The implicit reproach in ignorance, addressed to "Bombard of 1884", of course has some moral grounds. But, however, many people seek their vocation for many years, decades, sometimes during all their lives. Moreover, education (formal) is not the only key prerequisite for a usefulness of human. Many prominent people did not and do not have formal education.

The idleness it's also a relative disadvantage. And what, strictly speaking, are the "idleness" criteria? In many spheres of activity - politics, entrepreneurship, literature, filmmaking and others - are natural and well-known the long periods of fading, of attenuation of apparent explicit creative activity.

Married a widow with money... everyone has their own line in life. He'd marry the girl without money, - the same would be grounds for a joke.

Cheating on his wife... And if he was not cheating, so biased observer, especially French, could see some strangeness in it ...

He "under a heel" of wife...

Financial security at the expense of the wife ...

First, it family affairs, for the external observer are not clear. Secondly, even if he became "under the heel", then in such situation is also a some positive effect: the family is stronger ...

There are also questions of more substantial. So, Guy de Maupassant can not to convict Bombard in mental disorder or a syphilis disease. (On the contrary, the health of Bombard is emphasized). But the lack of such "reproaches" is natural. Both the mental disorder, and syphilis were inherent not Bombard, - whatever "bad" he was, - but to Guy de Maupassant.

And if to be exempted from "the power of a joke" (when both the situation, and skill of the story-teller force to laugh or at least to smile for politeness), then it turns out - that Bombard if is with what to reproach, so with his imperfection. And who is perfect?

You can go to a different level of generalization. The so-called "idleness", "inaction" is a form of implementation, the consequence of freedom.

And "idleness" and freedom are essences, which are obeying their own energies and desires.

Now, suppose, a certain outstanding writer M. sees Englishman Henry Thomas Buckle traveling around Europe.

Young Buckle is the person without formal education, without profession, without concrete "business". The father endowed him (and other family members) with a inheritance. Buckle was traveling about one and a half years.

Let's choose the moment to see Buckle, walking idly along the Parisian boulevard, and let's make a statement: "Buckle is a parasite!".

Moreover, person not quite adequate: he even didn't marry. And the fact, that he has learned 19 languages, so too is suspicious: why would a man without a profession and business to know so many languages?

Imitation of activity. All from inaction - he could work, for example, as a clerk. And - in what measure he knows these languages? It still needs to be checked ...

Why not to write for such a case the story "Buckle". A such satire.

Characters: the Englishman, traveling around Europe - the idler, with scribbler's bents, with a mania on scientific greatness, not based anything. He is imitating the studying of languages for deception of people around. He is comically shipped in reading and idleness.

The story may be finished with some amusing episode: he confused the German publisher with a Belgian waiter: knowledge of the language turned out to be insufficient... May be added an absurd scene of expressions of love emotions by Buckle to the Frenchwoman - for the entourage.

The story of the famous writer M. under the title "Buckle" appears.

The public reads this satire. It is pleasant to her! These clever idlers much about themselves imagine!

They show arrogance! And it turns out that their self-conceit - a soap bubble: these are just some odd fellows ("jokers and dreamers"?) ... The audience is happy; satisfied and writer M. Popularity, royalties are growing.

There time passes, Henry Thomas Buckle publishes the two-volume monumental work - "History of Civilization in England".

What to do to the writer M.? To write, - for the sake of justice and decencies - at least short little story "Buckle and the Civilization"? Whether there will be enough education, mind, "knowledge of the person and his soul"? The public is already partly was fooled, the royalties were received.

And the outstanding writer M., suppose, has already died. But a hypothetical story "Buckle" appeared. And what with it (story) to do?

3. Not "overboard"

Bombard, not Simon (year 1884), but Alain ( year 1952) took a seat in a specially prepared rubber boat and and began a sea trip.

The project of transatlantic sea voyage, let's agree, looked strange.

This project, at first sight, is submitted a little motivated and absolutely unexpected. The person who has got medical education, not having experience and skills of ocean sailings (!) intends to cross the Mediterranean Sea (!?), and then and Atlantic Ocean (!!??) by the rubber boat (!!!???).

And to squeezing out the physiological liquid from fish (by droplets) for replenishment of a lack of fresh water.

(Swimming has taken place in 1952. Across the Mediterranean Sea Bombard floated with Jack Palmer; swimming across the Atlantic ocean Alain Bombard continued and made alone. The book about swimming has been published in 1953).

Alain Bombard is the person, who was motivated not the selfish, but all-humane interests. The man educated, strong-willed, with great ingenuity. He was constantly thinking of the family, the wife, the child.

It is enough to tell, that A. Bombard mastered many knowledge of navigation already during sea voyage(!!!). Voyage, made alone. Not always successfully. Have helped out an wide outlook, strategic thinking, helped out the qualities which are called on Latin as ingenium - that is, ability, ingenuity.

Neither the risk, nor diseases, nor loneliness torments, nor fear of death have stopped him.

Swimming comes to the end successfully. He publishes the book. In French-speaking Wikipedia are listed the books which author is Alain Bombard .

He not "overboard". He directs laboratory of private oceanographic institute in French riviera, he works at a post of the state secretary in the Ministry of environmental protection of France. From 1981 to 1994 participates as the member in activity of the European Parliament. He headed public organizations. He have died at the age of 80 years.