the vicar of wakefield-第21部分

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g　at　the　trade：　At　present　I'll　shew　you　forty　very　dull　fellows　about　town　that　live　by　it　in　opulence。　All　honest　joggtrot　men；　who　go　on　smoothly　and　dully；　and　write　history　and　politics；　and　are　praised；　men；　Sir；　who；　had　they　been　bred　coblers；　would　all　their　lives　have　only　mended　shoes；　but　never　made　them。

'Finding　that　there　was　no　great　degree　of　gentility　affixed　to　the　character　of　an　usher；　I　resolved　to　accept　his　proposal；　and　having　the　highest　respect　for　literature；　hailed　the　antiqua　mater　of　Grub…street　with　reverence。　I　thought　it　my　glory　to　pursue　a　track　which　Dryden　and　Otway　trod　before　me。　I　considered　the　goddess　of　this　region　as　the　parent　of　excellence；　and　however　an　intercourse　with　the　world　might　give　us　good　sense；　the　poverty　she　granted　I　supposed　to　be　the　nurse　of　genius！　Big　with　these　reflections；　I　sate　down；　and　finding　that　the　best　things　remained　to　be　said　on　the　wrong　side；　I　resolved　to　write　a　book　that　should　be　wholly　new。　I　therefore　drest　up　three　paradoxes　with　some　ingenuity。　They　were　false；　indeed；　but　they　were　new。　The　jewels　of　truth　have　been　so　often　imported　by　others；　that　nothing　was　left　for　me　to　import　but　some　splendid　things　that　at　a　distance　looked　every　bit　as　well。　Witness　you　powers　what　fancied　importance　sate　perched　upon　my　quill　while　I　was　writing。　The　whole　learned　world；　I　made　no　doubt；　would　rise　to　oppose　my　systems；　but　then　I　was　prepared　to　oppose　the　whole　learned　world。　Like　the　porcupine　I　sate　self　collected；　with　a　quill　pointed　against　every　opposer。'

'Well　said；　my　boy；'　cried　I；　'and　what　subject　did　you　treat　upon？　I　hope　you　did　not　pass　over　the　importance　of　Monogamy。　But　I　interrupt；　go　on；　you　published　your　paradoxes；　well；　and　what　did　the　learned　world　say　to　your　paradoxes？'

'Sir；'　replied　my　son；　'the　learned　world　said　nothing　to　my　paradoxes；　nothing　at　all；　Sir。　Every　man　of　them　was　employed　in　praising　his　friends　and　himself；　or　condemning　his　enemies；　and　unfortunately；　as　I　had　neither；　I　suffered　the　cruellest　mortification；　neglect。

'As　I　was　meditating　one　day　in　a　coffee…house　on　the　fate　of　my　paradoxes；　a　little　man　happening　to　enter　the　room；　placed　himself　in　the　box　before　me；　and　after　some　preliminary　discourse；　finding　me　to　be　a　scholar；　drew　out　a　bundle　of　proposals；　begging　me　to　subscribe　to　a　new　edition　he　was　going　to　give　the　world　of　Propertius；　with　notes。　This　demand　necessarily　produced　a　reply　that　I　had　no　money；　and　that　concession　led　him　to　enquire　into　the　nature　of　my　expectations。　Finding　that　my　expectations　were　just　as　great　as　my　purse；　I　see；　cried　he；　you　are　unacquainted　with　the　town；　I'll　teach　you　a　part　of　it。　Look　at　these　proposals；　upon　these　very　proposals　I　have　subsisted　very　comfortably　for　twelve　years。　The　moment　a　nobleman　returns　from　his　travels；　a　Creolian　arrives　from　Jamaica；　or　a　dowager　from　her　country　seat；　I　strike　for　a　subscription。　I　first　besiege　their　hearts　with　flattery；　and　then　pour　in　my　proposals　at　the　breach。　If　they　subscribe　readily　the　first　time；　I　renew　my　request　to　beg　a　dedication　fee。　If　they　let　me　have　that；　I　smite　them　once　more　for　engraving　their　coat　of　arms　at　the　top。　Thus；　continued　he；　I　live　by　vanity；　and　laugh　at　it。　But　between　ourselves；　I　am　now　too　well　known；　I　should　be　glad　to　borrow　your　face　a　bit：　a　nobleman　of　distinction　has　just　returned　from　Italy；　my　face　is　familiar　to　his　porter；　but　if　you　bring　this　copy　of　verses；　my　life　for　it　you　succeed；　and　we　divide　the　spoil。'

