Across this picture of venerable and
self-mortifying age, the first rays of the sun were now softly cast,
lighting a dimmed eye and furrowed face with a look of brightness and
peace. Perhaps the blandness of the expression belonged as much to the
season and hour, as to the habitual character of the man. This benignancy
of feature, unusual rather in its strength than in its existence, might
have been heightened by the fact that his spirit had just wrought in
prayer, as was usual, in the circle of his children and dependants, ere
they left those retired parts of the building where they had found rest
and security during the night. Of the former, none known and cherished in
the domestic circle had been absent; and the ample provision that was
making for the morning meal, sufficiently showed that the number of the
latter had in no degree diminished since the reader was familiar with the
domestic economy of his household.
Time had produced no very striking alteration in the appearance of
Content. It is true that the brown hue of his features had deepened, and
that his frame was beginning to lose some of its elasticity and ease of
action, in the more measured movements of middle age.
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