Certainly Bastin was as far from Bickley as those points of the earth are apart, while I.as it were, sat equally distant between the two.

However, we were all very happy together, since in certain characters, there are few things that bind men more closely than profound differences of opinion.
Now I must turn to my more personal affairs.

After all, it is impossible for a man to satisfy his soul, if he has anything of the sort about him which in the remotest degree answers to that description, with the husks of wealth, luxury and indolence, supplemented by occasional theological and other arguments between his friends; Becoming profoundly convinced of this truth, I searched round for something to do and, like Noah's dove on the waste of waters, found nothing.

Then I asked Bickley and Bastin for their opinions as to my best future course.

Bickley proved a barren draw.