Frank Mathers felt himself strong, rather too much so perhaps.
It is one of the defects of the self-educated, that they generally imagine themselves much more learned than they really are. Not having anyone to compete with, or a master to show them their imperfections, they rather over-estimate their capacities.
There is also another disadvantage in self-culture. The self-educated man is often only acquainted with the elements of a great many different sciences, but it is seldom that he is thoroughly versed in any single one. There are exceptions to this rule. One is when the student has a decided talent for something, and energy to pursue his studies.
Frank had studied something of almost everything and imagined himself a savant.
From this it must not be inferred that he was uneducated.
But, he lacked that knowledge of the world which is only acquired by mixing with the world.