 would have been glad to know when these
difficulties were to cease, this opposition was to yield, - when Mrs. Ferrars
would be reformed, and her son be at liberty to be happy. But from such vain
wishes, she was forced to turn for comfort to the renewal of her confidence in
Edward's affection, to the remembrance of every mark of regard in look or word
which fell from him while at Barton, and above all to that flattering proof of
it which he constantly wore round his finger.
    »I think, Edward,« said Mrs. Dashwood, as they were at breakfast the last
morning, »you would be a happier man if you had any profession to engage your
time and give an interest to your plans and actions. Some inconvenience to your
friends, indeed, might result from it - you would not be able to give them so
much of your time. But (with a smile) you would be materially benefited in one
particular at least - you would know where to go when you left them.«
    »I do assure you,« he replied, »that I have long thought on this point, as
you think now. It has been, and is, and probably will always be a heavy
misfortune to me, that I have had no necessary business to engage me, no
profession to give me employment, or afford me any thing like independence. But
unfortunately my own nicety, and the nicety of my friends, have made me what I
am, an idle, helpless being. We never could agree in our choice of a profession.
I always preferred the church, as I still do. But that was not smart enough for
my family. They recommended the army. That was a great deal too smart for me.
The law was allowed to be genteel enough; many young men, who had chambers in
the Temple, made a very good appearance in the first circles, and drove about
town in very knowing gigs. But I had no inclination for the law, even in this
less abstruse study of it, which my family approved. As for the navy, it had
fashion on its side, but I was too old when the subject was first started to
enter it - and, at length, as there was no necessity for my having any
profession at all, as I might be as dashing and expensive without a red coat on
my back as with one, idleness was pronounced on the whole to be the most
advantageous and honourable, and a young man of eighteen is not in general so
earnestly bent on being
