passages of philosophic
regret, he passes on to the next adventure.

Now Borrow, as we know, was not physically drawn towards the ordinary
gypsy type--the dark, beautiful Celtic women; and it was in girls of the
fair Saxon order such as Isopel Berners that he sought a natural mate.

Certainly, if any woman was calculated by physique and by disposition to
attract Borrow, Isopel Berners was that woman. And when we find that the
utmost extent of his passion is to make tea for her and instruct her in
Armenian, it is impossible not to be disagreeably impressed by the
unnatural chilliness of such a disposition. Not even Isopel could break
down the barrier of intense egoism that fenced him off from any profound
intimacy with his fellow-creatures.

Perhaps Dr. Jessop's attack upon him errs in severity, and is to an
extent, as Mr. Watts-Dunton says, "unjust"; but there is surely an
element of truth in his remarks when he says: "Of anything like animal
passion there is not a trace in all his many volumes. Not a hint that he
ever kissed a woman or even took a little child upon his knee." Nor do I
think that the anecdote which Mr. Watts-Dunton relates about the
beautiful gypsy, to whom Borrow read Arnold's poem, goes far to dissipate
the impression of Borrow's insensibility to a woman's charm.

A passing tribute to the looks of an extraordinarily beautiful girl is
quite compatible with a comparative insensibility to feminine beauty and
feminine graces. That Borrow was devoid of animal passion I do not
believe--nor indeed do his books convey that impression; that he had no
feeling for beauty either would be scarcely compatible with the Celtic
element in his nature. I think it less a case--as Dr. Jessop seems to
think--of want of passion as of a tyrannous egotism that excluded any
element likely to prove troublesome. He would not admit a disturbing
factor--such as the presence of the self-reliant Isopel--into his life.

No doubt he liked Isopel well enough in his fashion. Otherwise certainly
he would not have made up his mind to marry her. But his own feelings,
his own tastes, his own fancies, came first. He would marry her--oh
yes!--there was plenty of time later on. For the present he could study
her character, amuse himself with her idiosyncrasies, and as a return for
her devotion and faithful affection teach her Armenian. Extremely
touching!

But the episode of Isopel Berners is only one illustration, albeit a ve