spepsia had not, as yet, marred his visage or weakened his
energies.

In his connection with this seminary and others of kindred character,
such as he could attend and yet pay his expenses by his labor, he
became, ere long, able to teach others. Here was a new means of support,
of which he eagerly availed himself. In whatever he undertook, moreover,
he was singularly successful. He was in earnest. An earnest mind, in
connection with an indomitable will--what may it not accomplish? It is
every thing but omnipotent.

"Heaven but persuades, almighty man decrees," as I have before said,
assuming our old English poets as standard authority; but this saying
has more in it than mere poetry. Or, if Heaven more than
persuades--somewhat more--does not man still decree? But I am inclined,
I see, to press this thought, perhaps in undue proportion to its
magnitude. Whether or not it abates one half the guilt, I make the
confession.

For several years Gray pushed his devious course, through "thick and
thin," sustaining himself chiefly by his teaching. In 1835, he was the
private instructor of a wealthy family in Rhode Island; but so puzzling,
not to say erratic, were some of his movements, that he was not very
popular. Subsequently to this, he was found in another part of New
England, editing a paper, and teaching at the same time a small number
of pupils.

All this while he paid great attention to physical education; but being
either a charity scholar, or obliged to pay his way by his own
exertions, he had not at command the needful time to render him thorough
in any thing, even in his obedience, as he called it, to Nature's laws.
Nearly all his studies were pursued by snatches, or, at least, with more
or less irregularity.

In nothing, however, was he more irregular than in his diet. This, to a
person already inclined, as he certainly was, to dyspepsia, was very
unfortunate. Perhaps, as generally happens in such cases, there was
_action and reaction_. Perhaps, I mean, his dyspeptic tendencies led to
more or less of dietetic irregularity; while the latter, whenever
yielded to, had a tendency, in its turn, to increase his load of
dyspepsia.

There was, indeed, one apology to be found for his irregularity with
regard to diet, in his extreme poverty. There were times when he was
actually compelled to subsist on the most scanty fare; while his
principles, too, restricted him to very great plainness. In one
instance, for example