Page:The crater; or, Vulcan's peak.djvu/394

154 THE CRATER; teach these young creatures that they were fallible beings, carefully avoiding the modern fallacy of supposing that an infallible whole could be formed of fallible parts. Such is an outline of the condition of the colony at the period which we have now reached. Everything appeared to be going on well. The Henlopen arrived, discharged, loaded, and went out again, carrying with her the last bar rel of oil in the Bight. The whalers had a jubilee, for their adventures made large returns; and the business was carried on with renewed spirit. In a word, the colony had reached a point where every interest was said to be pros perous a state of things with communities, as with indi viduals, when they are, perhaps, in the greatest danger of meeting with reverses, by means of their own abuses. CHAPTER XI. " Cruel of heart, and strong of arm, Proud in his sport, and keen for spoil, He little reck d of good or harm, Fierce both in mirth and toil; Yet like a dog could fawn, if need there were ; Speak mildly when he would, or look in fear." DANA. The Buccaneer. AFTER the visitation, the governor passed a week at the Peak, with Bridget and his children. It was the habit of the wife to divide her time between the two dwellings; though Mark was so necessary to her as a companion, in tellectually, and she was so necessary to Mark, for the same reason, that they were never very long separated. Bridget was all heart, and she had the sweetest temper imaginable; two qualities that endeared her to her hus band, far more than her beauty. Her wishes were centred in her little family, though her kindness and benevolence could extend themselves to all around her. Anne she loved as a sister and as a friend ; but it would not have been impossible for Bridget to be happy, had her fortune been