I knew Hardy; but never cared greatly for his talent.

I daresay if I had had nothing else to do I might have succeeded in some half degree.

But all these two years I was extremely busy and anxious; the storm clouds in South Africa were growing steadily darker and my attitude to South African affairs was exceedingly unpopular in London.

It seemed to me vitally important to prevent England from making war on the Boers.

I had to abandon the attempt to get Oscar's sentence shortened, and comfort myself with Sir Ruggles Brise's assurance that he would be treated with the greatest possible consideration.
Still, my advocacy had had a good effect.
Oscar himself has told us what the kindness shown to him in the last six months of his prison life really did for him.