misc writings and speeches(米斯克说与写3)-第12章
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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Goldsmith。 He spent twice as much as he had。 He wore fine clothes； gave
dinners of several courses； paid court to venal beauties。 He had also； it
should be remembered； to the honour of his heart； though not of his head；
44
… Page 45…
THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
a guinea； or five or ten； according to the state of his purse； ready for any
tale of distress； true or false。 But it was not in dress or feasting； in
promiscuous amours or promiscuous charities； that his chief expense lay。
He had been from boyhood a gambler； and at once the most sanguine and
the most unskilful of gamblers。 For a time he put off the day of inevitable
ruin by temporary expedients。 He obtained advances from booksellers； by
promising to execute works which he never began。 But at length this
source of supply failed。 He owed more than 2000 pounds； and he saw no
hope of extrication from his embarrassments。 His spirits and health gave
way。 He was attacked by a nervous fever； which he thought himself
competent to treat。 It would have been happy for him if his medical skill
had been appreciated as justly by himself as by others。 Notwithstanding
the degree which he pretended to have received at Padua； he could procure
no patients。 〃I do not practise；〃 he once said； 〃I make it a rule to prescribe
only for my friends。〃 〃Pray； dear Doctor；〃 said Beauclerk； 〃alter your rule；
and prescribe only for your enemies。〃 Goldsmith now； in spite of this
excellent advice； prescribed for himself。 The remedy aggravated the
malady。 The sick man was induced to call in real physicians； and they at
one time imagined that they had cured the disease。 Still his weakness and
restlessness continued。 He could get no sleep。 He could take no food。 〃You
are worse；〃 said one of his medical attendants； 〃than you should be from
the degree of fever which you have。 Is your mind at ease？〃 〃No； it is not；〃
were the last recorded words of Oliver Goldsmith。 He died on the third of
April 1774； in his forty… sixth year。 He was laid in the churchyard of the
Temple； but the spot was not marked by any inscription； and is now
forgotten。 The coffin was followed by Burke and Reynolds。 Both these
great men were sincere mourners。 Burke； when he heard of Goldsmith's
death； had burst into a flood of tears。 Reynolds had been so much moved
by the news that he had flung aside his brush and palette for the day。
A short time after Goldsmith's death； a little poem appeared； which
will； as long as our language lasts； associate the names of his two
illustrious friends with his own。 It has already been mentioned that he
sometimes felt keenly the sarcasm which his wild blundering talk brought
upon him。 He was； not long before his last illness； provoked into
45
… Page 46…
THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
retaliating。 He wisely betook himself to his pen； and at that weapon he
proved himself a match for all his assailants together。 Within a small
compass he drew with a singularly easy and vigorous pencil the characters
of nine or ten of his intimate associates。 Though this little work did not
receive his last touches； it must always be regarded as a masterpiece。 It is
impossible； however； not to wish that four or five likenesses which have
no interest for posterity were wanting to that noble gallery； and that their
places were supplied by sketches of Johnson and Gibbon； as happy and
vivid as the sketches of Burke and Garrick。
Some of Goldsmith's friends and admirers honoured him with a
cenotaph in Westminster Abbey。 Nollekens was the sculptor； and Johnson
wrote the inscription。 It is much to be lamented that Johnson did not leave
to posterity a more durable and a more valuable memorial of his friend。 A
life of Goldsmith would have been an inestimable addition to the Lives of
the Poets。 No man appreciated Goldsmith's writings more justly than
Johnson； no man was better acquainted with Goldsmith's character and
habits； and no man was more competent to delineate with truth and spirit
the peculiarities of a mind in which great powers were found in company
with great weaknesses。 But the lists of poets to whose works Johnson was
requested by the booksellers to furnish prefaces ended with Lyttleton； who
died in 1773。 The line seems to have been drawn expressly for the purpose
of excluding the person whose portrait would have most fitly closed the
series。 Goldsmith； however； has been fortunate in his biographers。 Within
a few years his life has been written by Mr Prior； by Mr Washington Irving；
and by Mr Forster。 The diligence of Mr Prior deserves great praise； the
