Charles. Well, you and father talk about “habits of the mind,” and “disciplining the mind,” and tell me to leave off this habit of thinking, and that habit of not thinking, just as you tell me to cure myself of twirling this button on my jacket!
Mother. And don’t you understand what we mean?
Charles. Oh yes, I see the sense of it.
Mother. And do not you think that with perseverance you can accomplish what we wish? You do not mean to tell us that you cannot manage your own mind?
Charles. But it is so hard! And to go back to this matter of study, mother; when I talked to sister Ellen about it, yesterday, she said that if I did not study I never could be a lawyer, or a minister, or a doctor, or a merchant, or anything of the sort. Now why need I be either?
Mother. What would you like to be?
Charles. Just a gentleman.
Mother. An idle gentleman?
Charles. No, not an idle one. I should like to pass my time in reading and accomplishments.
Mother. What accomplishments do you mean?