power over the emotions of the moneyless! Lady Whitelaw wrote
briefly and formally. Having considered Godwin's request, she had no
reason for doubting that he would make a good use of the proposed
year at the School of Mines, and accordingly she sent him the sum
which Sir Job had intended for his final session at Whitelaw
College. She wished him all benefit from his studies, and prosperity
henceforth.

Rejoicing, though shame-smitten, Godwin exhibited this remittance to
his mother, from whom it drew a deep sigh of relief. And forthwith
he sat down to write quite a different letter from that which still
lay in his private drawer,--a letter which he strove to make the
justification (to his own mind) of this descent to humility. At
considerable length he dwelt upon the change of tastes of which he
had been conscious lately, and did not fail to make obvious the
superiority of his ambition to all thought of material advancement.
He offered his thanks, and promised to give an account of himself
(as in duty bound) at the close of the twelvemonths' study he was
about to undertake: a letter in which the discerning would have read
much sincerity, and some pathos; after all, not a letter to be
ashamed of. Lady Whitelaw would not understand it; but then, how
many people are capable of even faintly apprehending the phenomena
of mental growth?

And now to plan seriously his mode of life in London. With Christian
Moxey he was so slightly acquainted that it was impossible to seek
his advice with regard to lodgings; besides, the lodgings must be of
a character far too modest to come within Mr. Moxey's sphere of
observation. Other acquaintance he had none in the capital, so it
was clear that he must enter boldly upon the unknown world, and find