ytone, whom we left
some year and a half ago in not a very clear state of mind as to
the walk in life which would be best suited for his peculiar legs.
Harcourt, who was himself a lawyer, recommended the law. Selfish as
was the general tone of Harcourt's heart, still he had within him a
high, if not a generous feeling, which made him wish to have near
him in his coming life a friend of such promise as George Bertram.
Bertram might beat him in his career; nay, probably would do so; but,
nevertheless, Harcourt wished to see him keeping his terms in London.
He was convinced that he should gain more than he should lose by such
a friend.

But Bertram's own mind was not so easily made up. His personal
possessions in life may be thus catalogued. He had come of a good
family; he had received the best education which England could
give him; he was quick in speech and ready in thought; he had a
double-first degree, and would at once have a fellowship; he had also
an uncle who was very rich and occasionally very disagreeable, and a
father who was very poor, and of whom he heard all men say that he
was one of the most agreeable fellows that ever lived. Such being his
stock in trade, how was he to take it to the best market? and what
market would be the best?

In thinking over his markets, it must not be supposed that his
only object, or his chief object, was the making of money. That was
a rock, rather, of which it behoved him to be very careful. The
money-making part of every profession was, according to his present
views, a necessary incidental evil. To enable a poor man like him to
carry on his work some money must be made; for some sorts of work,
perhaps for that very sort which he would most willingly choose, much
money must be made. But the making of it should never be his triumph.
It could be but a disagreeable means to a desirable end. At the age
of twenty-two so thought our excitable barytone hero on that point.

Two ends appeared to him to be desirable. But which of the two was
the most desirable--that to him was the difficult question. To do
good to others, and to have his own name in men's mouths--these were
the fitting objects of a man's life. But whether he would attempt the
former in order to achieve the latter; or obtain, if he did obtain,
the latter by seeking success in the former: on this point his
character was not sufficiently fixed, nor his principles sufficiently
high to enable him fitly to resolve.

Bu