I suppose that the people at the head of affairs know what is most proper and convenient; perhaps when the lad sees how difficult, nay, how impossible it is that he should enter the army, he will turn his mind to some other profession; I wish he may!" "I think he has already," said my mother; "you see how fond he is of the arts, of drawing and painting, and, as far as I can judge, what he has already done is very respectable; his mind seems quite turned that way, and I heard him say the other day that he would sooner be a Michael Angelo than a general officer.

But you are always talking of him; what do you think of doing with the other child ?" "What, indeed!" said my father; "that is a consideration which gives me no little uneasiness.

I am afraid it will be much more difficult to settle him in life than his brother.

What is he fitted for, even were it in my power to provide for him?
God help the child! I bear him no ill-will, on the contrary, all love and affection; but I cannot shut my eyes; there is something so strange about him! How he behaved in Ireland! I sent him to school to learn Greek, and he picked up Irish!" "And Greek as well," said my mother.

"I heard him say the other day that he could read St.John in the original tongue." "You will find excuses for him, I know," said my father.