Xx } .
v.] MR. BRIGHT'S ILLNESS. 649

Phe two together make me feel quite unnerved, and I seem to 1856.
% always feeling about in my mind for an excuse for quitting Zr 52.
‘he Public scene. Bright's loss, if permanent, is a public
Blamity, If you could take the opinion of the whole
Houge, he would be pronounced, by a large majority, to
*mbing more earnestness, courage, honesty, and eloquence,
‘han any other man. But we will not speak of him as of the
8t.  God grant that he may recover |”’*
| Me, Bright and his family were staying in the sutumn of
his year at Llandudno. It happened that a friend, about
ho same time, offered the use of her house in the mneigh-Yourhood
 of Bangor to Cobden. Mrs. Cobden seemed to
de falling into a settled torpor, which alarmed her husband.
Dreading the winter gloom and the association of home, he
"esolved to try a great change, and accepting his friend’s
Mer, he went with his family to Wales. Here the clouds
lowly began to show a rift. Mr. Bright and he paid one
Mothep visits, with the bargain exacted by Cobden that not
* Word should be exchanged about politics. He was slightly
"assured as to his friend’s condition. At home there were
‘igus of better things. Everybody about them was kind and
Seighbourly. Friendly offices were pressed on the suffering
Rother by good women, “such indeed,” says Cobden, “as
“re found in the middle and upper ranks in every corner of
Britain» Mrs. Cobden roused herself to talk her own Welsh
Wong the poor people who knew no other language, and
Who brightened up and became confidential the moment
‘hag they were addressed in their own tongue. Her little
Children gradually became & diversion and resource. Bub
her husband could not permit himself to do more than hope
hut ghe was perhaps recovering. His own mind began to
*ecover its tone, and his interest in public affairs to revive.
Lorg Brougham among others was very anxious to impress
$3 To Joseph Parkes, Now. 11, 1858.