Ossian Collection > Aspects of poetry

XV.] CARDINAL NEWMAN. 453
touched those more subtle and evanescent experiences,
by which tender and imaginative natures are visited ?
This is the way he describes our feelings in looking
back on much of our life that is past.
'When enjoyment is past, reflection comes in. Such is the
sweetness and softness with which days long past fall upon the
memory, and strike us. The most ordinary years, when we
seemed to be living for nothing, these shine forth to us in their
very regularity and orderly course. What was sameness at the
time, is now stability ; what was dulness, is now a soothing calm ;
what seemed unprofitable, has now its treasure in itself; what
was but monotony, is now harmony ; all is pleasing and com-
fortable, and we regard it all with aifection. Nay, even sor-
rowful times (which at first sight is wonderful) are thus softened
and illuminated afterwards.'
Thus too he describes the remembrance of our child-
hood : —
' Such are the feelings with which men look back on their
childhood, when any accident brings it vividly before them.
Some reHc or token of that early time, some spot, or some
book, or a word, or a scent, or a sound, brings them back in
memory to the first years of their discipleship, and they then
see, what they could not know at the time, that God's presence
went up with them and gave them rest. Nay, even now perhaps,
they are unable to discern fully what it was which made them so
bright and glorious. They are full of tender, affectionate thoughts
towards those first years, but they do not know why. They
think it is those very years which they yearn after, whereas it
is the presence of God which, as they now see, was then over
them, which attracts them. They think that they regret the
past, when they are but longing after the future. It is not that
they would be children again, but that they would be Angels
and would see God ; they would be immortal beings, crowned