about Him, to the poor especially ; but some- times I do break through my rule, when I am urging them to do better, to live a little more nearly in accord- ance with the teaching of their hearts. . . . Ruskin has lent me a Rossetti and two William Butts and a John Lewis for some weeks ; the colour of the first is a perpetual joy. August, 1866. My work promises to lead to some drawing again now. I have commissions to make four large pictures from the old Masters to be fixed on the walls of a room like frescoes ; and Lady Ducie, to whose daughter I gave a few lessons, wants me to go down there some weeks in the autumn, to teach her again. As I should be living in their house, I should give all my time to drawing. Perhaps Harriet will have told you that Andy is coming back to help us instead of teaching her own school ; and we are to take additional pupils. Until they come, Andy's return gives me time to draw. I hope that, for the children, Andy's return may be an unmitigated gain ; for I hope much from her gentleness and tenderness, and her great power of interesting them in study ; and all the strong stern rule may be in my hands still ; and, whatever else I feel I can do best for them, I shall continue to do. I should like to write