equally distant between the two. However, we were all very happy
together, since in certain characters, there are few things that
bind men more closely than profound differences of opinion.


Now I must turn to my more personal affairs. After all, it is
impossible for a man to satisfy his soul, if he has anything of
the sort about him which in the remotest degree answers to that
description, with the husks of wealth, luxury and indolence,
supplemented by occasional theological and other arguments
between his friends; Becoming profoundly convinced of this truth,
I searched round for something to do and, like Noah's dove on the
waste of waters, found nothing. Then I asked Bickley and Bastin
for their opinions as to my best future course. Bickley proved a
barren draw. He rubbed his nose and feebly suggested that I might
go in for "research work," which, of course, only represented his
own ambitions. I asked him indignantly how I could do such a
thing without any scientific qualifications whatever. He admitted
the difficulty, but replied that I might endow others who had the
qualifications.

"In short, become a mulch cow for sucking scientists," I
replied, and broke off the conversation.

Bastin's idea was, first, that I should teach in a Sunday
School; secondly, that if this career did not satisfy all my
aspirations, I might be ordained and become a missionary.

On my rejection of this brilliant advice, he remarked that the
only other thing he could think of was that I should get married