from this world to the next-第12章

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much　as　the　indignity　offered　to　my　poor　fiddle；　which　was

carried　in　triumph　before　me；　and　treated　with　a　contempt　by　the

multitude；　intimating　a　great　scorn　for　the　science　I　had　the

honor　to　profess；　which；　as　it　is　one　of　the　noblest　inventions

of　men；　and　as　I　had　been　always　in　the　highest　degree　proud　of

my　excellence　in　it；　I　suffered　so　much　from　the　ill…treatment　my

fiddle　received；　that　I　would　have　given　all　my　remainder　of　skin

to　have　preserved　it　from　this　affront。



〃My　mother　survived　the　whipping　a　very　short　time；　and　I　was　now

reduced　to　great　distress　and　misery；　till　a　young　Roman　of

considerable　rank　took　a　fancy　to　me；　received　me　into　his

family；　and　conversed　with　me　in　the　utmost　familiarity。　　He　had

a　violent　attachment　to　music；　and　would　learn　to　play　on　the

fiddle；　but；　through　want　of　genius　for　the　science；　he　never

made　any　considerable　progress。　　However；　I　flattered　his

performance；　and　he　grew　extravagantly　fond　of　me　for　so　doing。　

Had　I　continued　this　behavior　I　might　possibly　have　reaped　the

greatest　advantages　from　his　kindness；　but　I　had　raised　his　own

opinion　of　his　musical　abilities　so　high；　that　he　now　began　to

prefer　his　skill　to　mine；　a　presumption　I　could　not　bear。　　One

day　as　we　were　playing　in　concert　he　was　horribly　out；　nor　was　it

possible；　as　he　destroyed　the　harmony；　to　avoid　telling　him　of

it。　　Instead　of　receiving　my　correction；　he　answered　it　was　my

blunder　and　not　his；　and　that　I　had　mistaken　the　key。　　Such　an

affront　from　my　own　scholar　was　beyond　human　patience；　I　flew

into　a　violent　passion；　I　flung　down　my　instrument　in　a　rage；　and

swore　I　was　not　to　be　taught　music　at　my　age。　　He　answered；　with

as　much　warmth；　nor　was　he　to　be　instructed　by　a　strolling

fiddler。　　The　dispute　ended　in　a　challenge　to　play　a　prize　before

judges。　　This　wager　was　determined　in　my　favor；　but　the　purchase

was　a　dear　one；　for　I　lost　my　friend　by　it；　who　now；　twitting　me

with　all　his　kindness；　with　my　former　ignominious　punishment；　and

the　destitute　condition　from　which　I　had　been　by　his　bounty

relieved；　discarded　me　for　ever。



〃While　I　lived　with　this　gentleman　I　became　known；　among　others；

to　Sabina；　a　lady　of　distinction；　and　who　valued　herself　much　on

her　taste　for　music。　　She　no　sooner　heard　of　my　being　discarded

than　she　took　me　into　her　house；　where　I　was　extremely　well

clothed　and　fed。　　Notwithstanding　which；　my　situation　was　far

from　agreeable；　for　I　was　obliged　to　submit　to　her　constant

reprehensions　before　company；　which　gave　me　the　greater

uneasiness　because　they　were　always　wrong；　nor　am　I　certain　that

she　did　not　by　these　provocations　contribute　to　my　death：　　for；

as　experience　had　taught　me　to　give　up　my　resentment　to　my　bread；

so　my　passions；　for　want　of　outward　vent；　preyed　inwardly　on　my

vitals；　and　perhaps　occasioned　the　distemper　of　which　I　sickened。



〃The　lady；　who；　amidst　all　the　faults　she　found；　was　very　fond　of

me；　nay；　probably　was　the　fonder　of　me　the　more　faults　she　found；

immediately　called　in　the　aid　of　three　celebrated　physicians。　

The　doctors　（being　well　fee'd）　made　me　seven　visits　in　three

days；　and　two　of　them　were　at　the　door　to　visit　me　the　eighth

time；　when；　being　acquainted　that　I　was　just　dead；　they　shook

their　heads　and　departed。



〃When　I　came　to　Minos　he　asked　me　with　a　smile　whether　I　had

brought　my　fiddle　with　me；　and；　receiving　an　answer　in　the

negative；　he　bid　me　get　about　my　business；　saying　it　was　well　for

me　that　the　devil　was　no　lover　of　music。〃





CHAPTER　XVI



The　history　of　the　wise　man。



〃I　now　returned　to　Rome；　but　in　a　very　different　character。　

Fortune　had　now　allotted　me　a　serious　part　to　act。　　I　had　even　in

my　infancy　a　grave　disposition；　nor　was　I　ever　seen　to　smile；

which　infused　an　opinion　into　all　about　me　that　I　was　a　child　of

great　solidity；　some　foreseeing　that　I　should　be　a　judge；　and

others　a　bishop。　　At　two　years　old　my　father　presented　me　with　a

rattle；　which　I　broke　to　pieces　with　great　indignation。　　This　the

good　parent；　being　extremely　wise；　regarded　as　an　eminent　symptom

of　my　wisdom；　and　cried　out　in　a　kind　of　ecstasy；　'Well　said；

boy！　I　warrant　thou　makest　a　great　man。'



