His spirits were generally rather depressed.

The absence of my brother appeared to prey upon his mind.

'I wish he were here,' he would frequently exclaim; 'I can't imagine what can have become of him; I trust, however, he will arrive in time.' He still sometimes rallied, and I took advantage of those moments of comparative ease to question him upon the events of his early life.

My attentions to him had not passed unnoticed, and he was kind, fatherly, and unreserved.

I had never known my father so entertaining as at these moments, when his life was but too evidently drawing to a close.