Southey, with almost parental solicitude, was watching his progress, and urging him, in frequent letters, to take care of himself. But the indomitable resolution that marked his career at Oxford, that possessed him in Wales, and that governed his conduct while on the India Board of Control, had, in even a more marked degree, urged him on to ceaseless activity and selfsacrifice on behalf of the factory-folk. Southey had advised him not to go to the manufacturing districts to see the physical effects of the system he was exposing. "The distressful recollections would be impressed upon you and burnt in," he wrote, " and I should fear that the subject might take possession of you so fully that it might affect your health, which always suffers when the mind is occupied too intently upon one subject, and especially if that subject be one with which strong feeling is necessarily connected."

He did not know that the whole pathway of his friend's life would lie through impaired health, and suffering, and painfully-stirred feeling, which need not have fallen to his lot had he not dedicated himself, his time, his talents, his all, to the cause of the poor and the friendless.

The following letter was written immediately after Lord Ashley had resigned the Bill into the hands of the Ministry:

:

Robert Southey to Lord Ashley.

MY DEAR LORD ASHLEY,

KESWICK, July 24th, 1833.

You have done well, and

will always look back with satisfaction on what you have done;

1833.]

SOUTHEY ADVISES REST.

169

and others, when they look back upon it, will honour you as they ought. Whatever good is done, whatever mitigation of evil is effected, will be through your means. The manufacturers and the Ministers would have done nothing unless you had forced them to it.

On the whole, I am not sorry that it has now passed into their hands. They have given to the younger children more than you could venture to ask; and they will, ere long, be compelled to give at least as much as you asked to the adolescents (as they please to call them), unless the over-production, consequent upon working two sets of children, should, in its seen consequences, bring this system of insatiable avarice, or, rather, greediness of gain, to a crisis. And now, the more you can direct your thoughts to other things, the better. It has been my fortune to see what effects are produced upon the health and happiness of those who suffer one great subject to take full possession of them. Turn away from it now, and you will be the better able to stir in it hereafter when opportunity offers.

When you can run away from Parldemonium, I hope you will come here, where you would find new scenes, and breathe an air of quietness. You could not devise a more effectual diversion for your thoughts and feelings, and I am sure that they must need it. God bless you. R. S.

The spirit of this advice was taken, and in the autumn of that eventful year there came, as we shall see in the next chapter, the much-needed rest.

CHAPTER IV.

ITALY 1833.

First Travel-Diary-Plains of Burgundy-Jura Mountains-Geneva-Catholic and Protestant Switzerland-Brieg-The Simplon-Milan-High Mass in Cathedral-A Retrospect-Venice-Her Sun Set-Bologna-The Republic of San Marino-A Wayside Accident-Rome-St. Peter's-The Forum and Coliseum St. John Lateran-Guido's Aurora-The Shortest DayChristmas Eve-Ceremonies at St. Peter's-Te Deum at the Gesù-St. Agostino-Catacombs-Pusey and Bunsen-Viberto-Siena-FlorenceSardinia-Nice-A "Kingdom of Italy "--Home.

To know the character of a man, travel with him. See whether he takes his conscience abroad; see whether, when the restraints of daily occupation, public opinion, or forces of habit are removed, his character remains the same; mark whether in varied and engrossing pleasure, and in exhilaration of spirits, his principles shine out as lustrously as when at home.

On the 10th of October Lord Ashley, in company with his wife and child-"Sir Babkins," as he called him— and Lord and Lady Cowper, started off on a six months' foreign tour. In a special book he wrote down day by day, in a pleasant, easy fashion, his impressions of all he saw and heard and felt. It was a task, sometimes irksome, but it was undertaken in order that, in years to come, he might live the scenes over again by his own fireside with the companion of his travels. The

1833.]

THE JURA MOUNTAINS.

171

Journal is specially interesting as showing the state of his mind, at that period, on many subjects which were afterwards to engage his time and influence; how much broader were his views and sympathies than many have supposed; and as giving a graphic description of travel more than half a century ago.

The journey from London to Dover, a distance of seventy-two miles, took ten hours to perform, and the "excellent " passage from Dover to Calais was accomplished in two hours and forty minutes. The route lay by road, through Abbeville and Beauvais, and then, he says, we passed on to Melun, and omitted Paris. I have no pleasure in that capital." Beyond Sens the country became more interesting.

The surface is more undulating and varied, and the vines give a peculiar richness of colouring. These vast plains of Burgundy have a singular appearance, not a single tree, hedge, hut, or sign of inhabitants except the cultivation. Whence come the labourers, or where do they dwell? If in the towns, they must have leagues of journey to their daily work.

The Jura mountains were crossed in a violent snowstorm and amid other circumstances of terror.

Notwithstanding the misery of the scene, the danger of the precipices, and the chance of an obstruction to our further passage, it was impossible to overlook the magnificence of such a spectacle. The dark colour of the pines behind the streams of snow, the ruggedness of the cliffs, and the fury of the storm, combined to set before me the language of the Almighty: Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow, or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?' I thought, too, of the

expedition to Russia, when He commanded the elements to do Him service; 'wind and storm fulfilling His word.'

After eight days of "wind and rain, and every discomfort," Geneva was reached in safety.

Has nature, among all her riches, a nobler possession than this lake and its mountains? What a profound and indescribable pleasure it is to look upon such things! As to collecting one's thoughts or expressing one's feelings, it is neither possible nor even desirable; our safest eloquence concerning them is our silence, and to confess, without confession, that His wisdom is inscrutable, His greatness above our capacity and reach.

Quitting Geneva after a rest of six days ("it is a terrible place for shopping "), visits were paid to Lausanne and Chillon, the road passing through a series of gardens.

Every mile is a subject for the genius of a painter; and to all this loveliness is superadded the charm of various and careful cultivation; order, neatness, taste, and manifold industry give an appearance of beauty and comfort and abundance which excite in one's mind a notion of virtue and happiness in the people.

Everywhere he found in the changeless and everlasting hills, food for contemplation, and everywhere the vastness of nature excited religious sentiments:

Ten times a day do I repeat,

These are Thy glorious works, Parent of Good,

Almighty! Thine this universal frame;

Thus wondrous fair'. .

while the Book of Job and the Psalms furnished him

with pregnant words to utter the thoughts that rose