He was as thin-skinned as a woman and as greedy of approval.

And yet his sensitiveness, with nerves all on the surface, worked to its own defeat.
It rendered Richard fearful of jar and jolt; with that he turned brusque, repelled folk, and shrunk away from having them too near.
For a crowning disaster, throughout his years of manhood, Richard had had nothing to do.

He had been idle with no work and no object to work for.

You can suffer from brain famine and from hand famine.

You may starve your brain and your hand with idleness as readily as you starve your stomach with no food.