oung people are pliable and elastic, and easily
accommodate themselves to any one they fall in with. They find grounds
of attraction both where they agree with one another and where they
differ; what is congenial to themselves creates sympathy; what is
correlative, or supplemental, creates admiration and esteem. And what is
thus begun is often continued in after-life by the force of habit and
the claims of memory. Thus, in the choice of friends, chance often does
for us as much as the most careful selection could have effected. What
was the character and degree of that friendship which sprang up between
the freshmen Reding and Sheffield, we need not here minutely explain: it
will be enough to say, that what they had in common was freshmanship,
good talents, and the back staircase; and that they differed in
this--that Sheffield had lived a good deal with people older than
himself, had read much in a desultory way, and easily picked up opinions
and facts, especially on controversies of the day, without laying
anything very much to heart; that he was ready, clear-sighted,
unembarrassed, and somewhat forward: Charles, on the other hand, had
little knowledge as yet of principles or their bearings, but understood
more deeply than Sheffield, and held more practically, what he had once
received; he was gentle and affectionate, and easily led by others,
except when duty clearly interfered. It should be added, that he had
fallen in with various religious denominations in his father's parish,
and had a general, though not a systematic, knowledge of their tenets.
What they were besides, will be seen as our narrative advances.

CHAPTER II.

It was a little past one P.M. when Sheffield, passing Charles's door,
saw it open. The college servant had just entered with the usual
half-commons for luncheon, and was employed in making up the fire.
Sheffield followed him in, and found Charles in his cap and gown,
lounging on the arm of his easy-chair, and eating his bread and cheese.
Sheffield asked him if he slept, as well as ate and drank, "accoutred as
he was."

"I am just going for a turn into the meadow," said Charles; "this is to
me the best time of the year: _nunc formosissimus annus_; everything is
beautiful; the laburnums are out, and the may. There is a greater
variety of trees there than in any other place I know hereabouts; and
the planes are so touching just now, with their small multitudinous
green hands half-opened;