pting itself to a light thin-flowing style of mirth on
occasion, was characteristic: she had retained her Ulster intonations,
and was withal somewhat copious in speech. A fine tremulously sensitive
nature, strong chiefly on the side of the affections, and the graceful
insights and activities that depend on these:--truly a beautiful,
much-suffering, much-loving house-mother. From her chiefly, as one could
discern, John Sterling had derived the delicate _aroma_ of his nature,
its piety, clearness, sincerity; as from his Father, the ready practical
gifts, the impetuosities and the audacities, were also (though in
strange new form) visibly inherited. A man was lucky to have such a
Mother; to have such Parents as both his were.

Meanwhile the new Wife appears to have had, for the present, no
marriage-portion; neither was Edward Sterling rich,--according to
his own ideas and aims, far from it. Of course he soon found that
the fluctuating barrack-life, especially with no outlooks of speedy
promotion, was little suited to his new circumstances: but how change
it? His father was now dead; from whom he had inherited the Speaker
Pension of two hundred pounds; but of available probably little or
nothing more. The rents of the small family estate, I suppose, and other
property, had gone to portion sisters. Two hundred pounds, and the pay
of a marching captain: within the limits of that revenue all plans of
his had to restrict themselves at present.

He continued for some time longer in the Army; his wife undivided from
him by the hardships, of that way of life. Their first son Anthony
(Captain Anthony Sterling, the only child who now survives) was born
to them in this position, while lying at Dundalk, in January, 1805. Two
months later, some eleven months after their marriage, the regiment was
broken; and Captain Sterling, declining to serve elsewhere on the
terms offered, and willingly accepting such decision of his doubts, was
reduced to half-pay. This was the end of his soldiering: some five
or six years in all; from which he had derived for life, among other
things, a decided military bearing, whereof he was rather proud; an
incapacity for practicing law;--and considerable uncertainty as to what
his next course of life was now to be.

For the present, his views lay towards farming: to establish himself,
if not as country gentleman, which was an unattainable ambition, then
at least as some kind of gentleman-farmer which had a f