a frank stout
heart to guide the same: he lived in such style as pleased him; drove
his own chariot up and down (himself often acting as Jehu, and reminding
you a little of _Times_ thunder even in driving); consorted, after
a fashion, with the powerful of the world; saw in due vicissitude a
miscellany of social faces round him,--pleasant parties, which he liked
well enough to garnish by a lord; "Irish lord, if no better might be,"
as the banter went. For the rest, he loved men of worth and intellect,
and recognized them well, whatever their title: this was his own patent
of worth which Nature had given him; a central light in the man,
which illuminated into a kind of beauty, serious or humorous, all the
artificialities he had accumulated on the surface of him. So rolled his
days, not quietly, yet prosperously, in manifold commerce with men.
At one in the morning, when all had vanished into sleep, his lamp
was kindled in his library; and there, twice or thrice a week, for a
three-hours' space, he launched his bolts, which next morning were to
shake the high places of the world.

John's relation to his Father, when one saw John here, was altogether
frank, joyful and amiable: he ignored the _Times_ thunder for most part,
coldly taking the Anonymous for non-extant; spoke of it floutingly, if
he spoke at all: indeed a pleasant half-bantering dialect was the
common one between Father and Son; and they, especially with the gentle,
simple-hearted, just-minded Mother for treble-voice between them, made a
very pretty glee-harmony together.

So had it lasted, ever since poor John's voyagings began; his Father's
house standing always as a fixed sunny islet with safe harbor for him.
So it could not always last. This sunny islet was now also to break and
go down: so many firm islets, fixed pillars in his fluctuating world,
pillar after pillar, were to break and go down; till swiftly all, so
to speak, were sunk in the dark waters, and he with them! Our little
History is now hastening to a close.

In the beginning of 1843 news reached us that Sterling had, in his too
reckless way, encountered a dangerous accident: maids, in the room where
he was, were lifting a heavy table; he, seeing them in difficulty, had
snatched at the burden; heaved it away,--but had broken a blood-vessel
by the business; and was now, after extensive hemorrhage, lying
dangerously ill. The doctors hoped the worst was over; but the case was
evidently serious.