62 PROFESSOR OWEN ch. II. 



years might accomplish it, and then, with what 

 happiness should I clasp my dear Caroline after 

 having succeeded in my first course ! Now, 

 said I to myself, what is to hinder my dear Cary 

 and me from quietly enjoying ourselves in a more 

 humble way in the meanwhile, and then comes 

 in the cottage and Harrot ? Now, will you write 

 to her or speak to her ? for first we must not be 

 too far off; / must wo7'k and study hard, and 

 that I cannot do with effect, till I can "calm 

 this troubled breast " and call you indeed my 

 own.' 



In a postscript to this letter Owen says : ' Not- 

 withstanding this subject interests us so deeply, 

 the grounds of our proceedings are plain and com- 

 prehensible, and I think you may safely trust your 

 own judgment, as I would rather you should. I 

 have from very early life been thrown among 

 strangers and have had a greater control over my 

 own actions than is usual, and am perhaps from 

 habit too jealous of receiving even a bias from any 

 comparatively indifferent person. I have the great- 

 est confidence in your judgment ; it was observ- 

 ing the admirable control you had acquired over 

 yourself in circumstances that made me feel my 

 comparative weakness that has chiefly tended to 

 engender a feeling almost more than love to you.' 



On May n, 1832, he again writes to Miss 

 Clift : ' I fear you open my letters with a more 

 trembling hand than you direct your own, but you 



