seven, and turning westwards, or
rather northwestward, at Borough Bridge, we roach Rokeby at past three.
A mile from the house we met Morritt looking for us. I had great
pleasure at finding myself at Rokeby, and recollecting a hundred
passages of past time. Morritt looks well and easy in his mind, which I
am delighted to see. He is now one of my oldest, and, I believe, one of
my most sincere, friends, a man unequalled in the mixture of sound good
sense, high literary cultivation, and the kindest and sweetest temper
that ever graced a human bosom. His nieces are much attached to him,
and are deserving and elegant, as well as beautiful young women. What
there is in our partiality to female beauty that commands a species of
temperate homage from the aged, as well as ecstatic admiration from the
young, I cannot conceive, but it is certain that a very large proportion
of some other amiable quality is too little to counterbalance the
absolute want of this advantage. I, to whom beauty is and shall
henceforth be a picture, still look upon it with the quiet devotion of
an old worshipper, who no longer offers incense on the shrine, but
peaceably presents his inch of taper, taking special care in doing so
not to burn his own fingers. Nothing in life can be more ludicrous or
contemptible than an old man aping the passions of his youth.

Talking of youth, there was a certain professor at Cambridge who used to
keep sketches of all the youths who, from their conduct at college,
seemed to bid fair for distinction in life. He showed them, one day, to
an old shrewd sarcastic Master of Arts, who looked over the collection,
and then observed, "A promising nest of eggs; what a pity the great part
will turn out addle!" And so they do; looking round amongst the young
men, one sees to all appearance fine flourish--but it ripens not.

_May_ 31.--I have finished Napier's _War in the Peninsula_.[220] It is
written in the spirit of a Liberal, but the narrative is distinct and
clear, and I should suppose accurate. He has, however, given a bad
sample of accuracy in the case of Lord Strangford, where his pointed
affirmation has been as pointedly repelled. It is evident he would
require probing. His defence of Moore is spirited and well argued,
though it is evident he defends the statesman as much as the general. As
a Liberal and a military man, Colonel Napier finds it difficult to steer
his course. The former character calls on him to plead for the