The two young ladies spun, as used to do the great ladies of the court of King Alfred, and as Hercules himself is said to have done when he changed his club and lion's skin for a spindle and distaff with the Queen of Lybia; Jack was apparently sketching, Fritz had a collection of hunting apparatus before him, and the other two young men, each with a book, were deeply immersed in study.
This state of things was by no means cheerful, and Wolston determined to break up the monotony by introducing a subject of conversation likely to interest them all, the old as well as the young.
"By the way, gentlemen," said he, "it occurs to me that you have not yet thought of selecting a profession; your future career seems at present somewhat obscure." "What would you have ?" inquired Jack; "there is no use for lawyers and judges in our colony, except to try plundering monkeys or protect jackal orphans." "True; but suppose you were to find yourselves, by some chance, again in the great world, there it is necessary to possess a qualification of some kind; a blacksmith or a carpenter, expert in his handicraft, has a better chance of acquiring wealth and position than a man without a profession, however great his talents may be; an idler is a mere clog in the social machine, and is often thrust aside to browse in a corner with monks and donkeys." "But to acquire a profession, is not instruction and practice necessary ?" "Certainly; it is impossible to become a proficient in any art or science by mere study alone; but before sowing a field, what is done ?" "It is ploughed and manured." "And should there be only a few seeds ?" "We can sow what we have, and reserve the harvest till next season.

By economising each crop in this way, we shall soon have seeds enough to cover any extent of land." "May I request you, Master Ernest, to draw a conclusion from that as regards sowing the seeds of a future career ?" "I would infer, from your suggestion, that we might adapt ourselves for such and such a profession by preparing our minds to receive instruction in it, and we might also avail ourselves in the meantime of such sources of information regarding it as are at present open to us.

The physician in prospective, for example, might make himself familiar with the medical properties of such plants as are within his reach; he might likewise examine the bones of an ape, and thus, by analogy, become acquainted with the framework of the human body.

The would-be lawyer might, in the same way, avail himself of the library to obtain an insight into those social mysteries that bind men in communities and necessitate human laws for the preservation of peace and order.

Thus, by directing our thoughts into one line of study, we may form a basis upon which the superstructure may be easily erected, and the necessary academical degrees or sanction of the university obtained." "And, when you see this, why not adopt so commendable a course ?" "Because we may probably be destined to remain here, where, according to Jack, the learned professions, at least, are not likely to be much in demand." "The study of a particular science or art has charms in itself, which amply compensate the student for his labor.