the vicar of wakefield-第4部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

at　the　slightest　touch　gives　pain：　what　some　have　thus　suffered　in　their　persons；　this　gentleman　felt　in　his　mind。　The　slightest　distress；　whether　real　or　fictitious；　touched　him　to　the　quick；　and　his　soul　laboured　under　a　sickly　sensibility　of　the　miseries　of　others。　Thus　disposed　to　relieve；　it　will　be　easily　conjectured；　he　found　numbers　disposed　to　solicit：　his　profusions　began　to　impair　his　fortune；　but　not　his　good…nature；　that；　indeed；　was　seen　to　encrease　as　the　other　seemed　to　decay：　he　grew　improvident　as　he　grew　poor；　and　though　he　talked　like　a　man　of　sense；　his　actions　were　those　of　a　fool。　Still；　however；　being　surrounded　with　importunity；　and　no　longer　able　to　satisfy　every　request　that　was　made　him；　instead　of　money　he　gave　promises。　They　were　all　he　had　to　bestow；　and　he　had　not　resolution　enough　to　give　any　man　pain　by　a　denial。　By　this　he　drew　round　him　crowds　of　dependants；　whom　he　was　sure　to　disappoint；　yet　wished　to　relieve。　These　hung　upon　him　for　a　time；　and　left　him　with　merited　reproaches　and　contempt。　But　in　proportion　as　he　became　contemptable　to　others；　he　became　despicable　to　himself。　His　mind　had　leaned　upon　their　adulation；　and　that　support　taken　away；　he　could　find　no　pleasure　in　the　applause　of　his　heart；　which　he　had　never　learnt　to　reverence。　The　world　now　began　to　wear　a　different　aspect；　the　flattery　of　his　friends　began　to　dwindle　into　simple　approbation。　Approbation　soon　took　the　more　friendly　form　of　advice；　and　advice　when　rejected　produced　their　reproaches。　He　now；　therefore　found　that　such　friends　as　benefits　had　gathered　round　him；　were　little　estimable：　he　now　found　that　a　man's　own　heart　must　be　ever　given　to　gain　that　of　another。　I　now　found；　thatthatI　forget　what　I　was　going　to　observe：　in　short；　sir；　he　resolved　to　respect　himself；　and　laid　down　a　plan　of　restoring　his　falling　fortune。　For　this　purpose；　in　his　own　whimsical　manner　he　travelled　through　Europe　on　foot；　and　now；　though　he　has　scarce　attained　the　age　of　thirty；　his　circumstances　are　more　affluent　than　ever。　At　present；　his　bounties　are　more　rational　and　moderate　than　before；　but　still　he　preserves　the　character　of　an　humourist；　and　finds　most　pleasure　in　eccentric　virtues。'

My　attention　was　so　much　taken　up　by　Mr　Burchell's　account；　that　I　scarce　looked　forward　as　we　went　along；　til　we　were　alarmed　by　the　cries　of　my　family；　when　turning；　I　perceived　my　youngest　daughter　in　the　midst　of　a　rapid　stream；　thrown　from　her　horse；　and　struggling　with　the　torrent。　She　had　sunk　twice；　nor　was　it　in　my　power　to　disengage　myself　in　time　to　bring　her　relief。　My　sensations　were　even　too　violent　to　permit　my　attempting　her　rescue：　she　must　have　certainly　perished　had　not　my　companion；　perceiving　her　danger；　instantly　plunged　in　to　her　relief；　and　with　some　difficulty；　brought　her　in　safety　to　the　opposite　shore。　By　taking　the　current　a　little　farther　up；　the　rest　of　the　family　got　safely　over；　where　we　had　an　opportunity　of　joining　our　acknowledgments　to　her's。　Her　gratitude　may　be　more　readily　imagined　than　described：　she　thanked　her　deliverer　more　with　looks　than　words；　and　continued　to　lean　upon　his　arm；　as　if　still　willing　to　receive　assistance。　My　wife　also　hoped　one　day　to　have　the　pleasure　of　returning　his　kindness　at　her　own　house。　Thus；　after　we　were　refreshed　at　the　next　inn；　and　had　dined　together；　as　Mr　Burchell　was　going　to　a　different　part　of　the　country；　he　took　leave；　and　we　pursued　our　journey。　My　wife　observing　as　we　went；　that　she　liked　him　extremely；　and　protesting；　that　if　he　had　birth　and　fortune　to　entitle　him　to　match　into　such　a　family　as　our's；　she　knew　no　man　she　would　sooner　fix　upon。　I　could　not　but　smile　to　hear　her　talk　in　this　lofty　strain：　but　I　was　never　much　displeased　with　those　harmless　delusions　that　tend　to　make　us　more　happy。



CHAPTER　4

A　proof　that　even　the　humblest　fortune　may　grant　happiness；　which　depends　not　on　circumstance；　but　constitution


The　place　of　our　retreat　was　in　a　little　neighbourhood；　consisting　of　farmers；　who　tilled　their　own　grounds；　and　were　equal　strangers　to　opulence　and　poverty。　As　they　had　almost　all　the　conveniencies　of　life　within　themselves；　they　seldom　visited　towns　or　cities　in　search　of　superfluity。　Remote　from　the　polite；　they　still　retained　the　primaeval　simplicity　of　manners；　and　frugal　by　habit；　they　scarce　knew　that　temperance　was　a　virtue。　They　wrought　with　cheerfulness　on　days　of　labour；　but　observed　festivals　as　intervals　of　idleness　and　pleasure。　They　kept　up　the　Christmas　carol；　sent　true　love…knots　on　Valentine　morning；　eat　pancakes　on　Shrove…tide；　shewed　their　wit　on　the　first　of　April；　and　religiously　cracked　nuts　on　Michaelmas　eve。　Being　apprized　of　our　approach；　the　whole　neighbourhood　came　out　to　meet　their　minister；　drest　in　their　finest　cloaths；　and　preceded　by　a　pipe　and　tabor：　A　feast　also　was　provided　for　our　reception；　at　which　we　sat　cheerfully　down；　and　what　the　conversation　wanted　in　wit；　was　made　up　in　laughter。

