'A man who lives much at a club is apt to fall into a selfish mode
of life. He is taught to think that his own comfort should always
be the first object. A man can never be happy unless his first
objects are outside himself. Personal self-indulgence begets a
sense of meanness which sticks to a man even when he has got
beyond all hope of rescue. It is for that reason;--among others,--
that marriage is so desirable.'
'A man should marry, I suppose.'
'Unless a man has on his shoulders the burden of a wife and
children he should, I think, feel that he has shirked out of
school. He is not doing his share of the work of the
Commonwealth.'
'Pitt was not married, sir.'
'No;--and a great many other good men have remained unmarried. Do
you mean to be another Pitt?'
'I don't intend to be Prime Minister.'
'I would not recommend you to entertain that ambition. Pitt
perhaps hardly had time for marriage. You may be more lucky.'
'I suppose I shall marry some day.'
'I should be glad to see you marry early,' said the Duke, speaking
in a low voice, almost solemnly, but in his quietest, sweetest ton
of voice.
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