1 83 2 -3 7- REASONS FOR A DIARY. 21 



During the years of study thus briefly recorded, a diary 

 ^vas written by George, from which it may be well to make a 

 few extracts. The quotations are given, not for their intrinsic 

 merit, but chiefly as showing the metaphysical bent of his 

 mind at this age. Like the glass windows of a beehive, the 

 journal, permitting us to watch his thoughts, reveals the 

 workings which helped to produce results so beautiful in 

 his after life. 



"December 23, 1835. 1 have sat down this evening to 

 commence what I have long thought of doing, the record of 

 some of the curious thoughts and wild imaginings that pass 

 through my mind during the course of the day. It is not 

 to be a diary either of events or feelings ; that is to say, I 

 have not the intention of chronicling every circumstance 

 that happens to me ; but I intend putting down in this book 

 such of my thoughts as appear to myself worthy of preserva- 

 tion, either on account of their singularity or beauty. And 

 the end I hope to gain by so doing is twofold : I hope to 

 create for myself a store of images and thoughts, &c. which 

 have been the product of my own meditations, and which 

 will form (independently of their possessing no other claim 

 to attention but the circumstance of having once been my 

 own thoughts) a summary and conclusion of all courses of 

 reasoning which have busied me ; and in this light will 

 occasionally be of service, by affording the necessary con- 

 clusions, without the labour of going through the preli- 

 minary steps. But the main object of my commencing 

 is the wish to treasure up the prominent features of my 

 mind as it acts at present, both to watch its progress, and 

 to afford a fund of pleasing delight afterwards, in musing 

 over the thoughts of my young days ; and it may appear 

 strange to thee, reader, whoever thou art, that I should put 

 any preface to a collection of my own meditations ! But 



