"Yes, sir--I know no occupation to which I so much incline."

"The law is a very arduous profession. It requires a rare union of
industry, talent, and knowledge of mankind to be a good lawyer."

"I should think so, sir."

"Few succeed where thousands fail. Young men are very apt to mistake
inclination for ability; and to be a poor lawyer--"

"Is to be worse than poor--is to be despicable!" replied Hinkley
with a half-sfnile, as he interrupted a speech which might have
been construed into a very contemptuous commentary on his own
pretensions. It would seem that the young man had so understood
it. He continued thus:--

"It may be so with me, sir. It is not improbable that I deceive
myself, and confound inclination with ability."

"Oh, pardon me, my dear young friend," said Stevens patronizingly;
"but I do not say so. I utter a mere generality. Of course, I can
know nothing on the subject of your abilities. I should be glad
to know. I should like to converse with you. But the law is very
arduous, very exacting. It requires a good mind, and it requires
the whole of it. There is no such thing as being a good lawyer
from merely reading law. You can't bolt it as we do food in this
country. We must chew upon it. It must be well digested. You seem
to have the right notion on this subject. I should judge so from two
things: the distinction which you made between the reader and the
student; and the fact that your appearance is that of the student. I