approachedthetop，however，thedifficultybecamegreater，andlikewisethedanger；butIwasalightboy，andalmostasnimbleasasquirrel，and，moreover，thenervousfeelingwaswithinme，impellingmeupward。Itwasonlybymeansofaspring，however，thatIwasenabledtotouchthetopofthetree；Isprang，touchedthetopofthetree，andfelladistanceofatleasttwentyfeet，amongstthebranches；hadIfallentothebottomImusthavebeenkilled，butIfellintothemiddleofthetree，andpresentlyfoundmyselfastrideupononeoftheboughs；scratchedandbruisedallover，Ireachedtheground，andregainedmychamberunobserved；I
flungmyselfonmybedquiteexhausted；presentlytheycametotellmethatmymotherwasbetter-theyfoundmeinthestatewhichI
havedescribed，andinafeverbesides。ThefavourablecrisismusthaveoccurredjustaboutthetimethatIperformedthemagictouch；
itcertainlywasacuriouscoincidence，yetIwasnotweakenough，eventhoughachild，tosupposethatIhadbaffledtheevilchancebymydaringfeat。
’Indeed，allthetimethatIwasperformingthesestrangefeats，I
knewthemtobehighlyabsurd，yettheimpulsetoperformthemwasirresistible-amysteriousdreadhangingovermetillIhadgivenwaytoit；evenatthatearlyperiodIfrequentlyusedtoreasonwithinmyselfastowhatcouldbethecauseofmypropensitytotouch，butofcourseIcouldcometonosatisfactoryconclusionrespectingit；beingheartilyashamedofthepractice，Ineverspokeofittoanyone，andwasatalltimeshighlysolicitousthatnooneshouldobservemyweakness。’
CHAPTERLXV
Maternalanxiety-Thebaronet-Littlezest-Countrylife-Mr。
Speaker!-Thecraving-Spiritedaddress-Anauthor。
AFTERashortpausemyhostresumedhisnarration。’ThoughIwasneversenttoschool，myeducationwasnotneglectedonthataccount；Ihadtutorsinvariousbranchesofknowledge，underwhomImadeatolerableprogress；bythetimeIwaseighteenIwasabletoreadmostoftheGreekandLatinauthorswithfacility；Iwaslikewise，toacertaindegree，amathematician。IcannotsaythatItookmuchpleasureinmystudies；mychiefaiminendeavouringtoaccomplishmytaskswastogivepleasuretomybelovedparent，whowatchedmyprogresswithanxietytrulymaternal。Mylifeatthisperiodmaybesummedupinafewwords：Ipursuedmystudies，roamedaboutthewoods，walkedthegreenlanesoccasionally，castmyflyinatroutstream，andsometimes，butnotoften，rodea-
huntingwithmyuncle。Aconsiderablepartofmytimewasdevotedtomymother，conversingwithherandreadingtoher；youthfulcompanionsIhadnone，andastomymother，shelivedinthegreatestretirement，devotingherselftothesuperintendenceofmyeducation，andthepracticeofactsofcharity；nothingcouldbemoreinnocentthanthismodeoflife，andsomepeoplesaythatininnocencethereishappiness，yetIcan’tsaythatIwashappy。A
continualdreadovershadowedmymind，itwasthedreadofmymother’sdeath。Herconstitutionhadneverbeenstrong，andithadbeenconsiderablyshakenbyherlastillness；thisIknew，andthisIsaw-fortheeyesoffeararemarvellouslykeen。Well，thingswentoninthiswaytillIhadcomeofage；mytutorswerethendismissed，andmyunclethebaronettookmeinhand，tellingmymotherthatitwashightimeforhimtoexerthisauthority；thatI
mustseesomethingoftheworld，forthat，ifIremainedmuchlongerwithher，Ishouldberuined。“Youmustconsignhimtome，“
saidhe，“andIwillintroducehimtotheworld。“Mymothersighedandconsented；somyunclethebaronetintroducedmetotheworld，tookmetohorse-racesandtoLondon，andendeavouredtomakeamanofmeaccordingtohisideaoftheterm，andinpartsucceeded。I
becamemoderatelydissipated-Isaymoderately，fordissipationhadbutlittlezestforme。
’Inthismannerfouryearspassedover。IthappenedthatIwasinLondonintheheightoftheseasonwithmyuncle，athishouse；onemorninghesummonedmeintotheparlour，hewasstandingbeforethefire，andlookedveryserious。“Ihavehadaletter，“saidhe；
“yourmotherisveryill。“Istaggered，andtouchedthenearestobjecttome；nothingwassaidfortwoorthreeminutes，andthenmyuncleputhislipstomyearandwhisperedsomething。Ifelldownsenseless。Mymotherwas……Iremembernothingforalongtime-fortwoyearsIwasoutofmymind；attheendofthistimeIrecovered，orpartlyso。Myunclethebaronetwasverykindtome；headvisedmetotravel，heofferedtogowithme。Itoldhimhewasverykind，butIwouldrathergobymyself。SoIwentabroad，andsaw，amongstotherthings，RomeandthePyramids。Byfrequentchangeofscenemymindbecamenothappy，buttolerablytranquil。Icontinuedabroadsomeyears，when，becomingtiredoftravelling，Icamehome，foundmyunclethebaronetalive，hearty，andunmarried，ashestillis。Hereceivedmeverykindly，tookmetoNewmarket，andsaidthathehopedbythistimeIwasbecomequiteamanoftheworld；byhisadviceItookahouseintown，inwhichIlivedduringtheseason。InsummerIstrolledfromonewatering-placetoanother；and，inordertopassthetime，Ibecameverydissipated。
