THE RANDALL FAMILY I 59
cannot determine the precedence of exit, I am loth to look on death as an evil, though the omission to perform our work according to our talents may, perhaps, be one.
To Simmons, however, death has come prematurely. He had longed to go to Europe, fearing life might be short, but losses and a narrow income forbade. The means, however, would have been raised in a day, but he would accept of nothing. Yet, had he for once waived objection, there had now been no need of contemplating his form as being devoured by the monsters of the deep and his bones as tossing restless among the billows. But help is too late. 'Twas his fate, and must be so. Had he gone to Europe, he would have brought back very varied and accurate information, which would have made him better company than ever ; for he was an observant man, refined and subtile in perception. One more cir- cumstance here occurs. Two years ago, a factory case was offered him which would pay him two thousand dol- lars for three weeks' labor. But he positively refused it, saying that Mr. Curtis took such cases, and could give as good an opinion in three hours as himself in three weeks, and it would be to defraud them to take up unnecessary time. You may judge from this circumstance for what qualities I so highly esteemed him.
I can remember, when in college, the great pleasure which attended imaginary sorrows. But, since real ones commenced, I have ill been able to afford the others. Even the real may, I have found by long habit and effort, be so far modified as to affect but little the main ends of our lives. Thus selfish indulgence, which characterizes youth, becomes less ; as we pass into middle life, our identity is less precious to us, and we become more and more blended with the great mass of humanity around us.
�� �
