midnight
But my uncle was not a man to be kept waiting ; so adjourning therefore all minor questions , I presented myself before him . He was a very learned man . Now most persons in this category supply themselves with information , as peddlers do with goods , for the benefit of others , and lay up stores in order to diffuse them abroad for the benefit of society in general . Not so my excellent uncle , Professor Hardwigg ; he studied , he consumed the midnight oil , he pored over heavy tomes , and digested huge quartos and folios in order to keep the knowledge acquired to himself . There was a reason , and it may be regarded as a good one , why my uncle objected to display his learning more than was absolutely necessary : he stammered ; and when intent upon explaining the phenomena of the heavens , was apt to find himself at fault , and allude in such a vague way to sun , moon , and stars that few were able to comprehend his meaning . To tell the honest truth , when the right word would not come , it was generally replaced by a very powerful adjective . In connection with the sciences there are many almost unpronounceable names -- names very much resembling those of Welsh villages ; and my uncle being very fond of using them , his habit of stammering was not thereby improved .