〃At　school　I　could　never　be　persuaded　to　play　with　my　mates；　not

that　I　spent　my　hours　in　learning；　to　which　I　was　not　in　the

least　addicted；　nor　indeed　had　I　any　talents　for　it。　　However；

the　solemnity　of　my　carriage　won　so　much　on　my　master；　who　was　a

most　sagacious　person；　that　I　was　his　chief　favorite；　and　my

example　on　all　occasions　was　recommended　to　the　other　boys；　which

filled　them　with　envy；　and　me　with　pleasure；　but；　though　they

envied　me；　they　all　paid　me　that　involuntary　respect　which　it　is

the　curse　attending　this　passion　to　bear　towards　its　object。



〃I　had　now　obtained　universally　the　character　of　a　very　wise

young　man；　which　I　did　not　altogether　purchase　without　pains；　for

the　restraint　I　laid　on　myself　in　abstaining　from　the　several

diversions　adapted　to　my　years　cost　me　many　a　yearning；　but　the

pride　which　I　inwardly　enjoyed　in　the　fancied　dignity　of　my

character　made　me　some　amends。



〃Thus　I　passed　on；　without　anything　very　memorable　happening　to

me；　till　I　arrived　at　the　age　of　twenty…three；　when　unfortunately

I　fell　acquainted　with　a　young　Neapolitan　lady　whose　name　was

Ariadne。　　Her　beauty　was　so　exquisite　that　her　first　sight　made　a

violent　impression　on　me；　this　was　again　improved　by　her

behavior；　which　was　most　genteel；　easy；　and　affable：　　lastly；　her

conversation　completed　the　conquest。　　In　this　she　discovered　a

strong　and　lively　understanding；　with　the　sweetest　and　most

benign　temper。　　This　lovely　creature　was　about　eighteen　when　I

first　unhappily　beheld　her　at　Rome；　on　a　visit　to　a　relation　with

whom　I　had　great　intimacy。　　As　our　interviews　at　first　were

extremely　frequent；　my　passions　were　captivated　before　I

apprehended　the　least　danger；　and　the　sooner　probably；　as　the

young　lady　herself；　to　whom　I　consulted　every　method　of

recommendation；　was　not　displeased　with　my　being　her　admirer。



〃Ariadne；　having　spent　three　months　at　Rome；　now　returned　to

Naples；　bearing　my　heart　with　her：　　on　the　other　hand；　I　had　all

the　assurances　consistent　with　the　constraint　under　which　the

most　perfect　modesty　lays　a　young　woman；　that　her　own　heart　was

not　entirely　unaffected。　　I　soon　found　her　absence　gave　me　an

uneasiness　not　easy　to　be　borne　or　to　remove。　　I　now　first

applied　to　diversions　（of　the　graver　sort；　particularly　to

music）；　but　in　vain；　they　rather　raised　my　desires　and　heightened

my　anguish。　　My　passion　at　length　grew　so　violent；　that　I　began

to　think　of　satisfying　it。　　As　the　first　step　to　this；　I

cautiously　inquired　into　the　circumstances　of　Ariadne's　parents；

with　which　I　was　hitherto　unacquainted：　　though；　indeed；　I　did

not　apprehend　they　were　extremely　great；　notwithstanding　the

handsome　appearance　of　their　daughter　at　Rome。　　Upon　examination；

her　fortune　exceeded　my　expectation；　but　was　not　sufficient　to

justify　my　marriage　with　her；　in　the　opinion　of　the　wise　and

prudent。　　I　had　now　a　violent　struggle　between　wisdom　and

happiness；　in　which；　after　several　grievous　pangs；　wisdom　got　the

better。　　I　could　by　no　means　prevail　with　myself　to　sacrifice

that　character　of　profound　wisdom；　which　I　had　with　such　uniform

conduct　obtained；　and　with　such　caution　hitherto　preserved。　　I

therefore　resolved　to　conquer　my　affection；　whatever　it　cost　me；

and　indeed　it　did　not　cost　me　a　little。



〃While　I　was　engaged　in　this　conflict　（for　it　lasted　a　long　time）

