soul be steeped
in this passion; let him think and care for nothing else; let nothing
divert, cool, or intimidate him; let the _ideal_ feeling become an
actual one and take possession of his whole faculties, looks, and
manner; let the same voluptuous hopes and wishes govern his actions in
the presence of his mistress that haunt his fancy in her absence, and I
will answer for his success. But I will not answer for the success of 'a
dish of skimmed milk' in such a case.--I could always get to see a fine
collection of pictures myself. The fact is, I was set upon it. Neither
the surliness of porters nor the impertinence of footmen could keep me
back. I had a portrait of Titian in my eye, and nothing could put me out
in my determination. If that had not (as it were) been looking on me
all the time I was battling my way, I should have been irritated or
disconcerted, and gone away. But my liking to the end conquered my
scruples or aversion to the means. I never understood the Scotch
character but on these occasions. I would not take 'No' for an answer.
If I had wanted a place under government or a writership to India, I
could have got it from the same importunity, and on the same terms.

ESSAY XII. ON WILL-MAKING

Few things show the human character in a more ridiculous light than the
circumstance of will-making. It is the latest opportunity we have of
exercising the natural perversity of the disposition, and we take care
to make a good use of it. We husband it with jealousy, put it off as
long as we can, and then use every precaution that the world shall be
no gainer by our deaths. This last act of our lives seldom belies the
former tenor of them for stupidity, caprice, and unmeaning spite. All
that we seem to think of is to manage matters so (in settling accounts
with those who are so unmannerly as to survive us) as to do as little
good, and to plague and disappoint as many people, as possible.

Many persons have a superstition on the subject of making their last
will and testament, and think that when everything is ready signed and
sealed, there is nothing further left to delay their departure. I have
heard of an instance of one person who, having a feeling of this kind
on his mind, and being teased into making his will by those about him,
actually fell ill with pure apprehension, and thought he was going to
die in good earnest, but having executed the deed over-night, awoke, to
his great surprise, the next mornin