the vicar of wakefield-第15章

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　state　of　mind　in　which　we　are　more　ready　to　act　precipitately　than　to　reason　right；　I　never　debated　with　myself；　whether　these　accounts　might　not　have　been　given　by　persons　purposely　placed　in　my　way；　to　mislead　me；　but　resolved　to　pursue　my　daughter　and　her　fancied　deluder　thither。　I　walked　along　with　earnestness；　and　enquired　of　several　by　the　way；　but　received　no　accounts；　till　entering　the　town；　I　was　met　by　a　person　on　horseback；　whom　I　remembered　to　have　seen　at　the　'Squire's；　and　he　assured　me　that　if　I　followed　them　to　the　races；　which　were　but　thirty　miles　farther；　I　might　depend　upon　overtaking　them；　for　he　had　seen　them　dance　there　the　night　before；　and　the　whole　assembly　seemed　charmed　with　my　daughter's　performance。　Early　the　next　day　I　walked　forward　to　the　races；　and　about　four　in　the　afternoon　I　came　upon　the　course。　The　company　made　a　very　brilliant　appearance；　all　earnestly　employed　in　one　pursuit；　that　of　pleasure；　how　different　from　mine；　that　of　reclaiming　a　lost　child　to　virtue！　I　thought　I　perceived　Mr　Burchell　at　some　distance　from　me；　but；　as　if　he　dreaded　an　interview；　upon　my　approaching　him；　he　mixed　among　a　crowd；　and　I　saw　him　no　more。　I　now　reflected　that　it　would　be　to　no　purpose　to　continue　my　pursuit　farther；　and　resolved　to　return　home　to　an　innocent　family；　who　wanted　my　assistance。　But　the　agitations　of　my　mind；　and　the　fatigues　I　had　undergone；　threw　me　into　a　fever；　the　symptoms　of　which　I　perceived　before　I　came　off　the　course。　This　was　another　unexpected　stroke；　as　I　was　more　than　seventy　miles　distant　from　home：　however；　I　retired　to　a　little　ale…house　by　the　road…side；　and　in　this　place；　the　usual　retreat　of　indigence　and　frugality；　I　laid　me　down　patiently　to　wait　the　issue　of　my　disorder。　I　languished　here　for　near　three　weeks；　but　at　last　my　constitution　prevailed；　though　I　was　unprovided　with　money　to　defray　the　expences　of　my　entertainment。　It　is　possible　the　anxiety　from　this　last　circumstance　alone　might　have　brought　on　a　relapse；　had　I　not　been　supplied　by　a　traveller；　who　stopt　to　take　a　cursory　refreshment。　This　person　was　no　other　than　the　philanthropic　bookseller　in　St　Paul's　church…yard；　who　has　written　so　many　little　books　for　children：　he　called　himself　their　friend；　but　he　was　the　friend　of　all　mankind。　He　was　no　sooner　alighted；　but　he　was　in　haste　to　be　gone；　for　he　was　ever　on　business　of　the　utmost　importance；　and　was　at　that　time　actually　compiling　materials　for　the　history　of　one　Mr　Thomas　Trip。　I　immediately　recollected　this　good…natured　man's　red　pimpled　face；　for　he　had　published　for　me　against　the　Deuterogamists　of　the　age；　and　from　him　I　borrowed　a　few　pieces；　to　be　paid　at　my　return。　Leaving　the　inn；　therefore；　as　I　was　yet　but　weak；　I　resolved　to　return　home　by　easy　journies　of　ten　miles　a　day。　My　health　and　usual　tranquillity　were　almost　restored；　and　I　now　condemned　that　pride　which　had　made　me　refractory　to　the　hand　of　correction。　Man　little　knows　what　calamities　are　beyond　his　patience　to　bear　till　he　tries　them；　as　in　ascending　the　heights　of　ambition；　which　look　bright　from　below；　every　step　we　rise　shews　us　some　new　and　gloomy　prospect　of　hidden　disappointment；　so　in　our　descent　from　the　summits　of　pleasure；　though　the　vale　of　misery　below　may　appear　at　first　dark　and　gloomy；　yet　the　busy　mind；　still　attentive　to　its　own　amusement；　finds　as　we　descend　something　to　flatter　and　to　please。　Still　as　we　approach；　the　darkest　objects　appear　to　brighten；　and　the　mental　eye　becomes　adapted　to　its　gloomy　situation。

