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Apart from the few rude moments of party change, the last months of office, from June to December, gave the departing governor a peculiarly benign ending to his strenuous period of rule. His latest report was able to point to progress, alike in commerce, education and general civilization; and its closing paragraph—a postscript—gave news of the assent of Nova Scotia to the Fishing and Reciprocity Treaty. His last official dispatch announced the settlement of the two outstanding exciting issues, seigneurial tenure and clergy reserves. Before that date he had proved his freedom from personal bias by calling into power a party, many of whom had systematically refused either to call at Government House or to recognize His Excellency in the street. In estimating greatness we are accustomed to consider not merely the man, but the occasion, and to include the grandeur of the whirlwind and the fire in our estimate of the spirit which could direct them. Elgin had nothing in him of this dæmonic and contentious glory. He was a plain man, seeking normal and peaceful ends in a province not yet free from its parochial limitations. On only one occasion, during his time of office, did an opportunity come for what the crowd calls heroism, and Elgin chose then to avoid the glory of resolute folly, and to seek quietness and law and unity instead. They keep the Abbey and St Paul’s for the warriors and men of crises; but the British Empire stands because there have been men wise enough to avoid crises, great enough to prepare a way for democratic triumphs by subordinating their personal energies to suit the public good. Chief among these stands Elgin.