'Bless　us；　George；'　cried　I；　'and　is　this　the　employment　of　poets　now！　Do　men　of　their　exalted　talents　thus　stoop　to　beggary！　Can　they　so　far　disgrace　their　calling；　as　to　make　a　vile　traffic　of　praise　for　bread？'

'O　no；　Sir；'　returned　he；　'a　true　poet　can　never　be　so　base；　for　wherever　there　is　genius　there　is　pride。　The　creatures　I　now　describe　are　only　beggars　in　rhyme。　The　real　poet；　as　he　braves　every　hardship　for　fame；　so　he　is　equally　a　coward　to　contempt；　and　none　but　those　who　are　unworthy　protection　condescend　to　solicit　it。

'Having　a　mind　too　proud　to　stoop　to　such　indignities；　and　yet　a　fortune　too　humble　to　hazard　a　second　attempt　for　fame；　I　was　now；　obliged　to　take　a　middle　course；　and　write　for　bread。　But　I　was　unqualified　for　a　profession　where　mere　industry　alone　was　to　ensure　success。　I　could　not　suppress　my　lurking　passion　for　applause；　but　usually　consumed　that　time　in　efforts　after　excellence　which　takes　up　but　little　room；　when　it　should　have　been　more　advantageously　employed　in　the　diffusive　productions　of　fruitful　mediocrity。　My　little　piece　would　therefore　come　forth　in　the　mist　of　periodical　publication；　unnoticed　and　unknown。　The　public　were　more　importantly　employed；　than　to　observe　the　easy　simplicity　of　my　style；　of　the　harmony　of　my　periods。　Sheet　after　sheet　was　thrown　off　to　oblivion。　My　essays　were　buried　among　the　essays　upon　liberty；　eastern　tales；　and　cures　for　the　bite　of　a　mad　dog；　while　Philautos；　Philalethes；　Philelutheros；　and　Philanthropos；　all　wrote　better；　because　they　wrote　faster；　than　I。

'Now；　therefore；　I　began　to　associate　with　none　but　disappointed　authors；　like　myself；　who　praised；　deplored；　and　despised　each　other。　The　satisfaction　we　found　in　every　celebrated　writer's　attempts；　was　inversely　as　their　merits。　I　found　that　no　genius　in　another　could　please　me。　My　unfortunate　paradoxes　had　entirely　dried　up　that　source　of　comfort。　I　could　neither　read　nor　write　with　satisfaction；　for　excellence　in　another　was　my　aversion；　and　writing　was　my　trade。

'In　the　midst　of　these　gloomy　reflections；　as　I　was　one　day　sitting　on　a　bench　in　St　James's　park；　a　young　gentleman　of　distinction；　who　had　been　my　intimate　acquaintance　at　the　university；　approached　me。　We　saluted　each　other　with　some　hesitation；　he　almost　ashamed　of　being　known　to　one　who　made　so　shabby　an　appearance；　and　I　afraid　of　a　repulse。　But　my　suspicions　soon　vanished；　for　Ned　Thornhill　was　at　the　bottom　a　very　good…natured　fellow。

