While he is there, Nicholas befriends a "simple" boy named Smike, who is older than the other "students" and now acts as an unpaid servant. Lessons are no better they show how poorly educated Squeers himself is and he uses the lessons as excuses to send the boys off on chores. Squeers and his monstrous wife whip and beat the children regularly while spoiling their own son. Once he arrives in Yorkshire, Nicholas comes to realise that Squeers is running a scam: he takes in unwanted children (most of whom are illegitimate, crippled or deformed) for a high fee, and starves and mistreats them while using the money sent by their parents, who only want to get them out of their way, to pad his own pockets. The letter expresses concern for him as an innocent young man and offers assistance if Nicholas ever requires it. A once-wealthy businessman, Noggs lost his fortune, became a drunk, and had no other recourse but to seek employment with Ralph, whom he loathes. As Nicholas boards the stagecoach for Greta Bridge, he is handed a letter by Ralph's clerk, Newman Noggs. Nicholas is initially wary of Squeers (a very unpleasant man with one eye) because he is gruff and violent towards his young charges, but he tries to quell his suspicions. He gets Nicholas a very low-paying job as an assistant to Wackford Squeers, who runs the school Dotheboys Hall in Yorkshire. Ralph, a cold and ruthless businessman, has no desire to help his destitute relations and hates Nicholas at first sight because he reminds him of his dead brother.
Nicholas, his mother and his younger sister, Kate, are forced to give up their comfortable lifestyle in Devonshire and travel to London to seek the aid of their only relative, Nicholas's uncle, Ralph Nickleby. Nicholas Nickleby's father dies unexpectedly after losing all of his money in a poor investment. Mr Ralph Nickleby's first visit to his poor relations
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