He did, at last, endeavour to ply that servile engine of which
Pendennis conceived so exalted an opinion. Certainly a false pride
did not stand in his way when, on May 5, 1889, he announced that he
was about to leave St. Andrews, and attempt to get work at proof-
correcting and in the humblest sorts of journalism in Edinburgh.
The chapter is honourable to his resolution, but most melancholy.
There were competence and ease waiting for him, probably, in London,
if he would but let his pen have its way in bright comment and
occasional verse. But he chose the other course. With letters of
introduction from Mr. Meiklejohn, he consulted the houses of Messrs.
Clark and Messrs. Constable in Edinburgh. He did not find that his
knowledge of Greek was adequate to the higher and more remunerative
branches of proof-reading, that weary meticulous toil, so fatiguing
to the eyesight. The hours, too, were very long; he could do more
and better work in fewer hours. No time, no strength, were left for
reading and writing. He did, while in Edinburgh, send a few things
to magazines, but he did not actually `bombard' editors.
Pages:
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64