have become so intimate with that
earth-burrowing Mr. Gunnery, who certainly never attended either church
or chapel, and who seemed to have imbued his pupil with immoral
theories concerning the date of creation. Godwin held more decidedly
aloof from his aunt, and had been heard by Charlotte to speak very
disrespectfully of the Misses Lumb. In short, there was no choice but
to discover an opening for him in some secular pursuit. Could he,
perhaps, become an assistant teacher? Or must he 'go into an office'?

No common lad. A youth whose brain glowed like a furnace, whose heart
throbbed with tumult of high ambitions, of inchoate desires; endowed
with knowledge altogether exceptional for his years; a nature
essentially militant, displaying itself in innumerable forms of callow
intolerance--apt, assuredly, for some vigorous part in life, but as
likely as not to rush headlong on traverse roads if no judicious mind
assumed control of him. What is to be done with the boy?

All very well, if the question signified, in what way to provide for
the healthy development of his manhood. Of course it meant nothing of
the sort, but merely: What work can be found for him whereby he may
earn his daily bread? We--his kinsfolk even, not to think of the world
at large--can have no concern with his growth as an intellectual being;
we are hard pressed to supply our own mouths with food; and now that we
have done our recognised duty by him, it is high time that he learnt to
fight for his own share of provender. Happily, he is of the robust sex;
he can hit out right and left, and make standing-room. We have armed
him with serviceable weapons, and now he must use them against the
enemy--that is to say, against all mankind, who will quickly enough
deprive him of sustenance if he fail in the conflict. We neither know,
nor in great measure care, for what employment he is naturally marked.
Obviously he cannot heave coals or sell dogs' meat, but with negative
certainty not much else can be resolved, seeing how desperate is the
competition for minimum salaries. He has been born, and he must eat. By
what licensed channel may he procure the necessary viands?

Paternal relatives Godwin had as good as none. In quitting London,
Nicholas Peak had ceased to hold communication with any of his own
stock save the younger brother Andrew. With him he occasionally
exchanged a letter, but Andrew's share in the correspondence was
limited to ungrammatical and ofte