down.
Even then, as my father notes, it was only one of them that was carried
under; but the shock to the nerves of the other youngsters must have
stunted their growth, and the old bird cannot but have suffered tortures
from anxiety and remorse.

The sadness caused by this event, added to the chilliness of the
sea-wind which blew against us all the way down the river, rendered my
first impressions of the ancient town, which had given its name to the
one I was born in, somewhat gloomy. But the next morning it brightened
up, and our own spirits were correspondingly improved; insomuch that
I struck my head a violent blow against the stone roof of the topmost
pinnacle of St. Botolph's tower, such was the zeal of my ascent into
it. All this happened two years after the aquarium, in 1857, when I was
older and wiser, but had not yet outgrown the ambition to climb to the
top of all high places; this bump may have been an admonition not
to climb too high. We went down and strayed into Mr. Porter's little
book-shop, and he transformed himself into a new and more genial
proprietor of a virtuoso's collection, and showed us treasures, some
of which his predecessor in Mosses from an Old Manse might not have
despised. I have never since then heard of his portrait in crayon of
the youthful Sterne; it would be worth a good deal to any latter-day
publisher of his works in a de luxe edition. As for the green tassel
from the bed of Queen Mary, in Holyrood House, there is a passage in
my father's description of it in his journal which, out of regard,
doubtless, for the feelings of Mr. Porter, he forbore to quote in his
published article; but as the good old gentleman (unless he has lived
to be more than one hundred and twenty years old) must have gone to the
place where treasures are indestructible, I will reproduce it now. "This
tassel," says my father, "Mr. Porter told us (with a quiet chuckle and
humorous self-gratulation), he had personally stolen, and really, for my
part, though I hope I would not have done it myself, I thought it no sin
in him--such valuables being attracted by a natural magnetism towards
such a man. He obeys, in stealing them, a higher law than he breaks.
I should like to know precisely what portion of his rich and rare
collection he has obtained in a similar manner. But far be it from me
to speak unkindly or sneeringly of the good man; for he showed us great
kindness, and obliged us so much the more by being greatl