’AtlastIbecameastiredofdissipationasIhadpreviouslybeenoftravelling，andIdeterminedtoretiretothecountry，andliveonmypaternalestate；thisresolutionIwasnotslowinputtingintoeffect；Isoldmyhouseintown，repairedandrefurnishedmycountryhouse，and，foratleasttenyears，livedaregularcountrylife；Igavedinnerparties，prosecutedpoachers，wascharitabletothepoor，andnowandthenwentintomylibrary；duringthistimeI
wasseldomornevervisitedbythemagicimpulse，thereasonbeingthattherewasnothinginthewideworldforwhichIcaredsufficientlytomoveafingertopreserveit。Whenthetenyears，however，werenearlyended，Istartedoutofbedonemorninginafitofhorror，exclaiming，“Mercy，mercy!whatwillbecomeofme？
IamafraidIshallgomad。Ihavelivedthirty-fiveyearsandupwardswithoutdoinganything；shallIpassthroughlifeinthismanner？Horror!’AndtheninrapidsuccessionItouchedthreedifferentobjects。
’Idressedmyselfandwentdown，determiningtosetaboutsomething；butwhatwasItodo？-therewasthedifficulty。Iatenobreakfast，butwalkedabouttheroominastateofdistraction；
atlastIthoughtthattheeasiestwaytodosomethingwastogetintoParliament，therewouldbenodifficultyinthat。Ihadplentyofmoney，andcouldbuyaseat；butwhatwasItodoinParliament？Speak，ofcourse-butcouldIspeak？“I’lltryatonce，“saidI，andforthwithIrushedintothelargestdining-room，and，lockingthedoor，Icommencedspeaking：“Mr。Speaker，“saidI，andthenIwentonspeakingforabouttenminutesasIbestcould，andthenIleftoff，forIwastalkingnonsense。No，IwasnotformedforParliament；Icoulddonothingthere。What-whatwasItodo？
’Many，manytimesIthoughtthisquestionover，butwasunabletosolveit；afearnowstoleovermethatIwasunfitforanythingintheworld，savethelazylifeofvegetationwhichIhadformanyyearsbeenleading；yet，ifthatwerethecase，thoughtI，whythecravingwithinmetodistinguishmyself？Surelyitdoesnotoccurfortuitously，butisintendedtorouseandcallintoexercisecertainlatentpowersthatIpossess？andthenwithinfiniteeagernessIsetaboutattemptingtodiscovertheselatentpowers。
Itriedaninfinityofpursuits，botanyandgeologyamongsttherest，butinvain；Iwasfittedfornoneofthem。Ibecameverysorrowfulanddespondent，andatonetimeIhadalmostresolvedtoplungeagainintothewhirlpoolofdissipation；itwasadreadfulresource，itwastrue，butwhatbettercouldIdo？
’ButIwasnotdoomedtoreturntothedissipationoftheworld。
Onemorningayoungnobleman，whohadforsometimepastshowedawishtocultivatemyacquaintance，cametomeinaconsiderablehurry。“Iamcometobeganimportantfavourofyou，“saidhe；
“oneofthecountymembershipsisvacant-Iintendtobecomeacandidate；whatIwantimmediatelyisaspiritedaddresstotheelectors。Ihavebeenendeavouringtoframeoneallthemorning，butinvain；Ihave，therefore，recoursetoyouasapersonofinfinitegenius；pray，mydearfriend，concoctmeonebythemorning!““Whatyourequireofme，“Ireplied，“isimpossible；I
havenotthegiftofwords；didIpossessitIwouldstandforthecountymyself，butIcan’tspeak。OnlytheotherdayIattemptedtomakeaspeech，butleftoffsuddenly，utterlyashamed，althoughIwasquitealone，ofthenonsenseIwasuttering。““ItisnotaspeechthatIwant，“saidmyfriend；“Icantalkforthreehourswithouthesitating，butIwantanaddresstocirculatethroughthecounty，andIfindmyselfutterlyincompetenttoputonetogether；
doobligemebywritingoneforme，Iknowyoucan；and，ifatanytimeyouwantapersontospeakforyou，youmaycommandmenotforthreebutforsixhours。Good-morning；to-morrowIwillbreakfastwithyou。’Inthemorninghecameagain。“Well，“saidhe，“whatsuccess？““Verypoor，“saidI；“butjudgeforyourself“；andIputintohishandamanuscriptofseveralpages。Myfriendreaditthroughwithconsiderableattention。“Icongratulateyou，“saidhe，“andlikewisemyself；Iwasnotmistakeninmyopinionofyou；
theaddressistoolongbyatleasttwo-thirds，orIshouldrathersay，thatitislongerbytwo-thirdsthanaddressesgenerallyare；
butitwilldo-Iwillnotcurtailitofaword。Ishallwinmyelection。“Andintruthhedidwinhiselection；anditwasnotonlyhisownbutthegeneralopinionthatheowedittotheaddress。
’But，howeverthatmightbe，Ihad，bywritingtheaddress，atlastdiscoveredwhathadsolongeludedmysearch-whatIwasabletodo。I，whohadneitherthenervenorthecommandofspeechnecessarytoconstitutetheorator-whohadnotthepowerofpatientresearchrequiredbythosewhowouldinvestigatethesecretsofnature，had，nevertheless，areadypenandteemingimagination。Thisdiscoverydecidedmyfate-fromthatmomentI
becameanauthor。’
CHAPTERLXVI
Trepidations-Subtleprinciple-Perverseimagination-Aretheymine？-Anotherbook-Howhard!-Agriculturaldinner-
Incomprehensibleactions-Inmostbosom-Giveitup-Chanceresemblance-Rascallynewspaper。
’ANauthor，’saidI，addressingmyhost；’isitpossiblethatIamundertheroofofanauthor？’