150 THE LIFE OF PHILIP HENRY GOSSE. 



shy, and disliked addressing strangers ; he was sensitive, 

 and hated to take a liberty. But he had convinced him- 

 self that it was his duty to God to speak of sacred matters 

 " in season and out of season," and he persevered in the 

 same indomitable spirit which forced Charles Darwin, in 

 spite of sea-sickness, to continue his experiments on board 

 the Beagle.' In later years, I remember once quoting to 

 my father, in self-defence under his spiritual cross-ex- 

 amination, Clough's — 



" O let me love my love unto myself alone 

 And know my knowledge to the world unknown ! 

 No witness to the vision call, 

 Beholding, unbeheld of all ; 

 And worship thee, with thee withdrawn, apart, 

 Whoe'er, whate'er thou art, 

 Within the closest veil of mine own inmost heart." 



"Mellifluous lines, enough ! " he replied, "but that is not 

 what God asks from a converted man. It is not the luxury 

 of meditation and the cloister, but the unwelcome effort to 

 spread a knowledge of the truth." 



The entries in his journal of the voyage of January, 

 1839, are naive and pathetic : — 



" We have had much rough, cold, wet, and uncomfort- 

 " able weather, but I have called the crew together, on 

 " Sabbath days (but not so often as I ought, having 

 "suffered from extreme reluctance to disturb them), to 

 " hear the way of salvation. They listen with decorum 

 " and attention, and perhaps fruit may spring up after 

 " many days ; and if not, I have not failed to be well 

 " paid even in a present blessing. ... I made an 

 " opportunity of speaking to the captain on the subject 

 " of religion. He is an amiable and well-informed man, 

 "a profane swearer, and one who seems to entertain 

 " considerable contempt for godliness. . . . The captain 



