THEeldestson!Theregardandaffectionwhichmyfatherentertainedforhisfirst-bornwerenaturalenough，andappearedtononemoresothanmyself，whocherishedthesamefeelingstowardshim。Whathewasasaboythereaderalreadyknows，forthereaderhasseenhimasaboy；fainwouldIdescribehimatthetimeofwhichIamnowspeaking，whenhehadattainedthevergeofmanhood，butthepenfailsme，andIattemptnotthetask；andyetitoughttobeaneasyone，forhowfrequentlydoeshisformvisitmymind’seyeinslumberandinwakefulness，inthelightofdayandinthenightwatches；butlastnightIsawhiminhisbeautyandhisstrength；hewasabouttospeak，andmyearwasonthestretch，whenatonceIawoke，andtherewasIalone，andthenightstormwashowlingamidstthebranchesofthepineswhichsurroundmylonelydwelling：’Listentothemoaningofthepine，atwhoserootthyhutisfastened，’-asayingthat，ofwildFinland，inwhichthereiswisdom；Ilistenedandthoughtoflifeanddeath……OfallhumanbeingsthatIhaveeverknown，thatelderbrotherwasthemostfrankandgenerous，ay，andthequickestandreadiest，andthebestadaptedtodoagreatthingneedfulatthecriticaltime，whenthedelayofamomentwouldbefatal。Ihaveknownhimdashfromasteepbankintoastreaminhisfulldress，andpulloutamanwhowasdrowning；yetthereweretwentyothersbathinginthewater，whomighthavesavedhimbyputtingoutahand，withoutinconveniencetothemselves，which，however，theydidnotdo，butstaredwithstupidsurpriseatthedrowningone’sstruggles。Yes，whilstsomeshoutedfromthebanktothoseinthewatertosavethedrowningone，andthoseinthewaterdidnothing，mybrotherneithershoutednorstoodstill，butdashedfromthebankanddidtheonethingneedful，which，undersuchcircumstances，notonemaninamillionwouldhavedone。Now，whocanwonderthatabraveoldmanshouldloveasonlikethis，andpreferhimtoanyother？
’Myboy，myownboy，youaretheveryimageofmyself，thedayI
tookoffmycoatintheparktofightBigBen，’saidmyfather，onmeetinghissonwetanddripping，immediatelyafterhisboldfeat。
Andwhocannotexcusethehonestprideoftheoldman-thestoutoldman？
Ay，oldman，thatsonwasworthyofthee，andthouwastworthyofsuchason；anoblespecimenwastthouofthosestrongsingle-