He was
not rich; he had no particular expectations, and but few
family ties, for his parents had both died when he was very
young, and except an aunt who had brought him up, and a
married sister several years older than himself, he had no
near relations in the world. He was simply a medical student,
with nothing to look forward to but pushing his own way, and
making his own path in life as best he could. But he had
plenty of talent, and worked hard at his profession, to which
he was devoted for reasons quite unconnected with any
considerations of possible profit and loss. Indeed, having
just enough money of his own to make him tolerably
independent, he was wont to ignore all such considerations in
his grand youthful way, and to look upon his profession from a
purely abstract scientific point of view. And yet he was not
without large hopes, grand vague ambitions concerning his
future career; for he was at an age when it seems so much
easier to become one of the few enumerated great ones of the
world than to remain amongst the nameless forgotten
multitudes; and life lay before him rather as something
definite, which he could take up and fashion to his own
pleasure, than as a succession of days and years which would
inevitably mould and influence him in their course.
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