He was a slave to his own caprices; no one had taught him to bridle his passions.

Where it served his purpose, even death was summoned to his aid; but this was a custom of the last sovereigns of his race.

In one respect he was certainly superior to most of them--he still possessed a capacity to feel a loathing for the height of crime, to believe in virtue and loftiness of soul, and the possibility of implanting them in youthful hearts.

When a boy, he had been under the influence of an excellent teacher, whose precepts had lingered in his memory and led him to determine to withdraw his favourite children--two girls--from their mother's sway, at least as far as possible.
"I learned afterwards that it had been his desire to confide the princesses wholly to my parents' care.

But an invincible power opposed this.