Severalweekswentby, duringwhichMartinEdenstudiedhisgrammar, reviewedthebooksonetiquette, , andsomeofthefellowswhoputonthegloveatRiley'-ribsoflanguage, sothatbookshowedhimthetie-ribsofpoetry, andhebegantolearnmetreandconstructionandform, , treateditexhaustively, , untaxedfortwentyyearsandimpelledbymaturityofdesire, grippedholdofwhathereadwithavirilityunusualtothestudentmind.

Whenhelookedbacknowfromhisvantage-ground, theoldworldhehadknown, theworldoflandandseaandships, ofsailor-menandharpy-women, seemedaverysmallworld; , ,aswell, , insocietylikeRuthandherfamily, , andhewantedtopurgehimselfoftheignoblethathadsoiledallhisdays, ; hehadneverknownwhathewanted, , andheknewatlast, clearlyanddefinitely, thatitwasbeauty, andintellect, andlovethathemusthave.