By the time, then, that he had finished the
Encyclop?dia he should have embraced all knowledge, and have
experienced much of it.
The family were much interested in this plan of making practice of
every subject that came up.
He did not, of course, get on very fast in this way. In the second
column of the very first page he met with A as a note in music.
This led him to the study of music. He bought a flute, and took
some lessons, and attempted to accompany Elizabeth Eliza on the
piano. This, of course, distracted him from his work on the
Encyclop?dia. But he did not wish to return to A until he felt
perfect in music. This required a long time.
Then in this same paragraph a reference was made; in it he was
requested to "see Keys." It was necessary, then, to turn to "Keys."
This was about the time the family were moving, which we have
mentioned, when the difficult subject of keys came up, that
suggested to him his own simple invention, and the hope of getting
a patent for it. This led him astray, as inventions before have done
with master-minds, so that he was drawn aside from his regular
study.
The family, however, were perfectly satisfied with the career
Agamemnon had chosen. It would help them all, in any path of
life, if he should master the Encyclop?dia in a thorough way.
Mr. Peterkin agreed it would in the end be not as expensive as a
college course, even if Agamemnon should buy all the different
Encyclop?dias that appeared.
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