1844-54. BEARING IN GENERAL SOCIETY. 385 



strong man's work in the world. It cannot be doubted that 

 ever after his experiences of 1843, the perfect calm and serenity 

 of his mind gave the body every chance in its favour. 



To his fellow-men " the personal feebleness of the genial pre- 

 sence " made him all the dearer. A tender reverence usually 

 marked their intercourse with him, though of this he seemed 

 unconscious, having much of that simplicity of character re- 

 tained by few beyond the years of childhood, and which pos- 

 sesses a nameless charm when united to full-grown powers of 

 heart and mind. The impression made on his kind hostess, 

 while visiting London in 1851, may perhaps better convey to 

 others a realization of his bearing in general society than a 

 lengthened description could furnish. " The very first impres- 

 sion, preceding all others, was wonder at the life that was in 

 him. I had been prepared to see an invalid ; a man whose 

 constitution had been severely tried, and whose health was at 

 that time very precarious. His letters had previously made us 

 acquainted with his genial nature ; but although we antici- 

 pated many gleams of the same humorous and kindly spirit in 

 his conversation, yet we naturally expected hours of lassitude 

 and seasons of depression in one who had suffered so much, and 

 was still suffering. 



" And when he came among us, there was nothing in his ex- 

 ternal appearance to destroy the impression. An invalid, phy- 

 sically speaking, he certainly was ; the marks of weakness were 

 on him, and the very texture of his small hand betrayed 

 unusual delicacy. I almost trembled at the thought of such a 

 man being exposed to the excitement and fatigue of London at 

 that busy time. I expected day after day to see him return 

 from the Great Exhibition thoroughly worn out and exhausted 

 in body and mind. But no ; the spring and elasticity of his 

 nature were such that he never seemed tired. From morning 

 to night, abroad or at home, the same cheery spirit possessed 

 him, the same wonderful readiness for everything which pre- 

 sented itself. If he felt fatigue, he never showed it in any other 

 way than by keeping quietly in an arm-chair after his return 

 from the Exhibition, but even then he had not the attitude of 



2 B 



