SOthegypsiesdeparted；Mrs。HernetoYorkshire，andtheresttoLondon：asformyself，Icontinuedinthehouseofmyparents，passingmytimeinmuchthesamemannerasIhavealreadydescribed，principallyinphilologicalpursuits；butIwasnowsixteen，anditwashighlynecessarythatIshouldadoptsomeprofession，unlessIintendedtofritterawaymyexistence，andtobeauselessburdentothosewhohadgivenmebirth；butwhatprofessionwasItochoose？therebeingnoneinthewideworldperhapsforwhichIwassuited；norwasthereanyoneforwhichI
feltanydecidedinclination，thoughperhapsthereexistedwithinmealurkingpenchantfortheprofessionofarms，whichwasnaturalenough，as，frommyearliestinfancy，Ihadbeenaccustomedtomilitarysightsandsounds；butthisprofessionwasthenclosed，asIhavealreadyhinted，and，asIbelieve，ithassincecontinued，tothosewho，likemyself，hadnobetterclaimstourgethantheservicesofafather。
Myfather，who，forcertainreasonsofhisown，hadnoveryhighopinionoftheadvantagesresultingfromthiscareer，wouldhavegladlyseenmeentertheChurch。Hisdesirewas，however，considerablyabatedbyoneortwopassagesofmylife，whichoccurredtohisrecollection。Heparticularlydweltontheunheard-ofmannerinwhichIhadpickeduptheIrishlanguage，anddrewfromthencetheconclusionthatIwasnotfittedbynaturetocutarespectablefigureatanEnglishuniversity。’Hewillflyoffinatangent，’saidhe，’and，whencalledupontoexhibithisskillinGreek，willbefoundproficientinIrish；Ihaveobservedthepoorladattentively，andreallydonotknowwhattomakeofhim；butIamafraidhewillnevermakeachurchman!’AndIhavenodoubtthatmyexcellentfatherwasright，bothinhispremissesandtheconclusionatwhichhearrived。Ihadundoubtedly，atoneperiodofmylife，forsakenGreekforIrish，andtheinstructionsofalearnedProtestantdivineforthoseofaPapistgossoon，thecard-fancyingMurtagh；andoflate，thoughIkeptitastrictsecret，IhadabandonedinagreatmeasurethestudyofthebeautifulItalian，andtherecitationofthesonorousterzetsoftheDivineComedy，inwhichatonetimeItookthegreatestdelight，inordertobecomeacquaintedwiththebrokenspeech，andyetmorebrokensongs，ofcertainhouselesswandererswhomIhadmetatahorsefair。Suchanerraticcoursewascertainlybynomeansinconsonancewiththesoberandunvaryingroutineofcollegestudy。Andmyfather，whowasamanofexcellentcommonsense，displayeditinnotpressingmetoadoptaprofessionwhichrequiredqualitiesofmindwhichhesawIdidnotpossess。
Otherprofessionsweretalkedof，amongstwhichthelaw；butnowaneventoccurredwhichhadnearlystoppedmycareer，andmergedallminorpointsofsolicitudeinanxietyformylife。Mystrengthandappetitesuddenlydesertedme，andIbegantopineanddroop。SomesaidthatIhadovergrownmyself，andthatthesewerethesymptomsofarapiddecline；Igrewworseandworse，andwassoonstretcheduponmybed，fromwhichitseemedscarcelyprobablethatIshouldevermorerise，thephysiciansthemselvesgivingbutslighthopesofmyrecovery：asformyself，Imadeupmymindtodie，andfeltquiteresigned。Iwassadlyignorantatthattime，and，whenI
thoughtofdeath，itappearedtomelittleelsethanapleasantsleep，andIwishedforsleep，ofwhichIgotbutlittle。ItwaswellthatIdidnotdiethattime，forIrepeatthatIwassadlyignorantofmanyimportantthings。Ididnotdie，forsomebodycominggavemeastrange，bitterdraught；adecoction，Ibelieve，ofabitterrootwhichgrowsoncommonsanddesolateplaces：andthepersonwhogaveitmewasanancientfemale，akindofdoctress，whohadbeenmynurseinmyinfancy，andwho，hearingofmystate，hadcometoseeme；soIdrankthedraught，andbecamealittlebetter，andIcontinuedtakingdraughtsmadefromthebitterroottillImanifestedsymptomsofconvalescence。