All this time he had retained in an inchoactive form an idea of the distinctive line along which his life work should be directed, and once determined as to the course to be pursued he buckled on the barness and again lent himself to close application, eagerly taking up the study of legal lore with the aim of preparing himself for practice at the bar, a profession for which he was admirabiy adapted by natural endowment and mental characteristics, as is sulliciently evinced by the marked success he has attained.