334 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



of dejection in 1826. In 1836, his thirtieth year, he was seized with 

 an ohstinate derangement of the brain. Among the external symp- 

 toms were involuntary nervous twitchings in the face. Of the inner 

 consciousness corresponding, we have suggestive indications in the 

 family letters of the time. The earliest allusion to his state is con- 

 tained in his father's first letter to James in India : " John is still in 

 a rather pining way ; though, as he does not choose to tell the cause 

 of his pining, he leaves other people to their conjectures." This shows 

 that he had ceased to give his father his confidence in bodily as well 

 as in his mental matters. His medical adviser sent him in the first 

 instance to Brighton. A letter from thence addressed to Henry at 

 home date not given, but probably near the time of his father's letter 

 says : " There seems to be a change considerably for the better in 

 my bodily state within the last three days ; whether it will last I can 

 not yet tell ; nor do I know whether the place has contributed toward 

 it, as the more genial weather of yesterday and to-day is probably 

 the chief cause." He then says that he will continue his stay if the 

 improvement goes on, but is reluctant to be long absent, partly on 

 account of his father's illness, and partly on account of his tutoring 

 " Mary and George." He trusts to Henry to keep him informed on the 

 state of matters, and if he can be of any use to his father he will forego 

 the present advantages and trust to getting well as the summer ad- 

 vances. In a letter, dated 7th May, from Henry to James in India, 

 occurs a further allusion : " There is a new visitor added to the list of 

 young men who come here, a Dr. King, whom John consults about his 

 health " (he afterward married the eldest daughter, but soon left her a 

 widow). John " is certainly ill, but nothing, every one assures us, to be 

 frightening himself about." The father's death occurred soon after 

 (23d June), and on the 29th July Henry wrote : " We are all well in 

 health, except John and myself John from his old complaint. . . . 

 George and I are going to the Continent with John, who has got leave 

 of absence from the India House for three months on plea of ill-health." 

 In this letter is a postscript : " John has honored me with the present 

 of a watch that was given to my father by Mr. Ricardo ; so you see it 

 is trebly valuable to me." This reminds us of John's loss of his own 

 watch ; to which I may add that to the end of his life he had only an 

 ordinary silver watch. 



Next day, the 30th, the party left London. They traveled in 

 France and Switzerland for a month, and the two boys took up their 

 abode at Lausanne, while John went on to Italy. The expressions as 

 to his state are still (September 4th) very discouraging : " His head 

 is most obstinate ; those same disagreeable sensations still, which he 

 has tried so many ways to get rid of, are plaguing him." Three weeks 

 later Henry says : " John wrote to us a very desponding letter, say- 

 ing that, if he had to go back without getting well, he could not again 

 go to the India House, but must throw it up, and try if a year or two 



