thoughts of his own. I
copied what was set before me, and admitted those who knocked at the door
of the sanctuary of law and conveyancing, performing the latter office
indeed from choice, long after it had ceased to be part of my duty by the
arrival of another, and of course a junior, pupil.

I scarcely know what induced me to take pleasure in this task, yet there
can be no doubt that I did take pleasure in it, otherwise I should
scarcely have performed it so readily. It has been said, I believe, that
whatever we do _con amore_, we are sure to do well, and I dare say that,
as a general rule, this may hold good. One thing is certain, that with
whatever satisfaction to myself I performed the task, I was not equally
fortunate in pleasing my employer, who complained of my want of
discrimination and yet, strange as it may seem, this last is a quality
upon which I not only particularly valued myself at the time, but still
do in a high degree. I made a point never to admit any persons without
subjecting them to the rigorous investigation of the pair of eyes that
providence had been pleased to place in my head. To those who pleased me
not, I was little better than a Cerberus whom it was very difficult to
pass; whilst to others, I was all easiness and condescension, ushering
them straight to the sanctum sanctorum, in which, behind a desk covered
with letters and papers, stood--for he never sat down to his desk--the
respectable individual whose lawful commands to obey and whose secrets to
keep I had pledged myself by certain articles duly stamped and signed.

"This will never do," said he to me one day; "you will make me a
bankrupt, unless you alter your conduct. There is scarcely one of my
respectable clients but complains of your incivility. I speak to you, my
poor boy, as much on your own account as on mine. I quite tremble for
you. Are you aware of the solecisms you commit? Only yesterday you
turned Sir Edward from the door, and immediately after you admitted
Parkinson the poet! What an insult to a gentleman to be turned from the
door, and a strolling vagabond to be admitted before his eyes!"

"I can't help it," said I; "I used my best powers of discrimination; I
looked both full in the face, and the one struck me as being an honest
man, whilst the other had the very look of a slave driver."

"In the face? Bless me! But you looked at their dress, I suppose? You
looked at Sir Edward's dress?"

"No," said I, "