'What　did　you　say；　George？'　interrupted　I。　'Thornhill；　was　not　that　his　name？　It　can　certainly　be　no　other　than　my　landlord。'　'Bless　me；'　cried　Mrs　Arnold；　'is　Mr　Thornhill　so　near　a　neighbour　of　yours？　He　has　long　been　a　friend　in　our　family；　and　we　expect　a　visit　from　him　shortly。'

'My　friend's　first　care；'　continued　my　son；　'was　to　alter　my　appearance　by　a　very　fine　suit　of　his　own　cloaths；　and　then　I　was　admitted　to　his　table　upon　the　footing　of　half…friend；　half…　underling。　My　business　was　to　attend　him　at　auctions；　to　put　him　in　spirits　when　he　sate　for　his　picture；　to　take　the　left　hand　in　his　chariot　when　not　filled　by　another；　and　to　assist　at　tattering　a　kip；　as　the　phrase　was；　when　we　had　a　mind　for　a　frolic。　Beside　this；　I　had　twenty　other　little　employments　in　the　family。　I　was　to　do　many　small　things　without　bidding；　to　carry　the　cork　screw；　to　stand　godfather　to　all　the　butler's　children；　to　sing　when　I　was　bid；　to　be　never　out　of　humour；　always　to　be　humble；　and；　if　I　could；　to　be　very　happy。

'In　this　honourable　post；　however；　I　was　not　without　a　rival。　A　captain　of　marines；　who　was　formed　for　the　place　by　nature；　opposed　me　in　my　patron's　affections。　His　mother　had　been　laundress　to　a　man　of　quality；　and　thus　he　early　acquired　a　taste　for　pimping　and　pedigree。　As　this　gentleman　made　it　the　study　of　his　life　to　be　acquainted　with　lords；　though　he　was　dismissed　from　several　for　his　stupidity；　yet　he　found　many　of　them　who　were　as　dull　as　himself；　that　permitted　his　assiduities。　As　flattery　was　his　trade；　he　practised　it　with　the　easiest　address　imaginable；　but　it　came　aukward　and　stiff　from　me；　and　as　every　day　my　patron's　desire　of　flattery　encreased；　so　every　hour　being　better　acquainted　with　his　defects；　I　became　more　unwilling　to　give　it。　Thus　I　was　once　more　fairly　going　to　give　up　the　field　to　the　captain；　when　my　friend　found　occasion　for　my　assistance。　This　was　nothing　less　than　to　fight　a　duel　for　him；　with　a　gentleman　whose　sister　it　was　pretended　he　had　used　ill。　I　readily　complied　with　his　request；　and　tho'　I　see　you　are　displeased　at　my　conduct；　yet　as　it　was　a　debt　indispensably　due　to　friendship；　I　could　not　refuse。　I　undertook　the　affair；　disarmed　my　antagonist；　and　soon　after　had　the　pleasure　of　finding　that　the　lady　was　only　a　woman　of　the　town；　and　the　fellow　her　bully　and　a　sharper。　This　piece　of　service　was　repaid　with　the　warmest　professions　of　gratitude；　but　as　my　friend　was　to　leave　town　in　a　few　days；　he　knew　no　other　method　of　serving　me；　but　by　recommending　me　to　his　uncle　Sir　William　Thornhill；　and　another　nobleman　of　great　distinction；　who　enjoyed　a　post　under　the　government。　When　he　was　gone；　my　first　care　was　to　carry　his　recommendatory　letter　to　his　uncle；　a　man　whose　character　for　every　virtue　was　universal；　yet　just。　I　was　received　by　his　servants　with　the　most　hospitable　smiles；　for　the　looks　of　the　domestics　ever　transmit　their　master's　benevolence。　Being　shewn　into　a　grand　apartment；　where　Sir　William　soon　came　to　me；　I　delivered　my　message　and　letter；　which　he　read；　and　after　pausing　some　minutes；　Pray；　Sir；　cried　he；　inform　me　what　you　have　done　for　my　kinsman；　to　deserve　this　warm　recommendation？　But　I　suppose；　Sir；　I