nd better point
out what place of abode would suit him in his new circumstances. He
made frequent brief visits to London; in which I, among other friends,
frequently saw him, our acquaintance at each visit improving in all
ways. Like a swift dashing meteor he came into our circle; coruscated
among us, for a day or two, with sudden pleasant illumination; then
again suddenly withdrew,--we hoped, not for long.

I suppose, he was full of uncertainties; but undoubtedly was gravitating
towards London. Yet, on the whole, on the surface of him, you saw no
uncertainties; far from that: it seemed always rather with peremptory
resolutions, and swift express businesses, that he was charged. Sickly
in body, the testimony said: but here always was a mind that gave you
the impression of peremptory alertness, cheery swift decision,--of a
_health_ which you might have called exuberant. I remember dialogues
with him, of that year; one pleasant dialogue under the trees of the
Park (where now, in 1851, is the thing called "Crystal Palace"), with
the June sunset flinging long shadows for us; the last of the Quality
just vanishing for dinner, and the great night beginning to prophesy of
itself. Our talk (like that of the foregoing Letter) was of the faults
of my style, of my way of thinking, of my &c. &c.; all which
admonitions and remonstrances, so friendly and innocent, from this young
junior-senior, I was willing to listen to, though unable, as usual, to
get almost any practical hold of them. As usual, the garments do not fit
you, you are lost in the garments, or you cannot get into them at all;
this is not your suit of clothes, it must be another's:--alas, these are
not your dimensions, these are only the optical angles you subtend; on
the whole, you will never get measured in that way!--

Another time, of date probably very contiguous, I remember hearing
Sterling preach. It was in some new college-chapel in Somerset-house (I
suppose, what is now called King's College); a very quiet small place,
the audience student-looking youths, with a few elder people, perhaps
mostly friends of the preacher's. The discourse, delivered with a
grave sonorous composure, and far surpassing in talent the usual run of
sermons, had withal an air of human veracity as I still recollect, and
bespoke dignity and piety of mind: but gave me the impression rather
of artistic excellence than of unction or inspiration in that kind.
Sterling returned with us to Chel