en of his
age--or his youth," said Mr. Dombey--"his youth is a more appropriate
expression.

"Now, Mrs. Pipchin, instead of being behind his peers, my son ought to be
before them, far before them. There is an eminence ready for him to mount
on. There is nothing of chance or doubt before my son. The education of
such a young gentleman must not be delayed. It must not be left imperfect.
It must be very steadily and seriously undertaken, Mrs. Pipchin."

"Well, sir," said Mrs. Pipchin, "I can say nothing to the contrary." And
so to Doctor Blimber's Paul was sent.

The doctor's was a mighty fine house fronting the sea. Upon its doorstep
one day Paul stood with a fluttering heart, and with his small right hand
in his father's. His other hand was locked in that of Florence. The doctor
was sitting in his portentous study, with a globe at each knee, books all
round him, Homer over the door and Minerva on the mantel-shelf.

Paul being somewhat too small to be seen from where the doctor sat, over
the books on his table, the doctor made several futile attempts to get a
view of him round the legs; which Mr. Dombey perceiving, relieved the
doctor from his embarrassment by taking Paul up in his arms, and sitting
him on another little table in the middle of the room.

"Ha!" said the doctor, leaning back in his chair. "Now I see my little
friend. How do you do, my little friend?"

"V-ery well, I thank you, sir," returned Paul.

"Ha!" said Doctor Blimber. "Shall we make a man of him?"

"Do you hear, Paul?" added Mr. Dombey, Paul being silent.

"I had rather be a child," replied Paul.

"Indeed!" said the doctor. "Why?"

The child made no audible answer, and Doctor Blimber continued, "You would
wish my little friend to acquire----?"

"_Everything_, if you please, doctor," returned Mr. Dombey, firmly.

"Yes," said the doctor. "Yes, exactly. Ha! We shall impart a great variety
of information to our little friend, and bring him quickly forward."

At this moment Mrs. Blimber entered, followed by her daughter, and they
were duly presented to the Dombeys. There was no light nonsense about Miss
Blimber. She kept her hair short and crisp and wore spectacles.

Mrs. Blimber, her mama, was not learned herself, but she pretended to be,
and that did quite as well. She said at evening parties, that if she could
have known Cicero, she thought she could have died content. It was the
steady joy of her life to see the doctor's young gentleme