ess; by the time I was eighteen I was able to read most of the Greek
and Latin authors with facility; I was likewise, to a certain degree, a
mathematician. I cannot say that I took much pleasure in my studies; my
chief aim in endeavouring to accomplish my tasks was to give pleasure to
my beloved parent, who watched my progress with anxiety truly maternal.
My life at this period may be summed up in a few words; I pursued my
studies, roamed about the woods, walked the green lanes occasionally,
cast my fly in a trout stream, and sometimes, but not often, rode a
hunting with my uncle. A considerable part of my time was devoted to my
mother, conversing with her and reading to her; youthful companions I had
none, and as to my mother, she lived in the greatest retirement, devoting
herself to the superintendence of my education, and the practice of acts
of charity; nothing could be more innocent than this mode of life, and
some people say that in innocence there is happiness, yet I can't say
that I was happy. A continual dread overshadowed my mind, it was the
dread of my mother's death. Her constitution had never been strong, and
it had been considerably shaken by her last illness; this I knew, and
this I saw--for the eyes of fear are marvellously keen. Well, things
went on in this way till I had come of age; my tutors were then
dismissed, and my uncle the baronet took me in hand, telling my mother
that it was high time for him to exert his authority; that I must see
something of the world, for that, if I remained much longer with her, I
should be ruined. 'You must consign him to me,' said he, 'and I will
introduce him to the world.' My mother sighed and consented; so my uncle
the baronet introduced me to the world, took me to horse races and to
London, and endeavoured to make a man of me according to his idea of the
term, and in part succeeded. I became moderately dissipated--I say
moderately, for dissipation had but little zest for me.

"In this manner four years passed over. It happened that I was in London
in the height of the season with my uncle, at his house; one morning he
summoned me into the parlour, he was standing before the fire, and looked
very serious. 'I have had a letter,' said he; 'your mother is very ill.'
I staggered, and touched the nearest object to me; nothing was said for
two or three minutes, and then my uncle put his lips to my ear and
whispered something. I fell down senseless. My mother was