84 INVALIDISM AND ITALY. 



and instead of regarding it as the most beautiful region 

 of the world, I now felt as if it contained no one interest- 

 ing feature. Whatever may be the result of the journey, 

 this want of foretaste of pleasure is a great misfortune. 

 At least, in every other tour winch I have hitherto made, 

 I have found the joys of anticipation fully equal to those 

 which resulted from the journey itself ; and as in the pre- 

 sent case my bad state of health will prevent my enjoying 

 many pleasures which formerly constituted my greatest 

 happiness, it is very likely that my enjoyment of the tour 

 itself will be greatly diminished. Certain it is that I 

 shall never again be able to produce in myself that state 

 of mind in which the very thought of visiting the 'divine 

 Italy' would have been sufficient to make me happy of 

 itself alone. I have found myself grow older in body and 

 more callous in mind within these last six months than I 

 had hoped to be in the natural progress of half a century. 

 I look back upon the joy which I used to receive from the 

 beauties of nature, and from the mere feeling of life, as 

 to trains of sentiment which I had experienced only in 

 sleep ; and, when I contrast my past with my present 

 state, I have some difficulty in being convinced of my 

 personal identity." 



However, the mere locomotion soon began to produce a 

 good effect ; for at Liverpool we find him indulging a 

 little waggery at the expense of its citizens :— - 



