as　all。　But；　nevertheless；　it　is　anything　but　agreeable　to　behaunted　by　a　suspicion　that　one's　intellect　is　dwindling　away；　orexhaling；　without　your　consciousness；　like　ether　out　of　a　phial；　sothat；　at　every　glance；　you　find　a　smaller　and　less　volatileresiduum。　Of　the　fact　there　could　be　no　doubt；　and；　examining　myselfand　others；　I　was　led　to　conclusions；　in　reference　to　the　effect　ofpublic　office　on　the　character；　not　very　favourable　to　the　mode　oflife　in　question。　In　some　other　form；　perhaps；　I　may　hereafter　developthese　effects。　Suffice　it　here　to　say；　that　a　Custom…House　officer；　oflong　continuance；　can　hardly　be　a　very　praiseworthy　or　respectablepersonage；　for　many　reasons；　one　of　them；　the　tenure　by　which　he　holdshis　situation；　and　another；　the　very　nature　of　his　business；　which…though；　I　trust；　an　honest　one…　is　of　such　a　sort　that　he　does　notshare　in　the　united　effort　of　mankind。 An　effect…　which　I　believe　to　be　observable；　more　or　less；　inevery　individual　who　has　occupied　the　position…　is；　that；　while　heleans　on　the　mighty　arm　of　the　Republic；　his　own　proper　strengthdeparts　from　him。　He　loses；　in　an　extent　proportioned　to　theweakness　or　force　of　his　original　nature；　the　capability　ofself…support。　If　he　possess　an　unusual　share　of　native　energy；　orthe　enervating　magic　of　place　do　not　operate　too　long　upon　him；　hisforfeited　powers　may　be　redeemable。　The　ejected　officer…　fortunatein　the　unkindly　shove　that　sends　him　forth　betimes；　to　struggle　amid　astruggling　world…　ma