In Mrs.Eldon it affected only the inner life; in Hubert spiritual strivings naturally sought the outlet of action.

That his emancipation should declare itself in some exaggerated way was quite to be expected: impatience of futilities and insincerities made common cause with the fiery spirit of youth and spurred him into reckless pursuit of that abiding rapture which is the dream and the despair of the earth's purest souls.

The pistol bullet checked his course, happily at the right moment.

He had gone far enough for experience and not too far for self-recovery.

The wise man in looking back upon his endeavours regrets nothing of which that can be said.
By the side of a passion such as that which had opened Hubert's intellectual manhood, the mild, progressive attachments sanctioned by society show so colourless as to suggest illusion.