And again: "There was nothing ascetic or severe in him; but I have often thought since that his feeling was probably what he might have afterward described as a consciousness that he must be about his Father's business." These words are significant testimony to the nobility of the impression made on others by Father Hecker's personality in early manhood.

Even if our only addition to such scanty knowledge of his life at Brook Farm as could be gathered from his own conversations in later years were this happily-touched sketch, it could hardly be more interesting than it is.

But, fortunately, it does not stand alone.
Its fine recognition of the lofty purity of his nature is everywhere borne out by the unpremeditated and candid self-revelations of the diary.

Their characteristic trait is everywhere aspiration--a sense of joy in elevation above the earthly, or a sense of depression because the earthly weighs him down.

Then come eager glances of inquiry in every direction for the satisfaction of his aspirations, little by little narrowing down to the Catholic Church, wherein the dove of Mr.Curtis's image was finally to rest his foot for ever.