ten o'clock
Though it was rather late before they retired to rest on the evening of the ensuing Sunday , Mr. Aubrey was to be found seated in his study by half-past four on Monday morning , perusing , with profound attention , stimulated by the strong observation of the Attorney-General , the second volume of Blackstone 's Commentaries , -- a work with which he had already a very tolerable familiarity . 'T was really a thing to be thankful for that Mr. Aubrey , with so many absorbing anxieties , such distracting apprehensions concerning the future , _ could _ command his attention in the way he did . To be sure , he felt that it was plainly life-and-death work with him ; but he might have derived great encouragement from perceiving himself possessed of that faculty of concentrating the attention , which the Attorney-General had spoken of as so essential an attribute of a lawyer . The way in which he parcelled out his time was this : From the time that he entered his study till breakfast-time , he resolved to read law -- from ten o'clock till four or five , was to be spent at Mr. Weasel 's chambers -- and the evenings were to be devoted to the society of his children , his wife , and sister , and also to certain occasional literary efforts , from which he hoped to derive some little increase to his means . This was severe work ; but it was probably the most fortunate and salutary thing in the world for Aubrey , that his energies should be thus occupied , and his mind kept from the corroding effects of constant reflection upon his misfortunes , and dismal apprehensions concerning the future . After he had spent a few days in Mr. Weasel 's chambers , a good deal of his prejudice against that gentleman began to wear off . Mr. Aubrey found him all that the Attorney-General had described him as being -- a very acute and able lawyer , with a constant current of important , varied , and instructive business running through his chambers , and every disposition to render his utmost assistance to Mr. Aubrey , whom he quickly found out to be a man of very superior intellect , and most seriously bent upon acquiring a knowledge of the profession .