AllsortsofthingscametotheHardinghamandofferedthemselvestomyuncle。Gordon-Nasmythstandsbutonlybecauseheplayedapartatlastinthecrisisofourfortunes。Somuchcametousthatitseemedtomeattimesasthoughthewholeworldofhumanaffairswasreadytoprostituteitselftoourrealandimaginarymillions。AsIlookback，Iamstilldazzledandincreduloustothinkofthequalityofouropportunities。
Wedidthemostextraordinarythings；thingsthatitseemsabsurdtometoleavetoanycasualmanofwealthandenterprisewhocarestodothem。Ihadsomeamazingperceptionsofjusthowmodernthoughtandthesupplyoffacttothegeneralmindmaybecontrolledbymoney。Amongotherthingsthatmyuncleofferedfor，hetriedveryhardtobuytheBritishMedicalJournalandtheLancet，andrunthemonwhathecalledmodernlines，andwhentheyresistedhimhetalkedveryvigorouslyforatimeoforganisingarivalenterprise。Thatwasaverymagnificentideaindeedinitsway；itwouldhavegivenatremendousadvantageinthehandlingofinnumerablespecialtiesandindeedIscarcelyknowhowfaritwouldnothaveputthemedicalprofessioninourgrip。Itstillamazesme——Ishalldieamazed——thatsuchathingcanbepossibleinthemodernstate。Ifmyunclefailedtobringthethingoff，someoneelsemaysucceed。ButIdoubt，evenifhehadgotboththeseweeklies，whetherhispeculiarstylewouldhavesuitedthem。Thechangeofpurposewouldhaveshown。Hewouldhavefounditdifficulttokeepuptheirdignity。
HecertainlydidnotkeepupthedignityoftheSacredGrove，animportantcriticalorganwhichheacquiredoneday——bysaying“snap“——foreighthundredpounds。Hegotit“lock，stockandbarrel“——underoneorotherofwhichthreeaspectstheeditorwasincluded。Evenatthatpriceitdidn’tpay。IfyouarealiterarypersonyouwillrememberthebrightnewcoverhegavethatrepresentativeorganofBritishintellectualculture，andhowhissoundbusinessinstinctsjarredwiththeexaltedpretensionsofavanishingage。OneoldwrapperIdiscoveredtheotherdayruns：——
AHithertoUnpublishedLetterfromWalterPater。
CharlotteBronte’sMaternalGreatAunt。