CHAPTER V.

“Hardstudentsarecommonlytroubledwithgowts,catarrhs,rheums,cachexia,bradypepsia,badeyes,stone,andcollick,crudities,oppilations,vertigo,winds,consumptions,andallsuchdiseasesascomebyover-muchsitting:theyaremostpartlean,dry,ill-colored…andallthroughimmoderatepainsandextraordinarystudies.Ifyouwillnotbelievethetruthofthis,lookupongreatTostatusandThomasAquainas’worksandtellmewhetherthosementookpains.”—BURTON’SAnatomyofMelancholy,P.I,s.2. ThiswasMr.Casaubon’sletter. MYDEARMISSBROOKE,—Ihaveyourguardian’spermissiontoaddressyouonasubjectthanwhichIhavenonemoreatheart.Iamnot,Itrust,mistakenintherecognitionofsomedeepercorrespondencethanthatofdateinthefactthataconsciousnessofneedinmyownlifehadarisencontemporaneouslywiththepossibilityofmybecomingacquaintedwithyou.Forinthefirsthourofmeetingyou,Ihadanimpressionofyoureminentandperhapsexclusivefitnesstosupplythatneed(connected,Imaysay,withsuchactivityoftheaffectionsaseventhepreoccupationsofaworktoospecialtobeabdicatedcouldnotuninterruptedlydissimulate)andeachsucceedingopportunityforobservationhasgiventheimpressionanaddeddepthbyconvincingmemoreemphaticallyofthatfitnesswhichIhadpreconceived,andthusevokingmoredecisivelythoseaffectionstowhichIhavebutnowreferred.Ourconversationshave,Ithink,madesufficientlycleartoyouthetenorofmylifeandpurposes:atenorunsuited,Iamaware,tothecommonerorderofminds.ButIhavediscernedinyouanelevationofthoughtandacapabilityofdevotedness,whichIhadhithertonotconceivedtobecompatibleeitherwiththeearlybloomofyouthorwiththosegracesofsexthatmaybesaidatoncetowinandtoconferdistinctionwhencombined,astheynotablyareinyou,withthementalqualitiesaboveindicated.Itwas,Iconfess,beyondmyhopetomeetwiththisrarecombinationofelementsbothsolidandattractive,adaptedtosupplyaidingraverlaborsandtocastacharmovervacanthoursandbutfortheeventofmyintroductiontoyou(which,letmeagainsay,Itrustnottobesuperficiallycoincidentwithforeshadowingneeds,butprovidentiallyrelatedtheretoasstagestowardsthecompletionofalife’splan),Ishouldpresumablyhavegoneontothelastwithoutanyattempttolightenmysolitarinessbyamatrimonialunion. Such,mydearMissBrooke,istheaccuratestatementofmyfeelingsandIrelyonyourkindindulgenceinventuringnowtoaskyouhowfaryourownareofanaturetoconfirmmyhappypresentiment.Tobeacceptedbyyouasyourhusbandandtheearthlyguardianofyourwelfare,Ishouldregardasthehighestofprovidentialgifts.InreturnIcanatleastofferyouanaffectionhithertounwasted,andthefaithfulconsecrationofalifewhich,howevershortinthesequel,hasnobackwardpageswhereon,ifyouchoosetoturnthem,youwillfindrecordssuchasmightjustlycauseyoueitherbitternessorshame.Iawaittheexpressionofyoursentimentswithananxietywhichitwouldbethepartofwisdom(wereitpossible)todivertbyamorearduouslaborthanusual.ButinthisorderofexperienceIamstillyoung,andinlookingforwardtoanunfavorablepossibilityIcannotbutfeelthatresignationtosolitudewillbemoredifficultafterthetemporaryilluminationofhope. Inanycase,Ishallremain, Yourswithsinceredevotion, EDWARDCASAUBON. Dorotheatrembledwhileshereadthisletterthenshefellonherknees,buriedherface,andsobbed.Shecouldnotpray:undertherushofsolemnemotioninwhichthoughtsbecamevagueandimagesfloateduncertainly,shecouldbutcastherself,withachildlikesenseofreclining,inthelapofadivineconsciousnesswhichsustainedherown.Sheremainedi