The coincidence and contrast were curiously interesting." For persons to take at various intervals a retrospective view of life, and of the characters they have met with, seems to be a natural feeling of human nature; and every one is disposed at times to recall to memory many circumstances and many individuals which suggest abundant subjects for reflection.

We thus find recollections of scenes in which we have been joyous and happy.

We think of others with which we only associate thoughts of sorrow and of sadness.

Amongst these varied emotions we find subjects for reminiscences, of which we would bury the feelings in our own hearts as being too sacred for communication with others.

Then, again, there are many things of the past concerning which we delight to take counsel with friends and contemporaries.