“And if they are provided for, and if they do get good places, are they not well enough off?” said Mr. Falconer: “I’ll answer for it, your sons would think so.” Mr. Percy, with a look of proud humility, replied, “I am inclined to believe that my sons would not think themselves _well off_, unless they were distinguished by their own merit.” “To be sure,” said Mr. Falconer, correcting himself; “of course I mean that too: but a young man can never distinguish himself, you know, so well as when his merit is raised to a conspicuous situation.” “Or disgrace himself so effectually, as when he is raised to a situation for which he is unprepared and unfit.” The commissioner’s brow clouded--some unpleasant reflection or apprehension seemed to cross his mind. Mr. Percy had no intention of raising any; he meant no allusion to the commissioner’s sons--he hastened to turn what he had said more decidedly upon his own. “I have chosen for my sons, or rather they have chosen for themselves,” continued he, “professions which are independent of influence, and in which it could be of little use to them. Patrons can be of little advantage to a lawyer or a physician. No judge, no attorney, can push a lawyer up, beyond a certain point--he may rise like a rocket, but he will fall like the stick, if he be not supported by his own inherent powers. Where property or life is at stake, men will not compliment or even be influenced by great recommendations--they will consult the best lawyer, and the best physician, whoever he may be. I have endeavoured to give my Alfred and Erasmus such an education as shall enable them honestly to work their own way to eminence.” “A friend’s helping hand is no bad thing,” said Mr. Falconer, “in that hard and slippery ascent.” “As many friends, as many helping hands, in a fair way, as you please,” said Mr. Percy: “I by no means would inculcate the anti-social, absurd, impossible doctrine, that young men, or any men, can or ought to be independent of the world. Let my sons make friends for themselves, and enjoy the advantage of mine. I object only to their becoming dependent, wasting the best years of their lives in a miserable, debasing servitude to patrons--to patrons, who at last may perhaps capriciously desert them at their utmost need.” Again, without designing it, Mr. Percy wakened unpleasant recollections in the mind of the commissioner.