After a pause of some minutes, he said, What would you do?
You forget the immaturity of your age. If you are qualified to act
a part in the theatre of life, step forth; but you are not
qualified. You want knowledge, and with this you ought previously
to endow yourself. . . . . Means, for this end, are within your
reach. Why should you waste your time in idleness, and torment
yourself with unprofitable wishes? Books are at hand . . . . books
from which most sciences and languages can be learned. Read,
analise, digest; collect facts, and investigate theories:
ascertain the dictates of reason, and supply yourself with the
inclination and the power to adhere to them. You will not, legally
speaking, be a man in less than three years. Let this period be
devoted to the acquisition of wisdom. Either stay here, or retire
to an house I have on the banks of Killarney, where you will find
all the conveniences of study.

I could not but reflect with wonder at this man's treatment of
me. I could plead none of the rights of relationship; yet I
enjoyed the privileges of a son. He had not imparted to me any
scheme, by pursuit of which I might finally compensate him for the
expense to which my maintenance and education would subject him.
He gave me reason to hope for the continuance of his bounty. He
talked and acted as if my fortune were totally disjoined from his;
yet was I indebted to him for the morsel which sustained my life.
Now it was proposed to withdraw myself to studious leisure, and
romantic solitude. All my wants, personal and intellectual, were
to be supplied gratuitously and copiously. No means were
prescribed by which I might make compensation for all these
benefits. In conferring them he seemed to be actuated by no view
to his own ultimate advantage. He took no measures to secure my