"Then why have honorary members?" asked Andrew in a burst of enthusiasm. "It is a necessary precaution. They subscribe largely too. Indeed, the association is now established on a sound commercial basis. We are paying six per cent." "None of these American preachers who come over to this country are honorary members?" asked Andrew, anxiously. "No; one of them made overtures to us, but we would not listen to him. Why?" "Oh, nothing," said Andrew. "To do the honorary list justice," said his companion, "it gave us one fine fellow in our honorary president. He is dead now." Andrew looked up. "No, we had nothing to do with it. It was Thomas Carlyle." Andrew raised his hat. "Though he was over eighty years of age," continued the stranger. "Carlyle would hardly rest content with merely giving us his countenance. He wanted to be a working member. It was he who mentioned Froude's name to us." "For honorary membership?" "Not at all. Froude would hardly have completed the 'Reminiscences' had it not been that we could never make up our minds between him and Freeman." Youth is subject to sudden fits of despondency. Its hopes go up and down like a bucket in a draw-well. "They'll never let me join," cried Andrew, sorrowfully. His companion pressed his hand. "Three black balls exclude," he said, "but you have the president on your side. With my introduction you will be admitted a probationer, and after that everything depends on yourself." "I thought you must be the president from the first," said Andrew, reverently. He had not felt so humble since the first day he went to the University and walked past and repast it, frightened to go in. "How long," he asked, "does the period of probation last?" "Three months. Then you send in a thesis, and if it is considered satisfactory you become a member." "And if it isn't?" The president did not say. "A thesis," he said, "is generally a paper with a statement of the line of action you propose to adopt, subject to the Society's approval. Each member has his specialty--as law, art, divinity, literature, and the like." "Does the probationer devote himself exclusively during these three months to his thesis?" "On the contrary, he never has so much liberty as at this period. He is expected to be practising." "Practising?" "Well, experimenting, getting his hand in, so to speak. The member acts under instructions only, but the probationer just does what he thinks best." "There is a man on my stair," said Andrew, after a moment's consideration, "who asks his friends in every Friday night, and recites to them with his door open. I think I should like to begin with him."