altered the reflection of the apparent universe in the mirror of mind. But

it was not so; I was the same in strength, in earnest craving for sympathy,

in my yearning for active exertion. My manly virtues did not desert me, for

the witch Urania spared the locks of Sampson, while he reposed at her feet;

but all was softened and humanized. Nor did Adrian instruct me only in the

cold truths of history and philosophy. At the same time that he taught me

by their means to subdue my own reckless and uncultured spirit, he opened

to my view the living page of his own heart, and gave me to feel and

understand its wondrous character.

The ex-queen of England had, even during infancy, endeavoured to implant

daring and ambitious designs in the mind of her son. She saw that he was

endowed with genius and surpassing talent; these she cultivated for the

sake of afterwards using them for the furtherance of her own views. She

encouraged his craving for knowledge and his impetuous courage; she even

tolerated his tameless love of freedom, under the hope that this would, as

is too often the case, lead to a passion for command. She endeavoured to

bring him up in a sense of resentment towards, and a desire to revenge

himself upon, those who had been instrumental in bringing about his

father's abdication. In this she did not succeed. The accounts furnished

him, however distorted, of a great and wise nation asserting its right to

govern itself, excited his admiration: in early days he became a republican

from principle. Still his mother did not despair. To the love of rule and

haughty pride of birth she added determined ambition, patience, and

self-control. She devoted herself to the study of her son's disposition. By

the application of praise, censure, and exhortation, she tried to seek and

The Last Man