CHAP. ix. EDWARD'S VINDICATION. 163 



learning nor the opportunities necessary for scientific 

 pursuits ; nor yet the time nor the money to spare 

 for the purpose. No, poor devils ! they need all 

 their time and all their money to eke out their bare 

 and half- starved existence." 



"I quite agree with you," replied Edward, "in 

 some of your remarks ; but I am sorry to say that the 

 wretchedness you allude to, is in too many cases at- 

 tributable to themselves, and also to their slatternly 

 and improvident wives. They do not go into the 

 fields to drink in the sweets of nature, but rush 

 unthinkingly into the portals of hell, and drown 

 their sorrows in whisky. In this way they beggar 

 themselves and pauperise their families." 



" There is doubtless something in that," said the 

 doctor, "but I spoke in general. Of course, there 

 are exceptions. It would appear that you are one, 

 and a most extraordinary one too. And here it is 

 that I am most puzzled. I can't understand how 

 you have done all this single-handed. Besides, you 

 must have read a great deal. You must have had 

 access to the best scientific works ; and you must 

 also have possessed sufficient means to enable you 

 to collect and arrange these things as they now are." 



" Permit me to say, sir," said Edward, " that I am 

 not a book-learner, nor have I ever read any scientific 

 works. I never had any access to them. Nor do I 

 possess any means besides those that I have earned 

 by hard and constant work." 



