Having no Hankering after the old Round he soe long hath run, he now, in Fact, looks younger every Day; and yet, not with the same Kind of Youth he had before his Back was bowed under the Chancellorship. 'Tis a more composed, chastised Sort of Rejuvenescence: rather the soft Warmth of Autumn, which sometimes seems like May, than May itself: the enkindling, within this mortal Tabernacle, of a heavenly Light that never grows dim, because it is immortal; and burns the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever: a Youthfulness of Soul and Mind characterised by Growth; Something with which this World and its fleeting Fancies has nothing to do: Something that the _King_ can neither impart nor take away. ... We have had a tearfull Morning ... poor _Patteson_ has gone. My Father hath obtained good Quarters for him with my _Lord Mayor_, with a Stipulation that he shall retain his Office with the _Lord Mayor_ for the Time being, as long as he can fill it at all. This suits _Patteson_, who says he will sooner shift Masters year by year, than grow too fond of any Man again, as he hath of _Father_; but there has been sad blubbering and blowing of Noses. _Sept. 24th._ This Afternoon, coming upon _Mercy_ seated in the Alcove, like unto the Image of some Saint in a Niche, her Hands folded on her Lap, and her Eyes steadfastly agaze on the setting Sun, I could not but mark how Years were silentlie at work upon her, as doubtless upon us alle; the tender, fearfulle Girl having thus graduallie changed into the sober, high-minded Woman. She is so seldom seene in Repose, so constantly astir and afoot in this or that kind Office, mostly about the Children, that I had never thought upon it before; but now I was alle at once avised to marvel that she who had so long seemed fitter for Heaven than Earth, shoulde never literallie have vowed herself the Spouse of _Christ_; more in especiall as all Expectation of being the Spouse of anie else must long since have died within her. I sayd, "_Mercy_, thou lookst like a Nun: how is't thou hast ne'er become one in Earnest?"