victim to sacrifice, to
his love for Evadne. He entrusted to her keeping the treasures of his soul,
his aspirations after excellence, and his plans for the improvement of
mankind. As manhood dawned upon him, his schemes and theories, far from
being changed by personal and prudential motives, acquired new strength
from the powers he felt arise within him; and his love for Evadne became
deep-rooted, as he each day became more certain that the path he pursued
was full of difficulty, and that he must seek his reward, not in the
applause or gratitude of his fellow creatures, hardly in the success of his
plans, but in the approbation of his own heart, and in her love and
sympathy, which was to lighten every toil and recompence every sacrifice.

In solitude, and through many wanderings afar from the haunts of men, he
matured his views for the reform of the English government, and the
improvement of the people. It would have been well if he had concealed his
sentiments, until he had come into possession of the power which would
secure their practical development. But he was impatient of the years that
must intervene, he was frank of heart and fearless. He gave not only a
brief denial to his mother's schemes, but published his intention of using
his influence to diminish the power of the aristocracy, to effect a greater
equalization of wealth and privilege, and to introduce a perfect system of
republican government into England. At first his mother treated his
theories as the wild ravings of inexperience. But they were so
systematically arranged, and his arguments so well supported, that though
still in appearance incredulous, she began to fear him. She tried to reason
with him, and finding him inflexible, learned to hate him.

Strange to say, this feeling was infectious. His enthusiasm for good which
did not exist; his contempt for the sacredness of authority; his ardour and
imprudence were all at the antipodes of the usual routine of life; the
worldly feared him; the young and inexperienced did not understand the
lofty severity of his moral views, and disliked him as a being different
from themselves. Evadne entered but coldly into his systems. She thought he
did well to assert his own will, but she wished that will to have been more
intelligible to the multitude. She had none of the spirit of a martyr, and
did not incline to share the shame and defeat of a fallen patriot. She was
aware of the purity of his motives, the generos