style of Mr Washington Irving is always pleasing； but the highest place
must； in justice； be assigned to the eminently interesting work of Mr
Forster。
。。。
46
… Page 47…
THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
SAMUEL JOHNSON。
（December 1856。）
Samuel Johnson； one of the most eminent English writers of the
eighteenth century； was the son of Michael Johnson； who was； at the
beginning of that century； a magistrate of Lichfield； and a bookseller of
great note in the midland counties。 Michael's abilities and attainments
seem to have been considerable。 He was so well acquainted with the
contents of the volumes which he exposed to sale； that the country rectors
of Staffordshire and Worcestershire thought him an oracle on points of
learning。 Between him and the clergy； indeed； there was a strong religious
and political sympathy。 He was a zealous churchman； and； though he had
qualified himself for municipal office by taking the oaths to the sovereigns
in possession； was to the last a Jacobite in heart。 At his house； a house
which is still pointed out to every traveller who visits Lichfield； Samuel
was born on the 18th of September 1709。 In the child； the physical；
intellectual； and moral peculiarities which afterwards distinguished the
man were plainly discernible； great muscular strength accompanied by
much awkwardness and many infirmities； great quickness of parts； with a
morbid propensity to sloth and procrastination； a kind and generous heart；
with a gloomy and irritable temper。 He had inherited from his ancestors a
scrofulous taint； which it was beyond the power of medicine to remove。
His parents were weak enough to believe that the royal touch was a
specific for this malady。 In his third year he was taken up to London；
inspected by the court surgeon； prayed over by the court chaplains； and
stroked and presented with a piece of gold by Queen Anne。 One of his
earliest recollections was that of a stately lady in a diamond stomacher and
a long black hood。 Her hand was applied in vain。 The boy's features；
which were originally noble and not irregular； were distorted by his
malady。 His cheeks were deeply scarred。 He lost for a time the sight of one
eye； and he saw but very imperfectly with the other。 But the force of his
mind overcame every impediment。 Indolent as he was； he acquired
knowledge with such ease and rapidity that at every school to which he
was sent he was soon the best scholar。 From sixteen to eighteen he resided
47
… Page 48…
THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
at home； and was left to his own devices。 He learned much at this time；
though his studies were without guidance and without plan。 He ransacked
his father's shelves； dipped into a multitude of books； read what was
interesting； and passed over what was dull。 An ordinary lad would have
acquired little or no useful knowledge in such a way： but much that was
dull to ordinary lads was interesting to Samuel。 He read little Greek： for
his proficiency in that language was not such that he could take much
pleasure in the masters of Attic poetry and eloquence。 But he had left
school a good Latinist； and he soon acquired； in the large and
miscellaneous library of which he now had the command； an extensive
knowledge of Latin literature。 That Augustan delicacy of taste which is the
boast of the great public schools of England he never possessed。 But he
was early familiar with some classical writers who were quite unknown to
the best scholars in the sixth form at Eton。 He was peculiarly attracted by
the works of the great restorers of learning。 Once； while searching for
some apples； he found a huge folio volume of Petrarch's works。 The name
excited his curiosity； and he eagerly devoured hundreds of pages。 Indeed；
the diction and versification of his own Latin compositions show that he
had paid at least as much attention to modern copies from the antique as to
the original models。
While he was thus irregularly educating himself； his family was
sinking into hopeless poverty。 Old Michael Johnson was much better
qualified to pore upon books； and to talk about them； than to trade in them。
His business declined； his debts increased； it was with difficulty that the
daily expenses of his household were defrayed。 It was out of his power to
support his son at either university； but a wealthy neighbour offered
assistance； and； in reliance on promises which proved to be of very little
value； Samuel was entered at Pembroke College； Oxford。 When the young
scholar presented himself to the rulers of that society； they were amazed
not more by his ungainly figure and eccentric manners than by the
quantity of extensive and curious in