Our　little　habitation　was　situated　at　the　foot　of　a　sloping　hill；　sheltered　with　a　beautiful　underwood　behind；　and　a　pratling　river　before；　on　one　side　a　meadow；　on　the　other　a　green。　My　farm　consisted　of　about　twenty　acres　of　excellent　land；　having　given　an　hundred　pound　for　my　predecessor's　good…will。　Nothing　could　exceed　the　neatness　of　my　little　enclosures：　the　elms　and　hedge　rows　appearing　with　inexpressible　beauty。　My　house　consisted　of　but　one　story；　and　was　covered　with　thatch；　which　gave　it　an　air　of　great　snugness；　the　walls　on　the　inside　were　nicely　white…　washed；　and　my　daughters　undertook　to　adorn　them　with　pictures　of　their　own　designing。　Though　the　same　room　served　us　for　parlour　and　kitchen；　that　only　made　it　the　warmer。　Besides；　as　it　was　kept　with　the　utmost　neatness；　the　dishes；　plates；　and　coppers；　being　well　scoured；　and　all　disposed　in　bright　rows　on　the　shelves；　the　eye　was　agreeably　relieved；　and　did　not　want　richer　furniture。　There　were　three　other　apartments；　one　for　my　wife　and　me；　another　for　our　two　daughters；　within　our　own；　and　the　third；　with　two　beds；　for　the　rest　of　the　children。

The　little　republic　to　which　I　gave　laws；　was　regulated　in　the　following　manner：　by　sun…rise　we　all　assembled　in　our　common　appartment；　the　fire　being　previously　kindled　by　the　servant。　After　we　had　saluted　each　other　with　proper　ceremony；　for　I　always　thought　fit　to　keep　up　some　mechanical　forms　of　good　breeding；　without　which　freedom　ever　destroys　friendship；　we　all　bent　in　gratitude　to　that　Being　who　gave　us　another　day。　This　duty　being　performed；　my　son　and　I　went　to　pursue　our　usual　industry　abroad；　while　my　wife　and　daughters　employed　themselves　in　providing　breakfast；　which　was　always　ready　at　a　certain　time。　I　allowed　half　an　hour　for　this　meal；　and　an　hour　for　dinner；　which　time　was　taken　up　in　innocent　mirth　between　my　wife　and　daughters；　and　in　philosophical　arguments　between　my　son　and　me。

As　we　rose　with　the　sun；　so　we　never　pursued　our　labours　after　it　was　gone　down；　but　returned　home　to　the　expecting　family；　where　smiling　looks；　a　treat　hearth；　and　pleasant　fire；　were　prepared　for　our　reception。　Nor　were　we　without　guests：　sometimes　farmer　Flamborough；　our　talkative　neighbour；　and　often　the　blind　piper；　would　pay　us　a　visit；　and　taste　our　gooseberry　wine；　for　the　making　of　which　we　had　lost　neither　the　receipt　nor　the　reputation。　These　harmless　people　had　several　ways　of　being　good　company；　while　one　played；　the　other　would　sing　some　soothing　ballad；　Johnny　Armstrong's　last　good　night；　or　the　cruelty　of　Barbara　Allen。　The　night　was　concluded　in　the　manner　we　began　the　morning；　my　youngest　boys　being　appointed　to　read　the　lessons　of　the　day；　and　he　that　read　loudest；　distinctest；　and　best；　was　to　have　an　half…penny　on　Sunday　to　put　in　the　poor's　box。

When　Sunday　came；　it　was　indeed　a　day　of　finery；　which　all　my　sumptuary　edicts　could　not　restrain。　How　well　so　ever　I　fancied　my　lectures　against　pride　had　conquered　the　vanity　of　my　daughters；　yet　I　still　found　them　secretly　attached　to　all　their　former　finery：　they　still　loved　laces；　ribbands；　bugles　and　catgut；　my　wife　herself　retained　a　passion　for　her　crimson　paduasoy；　because　I　formerly　happened　to　say　it　became　her。

The　first　Sunday　in　particular　their　behaviour　served　to　mortify　me：　I　had　desired　my　girls　the　preceding　night　to　be　drest　early　the　next　day；　for　I　always　loved　to　be　at　church　a　good　while　before　the　rest　of　the　congregation。　They　punctually　obeyed　my　directions；　but　when　we　were　to　assemble　in　the　morning　at　breakfast；　down　came　my　wife　and　daughters；　drest　out　in　all　their　former　splendour：　their　hair　plaistered　up　with　pomatum；　their　faces　patched　to　taste；　their　trains　bundled　up　into　an　heap　behind；　and　rustling　at　every　motion。　I　could　not　help　smiling　at　their　vanity；　particularly　that　of　my　wife；　from　whom　I　expected　more　discretion。　In　this　exigence；　therefore；　my　only　resource　was　to　order　my　son；　with　an　important　air；　to　call　our　coach。　The　girls　were　amazed　at　the　command；　but　I　repeated　it　with　more　solemnity　than　before。'Surely；　my　dear；　you　jest；'　cried　my　wife；　'we　can　walk　it　perfectly　well：　we　want　no　coach　to　carry　us　now。'　'You　mistake；　child；'　returned　I；　'we　do　want　a　coach；　for　if　we　walk　t