-38' PASSES AN EXAMINATION. 53 



burden my father, or making greater claims on his house 

 and purse, and I have too much pride and independence 

 to be beholden to others for a livelihood, when I may 



make one for myself. I wrote Uncle A , at mother's 



request, to tell him about Catherine, and as he has always 

 been very kind to me, I mentioned cautiously my wishes 

 regarding chemistry. He writes me back (in a very kind, 

 however, and affectionate letter, in which he asks for you 

 particularly), ' Respecting chemistry, you may find it more 

 pleasing than profitable,' and regarding the future hopes I 

 held out of becoming a lecturer, he says, ' I entertain the 

 idea that it is but a poor profession.' The letter is, let me 

 however say, written in a very kindly spirit, and he adds 

 that I am better qualified than he to judge, and begs me to 

 write to him soon. You see what I must expect, and that 

 every moment between this and my final passing I must 

 turn to the best account. I write this neither with morbid 

 feelings towards my profession, or towards those who do 

 not see things as I (and you) do ; they shall only stimulate 

 me to redoubled energy ; and I shall neither mourn nor 

 repine, for I have high hopes, and not unprofitable specu- 

 lations, and if God grant me health and leisure, my most 

 urgent needs, I shall not despair. All this I write as my 

 apology for giving up the hope of seeing you. I am sure 

 you will agree, and we shall meet the sooner .and the more 

 honourably to ourselves, when all .the sorrows are past. 

 Don't write unless your health permits." 



"Laboratory, May qih, Friday. 



" My examinations are over, and / am half a physician, 

 and so, five hours after birth, I am writing to you the good 

 news, knowing it will interest you. We receive our sum- 

 mons a week before, from a kindly wish to give us time to 



