Volume I Part 5 (2/2)

I have referred to the wide range of Margaret's friendshi+ps Even at this period this variety was very apparent She was the centre of a group very different from each other, and whose only affinity consisted in their all being polarized by the strong attraction of her mind,--all draard herself Soay and beautiful; some old, sick or studious Some were children of the world, others pale scholars Sohtly dull

But all, in order to be Margaret's friends, ,--capable of solorify life to all! all that was taht thrown over the s by her rapid fancy, her brilliant wit, her sharp insight, her creative ie, and the copious rhetoric which found words and ies always apt and always ready Even then she displayed alift of conversation which afterwards dazzled all who knew her,--with more perhaps of freedom, since she floated on the flood of our wararet only by her published writings know her least; her notes and letters contain more of her mind; but it was only in conversation that she was perfectly free and at hoaret's constancy in friendshi+p caused her to de But the pure Truth of her character caused her to express all such feelings with that freedoht clouds on a serene sky, giving it a tenderer beauty, and casting picturesque shades over the landscape below From her letters to different friends I select a few exas

'The world turns round and round, and you too ent and capricious You have not answered iven me what I asked You do not come here Do not you act so,--it is the drop too , when my kind friend plays such a part'

'You need not have delayed your answer so long; why not at once answer the question I asked? Faith is not natural to me; for the love I feel to others is not in the idleness of poverty, nor can I persist in believing the best;place for the weary heart But I should believe you, because I have seen that your feelings are strong and constant; they have never disappointed me, when closely scanned'

'_July 6, 1832_--I believe I behaved very badly the other evening I did not think so yesterday I had been too surprised and vexed to recover very easily, but to-day ood could have made me act with such childish petulance and bluntness towards one who spoke from friendly emotions Be at peace; I will astonish you by my repose, mildness, and self-possession No, that is silly; but I believe it cannot be right to be on such tere s at his or her expense We will talk less, but we shall be very good friends still, I hope

Shall not we?'

In the last extract, we have an exa a love of truth, underlaid her whole character, notwithstanding its seereat as she ithout it[A]

'_Decelad to have you come to me when saddened The hts of your character are _wintry_ They are generally inspiriting, life-giving, but, if perpetual, would glare too much on the tired sense; one likes soentle, down-looking shades Sadness in soraceful and oppressive; it affects one like a cold rainy day in June or Septe see, the atmosphere leaden,--but 'tis not so with you'

Of her own truthfulness to her friends, which led her frankly to speak to theives constant examples

The first is fros to this chapter, but is so wholly in her spirit of candor that I insert it here It is from a letter written in 1843

'I have been happy in the sight of your pure design, of the sweetness and serenity of your mind In the inner sanctuary we met But I shall say a few blunt words, such as were frequent in the days of intimacy, and, if they are needless, you will let theround Youth is past, with its passionate joys and griefs, its restlessness, its vague desires You have chosen your path, you have rounded out your lot, your duties are before you _Noare the ht and interest, its dulness of fancy, its too external life, and mental thinness Remember the liuarded against by great earnestness and watchfulness So take care of yourself, and let not the intellect more than the spirit be quenched

'It is such a relief to ht would never lie open between us Now there will be no place which does not lie open to the light I can always say what I feel And the way in which you took it, so like yourself, so ivesin you that syhest aiher, dear friend, is ”thewe can say! Character is higher than intellect; this I have long felt to be true; may we both live as if we knew it

'I hope and believe we may be yet very much to each other

Imperfect as I am, I feel myself not unworthy to be a true friend Neither of us is unworthy In few natures does such love for the good and beautiful survive the ruin of all youthful hopes, the wreck of all illusions'

'I supposed our inti to subsist is a matter of surprise to me And I expected, ere this, you would have found so your Natalia See, my friend, I am three and twenty I believe in love and friendshi+p, but I cannot but notice that circu power, and that those links which are not riveted by situation, by _interest_, (I mean, not mere worldly interest, but the instinct of self-preservation,) htly broken by a chance touch I speak not in iebts noch grosse Herzen”

'Surely Iat the saift of the Gods” I cannot endure to be one of those shallow beings who can never get beyond the prieglaubt, _nun glaube ich erst recht_, Und geht es auch wunderlich, geht es auch schlecht, Ich bleibe in glaubigen Orden”

Yet, when you write, write freely, and if I don't like what you say, let me say so I have ever been frank, as if I expected to be intiood three-score years and ten I am sure we shall always esteem each other I have that much faith'

'_Jan_ 1832--All that relates to--h I never voluntarily think of him now The apparent caprice of his conduct has shaken my faith, but not destroyed my hope That hope, if I, who have so mistaken others, may dare to think I know myself, was never selfish It is painful to lose a friend whose knowledge and converse rowth of my mind,--an early friend to who but equal truth and frankness in return But this evilevil was to learn to distrustothers In this letter I see again that peculiar pride, that conteoodness, that fixed resolve to be anything but ”like unto the Pharisees,” which were to ely distorted are all his views! The daily influence of his intercourse with me was like the breath he drew; it has become a part of him Can he escape fros are as false as those of Alcibiades He influenced me, and helped form me to what I am Others shall succeed hi to friendshi+p? But why do I talk?--a child _ He will gradually work his way into light; if too late for our friendshi+p, not, I trust, too late for his own peace and honorable well-being I never insisted on being the instruood to hiood of the friend I loved I have prayed to Heaven, (surely we are sincere when doing that,) to guide hiht lead The lesson I have learned may make me a more useful friend, a more efficient aid to others than I could be to hi surely, one day, that all which appeared evil in the companion of happy years was but error'

'I think, since you have seen so much of my character, that you must be sensible that any reserves with those whom I call my friends, do not arise fro that I could not be understood I can truly say that I wish no one to overrate ive me no pleasure; nor will I consent to practise charlatanis else'