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M. Krempe had now commenced an eulogy on himself, which happily

turned the conversation from a subject that was so annoying to

me.

Clerval had never sympathised in my tastes for natural science;

and his literary pursuits differed wholly from those which had

occupied me. He came to the university with the design of making

himself complete master of the oriental languages, and thus he

should open a field for the plan of life he had marked out for

himself. Resolved to pursue no inglorious career, he turned his

eyes toward the East, as affording scope for his spirit of

enterprise. The Persian, Arabic, and Sanskrit languages engaged

his attention, and I was easily induced to enter on the same

studies. Idleness had ever been irksome to me, and now that I

wished to fly from reflection, and hated my former studies, I

felt great relief in being the fellow-pupil with my friend, and

found not only instruction but consolation in the works of the

orientalists. I did not, like him, attempt a critical knowledge

of their dialects, for I did not contemplate making any other use

of them than temporary amusement.