60 MEMOIR OF GEORGE WILSON. CHAR IT. 



what au alteration, that which was liked is now beloved, and 

 that which was disliked is now abhorred. The pleasure of 

 school-boy life was in a great measure the result of a conscious 

 ness of animal life ; the feeling of being a living creature, as 

 Moore has beautifully expressed it in ' Lalla Kookh,' is sufficient 

 to give happiness ; but when sixteen or seventeen has arrived, 

 along with the striking and rapid development of the body, the 

 mind also increases in all its capabilities. With what different 

 feelings do I now look on objects calculated to excite strong 

 emotions. What rapturous feelings of delight are excited in 

 my heart by the contemplation of the ' Beautiful,' whether it be 

 the beautiful in physical or mental conformation, or in com- 

 position, elocution, poetry, or means to an end. Whatever can 

 claim title to the term beautiful in my estimation, awakens in 

 iny heart feelings of uncontrollable emotion. How delightedly 

 do I gaze on works of art or design, such as Martin's or 

 Turner's, or the sculpture of the renowned masters, the Medicean 

 Venus, or the Graces of Canova. How rapturously and passion- 

 ately do I dwell on beautiful poetry, or the wild imagina- 

 tive works of rare genius ; and how pleasing it is to contemplate 

 God's provision in this world ! So great an ecstasy of happiness 

 have I felt from the a,bove-mentioned causes, that it seemed that 

 death could be the only termination of feelings which were 

 utterly opposed to the daily occurrences of the world. But in 

 sad subjects as much are my feelings deepened in intensity : 

 the cries of distress, the moanings of anguish, break on my 

 heart far more acutely, and sink into my heart far deeper, than 

 they ever did heretofore ; and the prospect of evil and misery, 

 and sin and woe, affects me much more powerfully than it did 

 of old. In short, now my mind is much more developed than 

 two years ago, and can ascend and descend much more widely 

 than it could at that time, and my joy or sorrow is much more 

 the result of legitimate causes than it was then." 



" January \ktli. What a horrible thing remorse is ! how fear - 

 ful in its influence over the soul ; clouding all the gay prospects 

 that have been opened to its view ; throwing a black and gloomy 

 shroud over the fair and beautiful, and tinging every emotion of 



