Capable, through confidence in his father, of receiving wisdom far beyond what he could have thought out for himself, he sometimes said things because he understood them, which seemed to most who heard them beyond his years.

Some people only understand enough of a truth to reject it, but Cosmo's reception by faith turned to sight, as all true faith does at last, and formed a soil for thought more immediately his own.
They had been climbing a steep ascent, very difficult in the snow, and had at length reached the top, where they stood for a moment panting, with another ascent beyond them.
"Aren't you always wanting to climb and climb, Lady Joan ?" said the boy.
"Call me Joan, and I will answer you." "Then, Joan,--how kind you are! Don't you always want to be getting up ?--up higher than you are ?" "No; I don't think I do." "I believe you do, only you don't know it.

When I get on the top of yon hill there, it always seems to me such a little way up!--and Mr.Simon tells me I should feel much the same, if it were the top of the highest peak in the Himmalays." Lady Joan did not reply, and Cosmo too was silent for a time.
"Don't you think," he began again, "though life is so very good--to me especially with you here--you would get very tired if you thought you had to live in this world always--for ever and ever and ever, and never, never get out of it ?" "No, I don't," said Joan.

"I can't say I find life so nice as you think it, but one keeps hoping it may turn to something better." She was amused with what she counted childish talk for a boy of his years--so manly too beyond his years! "That is very curious!" he returned.

"Now I am quite happy; but this moment I should feel just in a prison, if I thought I should never get to another world; for what you can never get out of, is your prison--isn't it ?" "Yes--but if you don't want to get out ?" "Ah, that is true! but as soon as that comes to a prisoner, it is a sign that he is worn out, and has not life enough in him to look the world in the face.