214 MEMOIR OF GEORGE WILSON. CHAP. V. 



Sturge, and resided under his hospitable roof during his stay 

 there. The recollections of this visit were always associated 

 with pleasant thoughts of his host, " As amiable, gentle, and 

 intelligent a man as I ever met/' Mr Sturge's kindly thought- 

 fulness for his guests, and the graceful manners of his family 

 circle, left a peculiarly pleasant impression on George's mind. 

 He could not fail to enjoy himself, where all conspired to give 

 pleasure. His joyous letters, written near the door of a con- 

 servatory, seem redolent of the rich and rare flowers beside him ; 

 while the kindly reception he and Dr. Brown met with from the 

 members of the Association, left little wanting to the comple- 

 tion of their most sanguine hopes. The only disappointment 

 arose from finding the men of whose writings he had been a de- 

 voted admirer, fall in some instances so far short of his ideal as 

 to cause a revulsion of feeling that hastened his departure. Who 

 can tell what influences for life were then acting on his suscep- 

 tible nature ? 



So deep was the impression left by contact with Mr. Sturge, 

 that his death, in 1859, seemed the loss of a friend, though they 

 had never met or held any intercourse in those intervening 

 twenty years. Lines to his memory, by J. Whittier, gave 

 George much pleasure by their beauty and their truthfulness. 

 The length of the poem permits only a slight quotation from 

 them. 



" The very gentlest of all human natures 



He joined to courage strong, 

 And love outreaching unto all God'3 creatures, 

 With sturdy hate of wrong. 



" Tender as woman ; manliness and meekness ' 



In him were so allied, . 



That they who judged him by his strength or weakness 

 Saw but a single side. 



" Men failed, betrayed him : but his zeal seemed nourished 



By failure and by fall ; 



Still a large faith in human kind he cherished, 

 And in God's love for all. 



" And now he rests : his greatness and his sweetness 



No more shall seem at strife ; 

 And death has moulded into calm completeness 

 The statue of his life." 



