; my fortune somewhat resembled that of aperson who should entertain an idea of mitting suicide; and;although beyond his hopes; meet with the good hap to be murdered。 Inthe Custom…House; as before in the Old Manse; I had spent three years;a term long enough to rest a weary brain; long enough to break off oldintellectual habits; and make room for new ones; long enough; andtoo long; to have lived in an unnatural state; doing what was reallyof no advantage nor delight to any human being; and withholding myselffrom toil that would; at least; have stilled an unquiet impulse in me。Then; moreover; as regarded his unceremonious ejectment; the lateSurveyor was not altogether ill…pleased to be recognised by theWhigs as an enemy; since his inactivity in political affairs… histendency to roam; at will; in that broad and quiet field where allmankind may meet; rather than confine himself to those narrow pathswhere brethren of the same household must diverge from one another…had sometimes made it questionable with his brother Democratswhether he was a friend。 Now; after he had won the crown ofmartyrdom (though with no longer a head to wear it on); the pointmight be looked upon as settled。 Finally; little heroic as he was;it seemed more decorous to be overthrown in the downfall of theparty with which he had been content to stand; than to remain aforlorn survivor; when so many worthier men were falling; and; atlast; after subsisting for four years on the mercy of a hostileadministration;