again writing it, studying for it, and bending himself
with his whole strength to do his best on it, he expended many strenuous
months,--"above a year of his life," he computes, in all.

For the rest, what Falmouth has to give him he is willing to take, and
mingles freely in it. In Hare's Collection there is given a _Lecture_
which he read in Autumn, 1841 (Mr. Hare says "1842," by mistake), to a
certain Public Institution in the place,--of which more anon;--a piece
interesting in this, if not much in any other respect. Doubtless his
friends the Foxes were at the heart of that lecturing enterprise, and
had urged and solicited him. Something like proficiency in certain
branches of science, as I have understood, characterized one or more of
this estimable family; love of knowledge, taste for art, wish to consort
with wisdom and wise men, were the tendencies of all; to opulent means
superadd the Quaker beneficence, Quaker purity and reverence, there is a
circle in which wise men also may love to be. Sterling made acquaintance
here with whatever of notable in worthy persons or things might be
afoot in those parts; and was led thereby, now and then, into pleasant
reunions, in new circles of activity, which might otherwise have
continued foreign to him. The good Calvert, too, was now here; and
intended to remain;--which he mostly did henceforth, lodging in
Sterling's neighborhood, so long as lodging in this world was permitted
him. Still good and clear and cheerful; still a lively comrade, within
doors or without,--a diligent rider always,--though now wearing visibly
weaker, and less able to exert himself.

Among those accidental Falmouth reunions, perhaps the notablest for
Sterling occurred in this his first season. There is in Falmouth an
Association called the _Cornwall Polytechnic Society_, established about
twenty years ago, and supported by the wealthy people of the Town and
neighborhood, for the encouragement of the arts in that region; it has
its Library, its Museum, some kind of Annual Exhibition withal; gives
prizes, publishes reports: the main patrons, I believe, are Sir Charles
Lemon, a well-known country gentleman of those parts, and the Messrs.
Fox. To this, so far as he liked to go in it, Sterling was sure to be
introduced and solicited. The Polytechnic meeting of 1841 was unusually
distinguished; and Sterling's part in it formed one of the pleasant
occurrences for him in Falmouth. It was here that, among other