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    402 A STRANGE CHANCE.

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  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

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    + Chapter, Iii.

    picture . That morning' was decisive as to the future vocation of Charles .

    decided After what dinner to do the with same that day boy , George . This said morning to Elizabeth he made , " a I sketch have

    from a subject not at all easy with wonderful cleverness . I will make him a painter , and it may be , when I have transferred the

    results of my labor to him he will take up and complete the work of a life I shall never have length of days fullto develop "

    y . rep " lied I have Eliz often abeth wondered , when , George I have , wh kept y you showing did not you think the of this littl / e '

    drawing ' s he has made . They always seemed to me remarkable for element such a child sand ; the and strength then his nature toobefitting has all an the artist sweet I and wonder gracious

    have not , decided upon this , before , . " . you " Because I wished it" said Georg _* e" and was afraid that I

    ,, But _mig-ht since selfishl I am y convinced warp the that boy ' s he natur has e both to gratif love y and my genius own wishes for the .

    art , I cannot tell you , Elizabeth , how thankfully I accept this shall answer and when still to one I have of my passed dearest away hopes , cheated . I shall of my engr fair aft share my soul of days on his , I ,

    less I shall live at in the least works leave he b will ehind produce me one . b I eloved shall not child die of childmind ; and of the , dearest , sanctities of my heart . And it was a _copy my , of

    Elizabeth , from one her drawing's , which _g-ave me the final assurthus ance as commenced to what I opening should be his justified heart in to doing Elizabeth with him a . " thing Having

    unusual for him to do either with her or any one , else , George very seemed disposed for further confidencesand changing * the subject

    said , " There is one _23 icture I must paint b , efore I dieElizabeth!—the , Prometheus . From the majestic ancient soul arose , this tragic and

    daring hension sublime , and ideal and unshaken of abilit the y , pain fortitude their of Prometheus hum a an regal life . t confronts Vast of in heroic desire the mart , gods in yrdom appre with

    -Its attitude is that of the soul , which conceived ype it . "What a sense . had those ancients of the strain of supporting existence . Even the

    physical world was placed upon the shoulders of an Atlas . For a leng an idea th of , made time a vague of its idea saddest had been and most slowl intense y gathering moments in my mind a sense — up

    and of unutterable brain knew pain no , relief of a stress . I came of endurance across the from Prometheus which my , heart and all must that had to been vague it took form , I found the expression I wanted , *

    I try paint ; it is a truth in the present as well as in the _j of _> ast life , for , a in Prometheu every new s is soul re-born that . lives " truly and down into the deeps _,

    " Assuredly pain seems our most vital truth" said Elizabeth . record " There from are me times but when that of the their faces sufferings of all I , see when appear , the to sound veil of every the

    wind hurts my heart like a cry of anguish ; when all within and

    402 A Strange Chance.

    402 A STRANGE CHANCE .

• Citation
  • English Woman’s Journal (1858-1864), Feb. 1, 1861, page 402, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ewj/issues/ewj_01021861/page/42/