ege in June, 1825. There was in his
mind, apparently, from the first, that definiteness of purpose which is
so often wanting when a student takes his first college degree. There
was for him no doubt or hesitation: it must be literature or nothing;
and this not merely from a preference for the pursuit, but from an
ambition, willingly acknowledged, to make a name in that direction. He
writes to his friend, George W. Wells, "Somehow, and yet I hardly know
why, I am unwilling to study any profession. I cannot make a lawyer of
any eminence, because I have not a talent for argument; I am not good
enough for a minister,--and as to physic, I utterly and absolutely
detest it." Even a year before this, he had written to his father a
letter of some moment, dated March 13, 1824, containing the following
ominous passage: "I am curious to know what you do intend to make of
me,--whether I am to study a profession or not; and if so, what
profession. I hope your ideas upon this subject will agree with mine,
for I have a particular and strong prejudice for one course of life, to
which you, I fear, will not agree. It will not be worth while for me to
mention what this is until I become more acquainted with your own
wishes."{9}

This letter remaining for some months unanswered, there followed another
which at last stated his own personal desire. It was written to his
father and dated December 5, 1824.

"I take this early opportunity to write to you, because I wish to know
fully your inclination with regard to the profession I am to pursue when
I leave college.

"For my part I have already hinted to you what would best please me. I
want to spend one year at Cambridge for the purpose of reading history
and of becoming familiar with the best authors in polite literature;
whilst at the same time I can be acquiring a knowledge of the Italian
language, without an acquaintance with which I shall be shut out from
one of the most beautiful departments of letters. The French I mean to
understand pretty thoroughly before I leave college. After leaving
Cambridge I would attach myself to some literary periodical publication,
by which I could maintain myself and still enjoy the advantages of
reading. Now, I do not think that there is anything visionary or
chimerical in my plan thus far. The fact is--and I will not disguise it
in the least, for I think I ought not--the fact is, I most eagerly
aspire after future eminence in literature; my whole soul b