Once such feelings would have wrapt him in morbid gloom; now he
strove against his disposition to sit inert and hidden, he did his
work manfully, and endeavoured not to let his want of spirits sadden
the household.
Nor was he insensible to the cheerful healthy atmosphere of animation
which had diffused itself there; and the bright discussions of the
trifling interests of the day. Ulick O'More was also a care to him,
which did him a great deal of good.
That young gentleman now lived at his lodgings, but was equally at
home at Willow Lawn, and his knock at the library door, when he
wished to change a book, usually led to some 'Prometheus' discussion,
and sometimes to a walk, if Mr. Kendal thought him looking pale; or
to dining and to spending the evening.
His scrapes were peculiar. He had thoroughly mastered his work, and
his active mind wanted farther scope, so that he threw himself with
avidity into deeper studies, and once fell into horrible disgrace for
being detected with a little Plato on his desk. Mr. Goldsmith nearly
gave him up in despair, and pronounced that he would never make a man
of business. He made matters worse by replying that this was the
best chance of his not being a man of speculation. If he were
allowed to think of nothing but money, he should speculate for the
sake of something to do!
Before Mr. Goldsmith had half recovered the shock, Mr. Dusautoy and
Mr.
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