Afloat at Last

Publisher Marketing: "And so, Allan, you wish to go to sea?" "Yes, father," I replied. "But, is there no other profession you would prefer-the law, for instance? It seems a prosperous trade enough, judging from the fact that solicitors generally appear well to do, with plenty of money-possibly that of other people-in their possession; so, considering the matter from a worldly point of view, you might do worse, Allan, than join their ranks." I shook my head, however, as a sign of dissent to this proposition. "Well then, my boy," went on father in his logical way, anxious that I should clearly understand all the bearings of the case, and have the advantages and disadvantages of each calling succinctly set before me, "there is medicine now, if you dislike the study of Themis, as your gesture would imply. It is a noble profession, that of healing the sick and soothing those bodily ills which this feeble flesh of ours is heir to, both the young and old alike-an easier task, by the way, than that of ministering to 'the mind diseased, ' as Shakespeare has it; although, mind you, I must confess that a country physician, such as you could only hope to be, for I have not the means of buying you a London practice, has generally a hard life of it, and worse pay. However, this is beside the question; and I want to avoid biassing your decision in any way. Tell me, would you like to be a doctor-eh?" But to this second proposal of my father as to my future career, I again signified my disapproval by shaking my head; for I did not wish to interrupt his argument by speaking until he had finished all he had to say on the subject, and I could see he had not yet quite done.