t ten years, lived a regular country life; I gave dinner
parties, prosecuted poachers, was charitable to the poor, and now and
then went into my library; during this time I was seldom or never visited
by the magic impulse, the reason being that there was nothing in the wide
world for which I cared sufficiently to move a finger to preserve it.
When the ten years, however, were nearly ended, I started out of bed one
morning in a fit of horror, exclaiming, "Mercy, mercy! what will become
of me? I am afraid I shall go mad. I have lived thirty-five years and
upwards without doing anything; shall I pass through life in this manner?
Horror!" And then in rapid succession I touched three different objects.

'I dressed myself and went down, determining to set about something; but
what was I to do?--there was the difficulty. I ate no breakfast, but
walked about the room in a state of distraction; at last I thought that
the easiest way to do something was to get into Parliament, there would
be no difficulty in that. I had plenty of money, and could buy a seat;
but what was I to do in Parliament? Speak, of course--but could I speak?
"I'll try at once," said I, and forthwith I rushed into the largest
dining-room, and, locking the door, I commenced speaking: "Mr. Speaker,"
said I, and then I went on speaking for about ten minutes as I best
could, and then I left off, for I was talking nonsense. No, I was not
formed for Parliament; I could do nothing there. What--what was I to do?

'Many, many times I thought this question over, but was unable to solve
it; a fear now stole over me that I was unfit for anything in the world,
save the lazy life of vegetation which I had for many years been leading;
yet, if that were the case, thought I, why the craving within me to
distinguish myself? Surely it does not occur fortuitously, but is
intended to rouse and call into exercise certain latent powers that I
possess? and then with infinite eagerness I set about attempting to
discover these latent powers. I tried an infinity of pursuits, botany
and geology amongst the rest, but in vain; I was fitted for none of them.
I became very sorrowful and despondent, and at one time I had almost
resolved to plunge again into the whirlpool of dissipation; it was a
dreadful resource, it was true, but what better could I do?

'But I was not doomed to return to the dissipation of the world. One
morning a young nobleman, who had for some time past showe