Ariadne　returned　to　Rome：　　her　presence　was　a　terrible　enemy　to

my　wisdom；　which　even　in　her　absence　had　with　great　difficulty

stood　its　ground。　　It　seems　（as　she　hath　since　told　me　in　Elysium

with　much　merriment）　I　had　made　the　same　impressions　on　her　which

she　had　made　on　me。　　Indeed；　I　believe　my　wisdom　would　have　been

totally　subdued　by　this　surprise；　had　it　not　cunningly　suggested

to　me　a　method　of　satisfying　my　passion　without　doing　any　injury

to　my　reputation。　　This　was　by　engaging　her　privately　as　a

mistress；　which　was　at　that　time　reputable　enough　at　Rome；

provided　the　affair　was　managed　with　an　air　of　slyness　and

gravity；　though　the　secret　was　known　to　the　whole　city。



〃I　immediately　set　about　this　project；　and　employed　every　art　and

engine　to　effect　it。　　I　had　particularly　bribed　her　priest；　and

an　old　female　acquaintance　and　distant　relation　of　hers；　into　my

interest：　　but　all　was　in　vain；　her　virtue　opposed　the　passion　in

her　breast　as　strongly　as　wisdom　had　opposed　it　in　mine。　　She

received　my　proposals　with　the　utmost　disdain；　and　presently

refused　to　see　or　hear　from　me　any　more。



〃She　returned　again　to　Naples；　and　left　me　in　a　worse　condition

than　before。　　My　days　I　now　passed　with　the　most　irksome

uneasiness；　and　my　nights　were　restless　and　sleepless。　　The　story

of　our　amour　was　now　pretty　public；　and　the　ladies　talked　of　our

match　as　certain；　but　my　acquaintance　denied　their　assent；

saying；　'No；　no；　he　is　too　wise　to　marry　so　imprudently。'　　This

their　opinion　gave　me；　I　own；　very　great　pleasure；　but；　to　say

the　truth；　scarce　compensated　the　pangs　I　suffered　to　preserve

it。



〃One　day；　while　I　was　balancing　with　myself；　and　had　almost

resolved　to　enjoy　my　happiness　at　the　price　of　my　character；　a

friend　brought　me　word　that　Ariadne　was　married。　　This　news

struck　me　to　the　soul；　and　though　I　had　resolution　enough　to

maintain　my　gravity　before　him　（for　which　I　suffered　not　a　little

the　more）；　the　moment　I　was　alone　I　threw　myself　into　the　most

violent　fit　of　despair；　and　would　willingly　have　parted　with

wisdom；　fortune；　and　everything　else；　to　have　retrieved　her；　but

that　was　impossible；　and　I　had　now　nothing　but　time　to　hope　a

cure　from。　　This　was　very　tedious　in　performing　it；　and　the

longer　as　Ariadne　had　married　a　Roman　cavalier；　was　now　become　my

near　neighbor；　and　I　had　the　mortification　of　seeing　her　make　the

best　of　wives；　and　of　having　the　happiness　which　I　had　lost；

every　day　before　my　eyes。



〃If　I　suffered　so　much　on　account　of　my　wisdom　in　having　refused

Ariadne；　I　was　not　much　more　obliged　to　it　for　procuring　me　a

rich　widow；　who　was　recommended　to　me　by　an　old　friend　as　a　very

prudent　match；　and；　indeed；　so　it　was；　her　fortune　being　superior

to　mine　in　the　same　proportion　as　that　of　Ariadne　had　been

inferior。　　I　therefore　embraced　this　proposal；　and　my　character

of　wisdom　soon　pleaded　so　effectually　for　me　with　the　widow；　who

was　herself　a　woman　of　great　gravity　and　discretion；　that　I　soon

succeeded；　and　as　soon　as　decency　would　permit　（of　which　this

lady　was　the　strictest　observer）　we　were　married；　being　the

second　day　of　the　second　week　of　the　second　year　after　her

husband's　death；　for　she　said　she　thought　some　period　of　time

above　the　year　had　a　great　air　of　decorum。



〃But；　prudent　as　this　lady　was；　s