I　now　proceeded　forward；　and　had　walked　about　two　hours；　when　I　perceived　what　appeared　at　a　distance　like　a　waggon；　which　I　was　resolved　to　overtake；　but　when　I　came　up　with　it；　found　it　to　be　a　strolling　company's　cart；　that　was　carrying　their　scenes　and　other　theatrical　furniture　to　the　next　village；　where　they　were　to　exhibit。　The　cart　was　attended　only　by　the　person　who　drove　it；　and　one　of　the　company；　as　the　rest　of　the　players　were　to　follow　the　ensuing　day。　Good　company　upon　the　road；　says　the　proverb；　is　the　shortest　cut；　I　therefore　entered　into　conversation　with　the　poor　player；　and　as　I　once　had　some　theatrical　powers　myself；　I　disserted　on　such　topics　with　my　usual　freedom：　but　as　I　was　pretty　much　unacquainted　with　the　present　state　of　the　stage；　I　demanded　who　were　the　present　theatrical　writers　in　vogue；　who　the　Drydens　and　Otways　of　the　day。'I　fancy；　Sir；'　cried　the　player；　'few　of　our　modern　dramatists　would　think　themselves　much　honoured　by　being　compared　to　the　writers　you　mention。　Dryden　and　Row's　manner；　Sir；　are　quite　out　of　fashion；　our　taste　has　gone　back　a　whole　century；　Fletcher；　Ben　Johnson；　and　all　the　plays　of　Shakespear；　are　the　only　things　that　go　down。''How；'　cried　I；　'is　it　possible　the　present　age　can　be　pleased　with　that　antiquated　dialect；　that　obsolete　humour；　those　overcharged　characters；　which　abound　in　the　works　you　mention？''Sir；'　returned　my　companion；　'the　public　think　nothing　about　dialect；　or　humour；　or　character；　for　that　is　none　of　their　business；　they　only　go　to　be　amused；　and　find　themselves　happy　when　they　can　enjoy　a　pantomime；　under　the　sanction　of　Johnson's　or　Shakespear's　name。''So　then；　I　suppose；'　cried　I；　'that　our　modern　dramatists　are　rather　imitators　of　Shakespear　than　of　nature。'　'To　say　the　truth；'　returned　my　companion；　'I　don't　know　that　they　imitate　any　thing　at　all；　nor；　indeed　does　the　public　require　it　of　them：　it　is　not　the　composition　of　the　piece；　but　the　number　of　starts　and　attitudes　that　may　be　introduced　into　it　that　elicits　applause。　I　have　known　a　piece；　with　not　one　jest　in　the　whole；　shrugged　into　popularity；　and　another　saved　by　the　poet's　throwing　in　a　fit　of　the　gripes。　No；　Sir；　the　works　of　Congreve　and　Farquhar　have　too　much　wit　in　them　for　the　present　taste；　our　modern　dialect　is　much　more　natural。'

By　this　time　the　equipage　of　the　strolling　company　was　arrived　at　the　village；　which；　it　seems；　had　been　apprised　of　our　approach；　and　was　come　out　to　gaze　at　us；　for　my　companion　observed；　that　strollers　always　have　more　spectators　without　doors　than　within。　I　did　not　consider　the　impropriety　of　my　being　in　such　company　till　I　saw　a　mob　gather　about　me。　I　therefore　took　shelter；　as　fast　as　possible；　in　the　first　ale…house　that　offered；　and　being　shewn　into　the　common　room；　was　accosted　by　a　very　well…drest　gentleman；　who　demanded　whether　I　was　the　real　chaplain　of　the　company；　or　whether　it　was　only　to　be　my　masquerade　character　in　the　play。　Upon　informing　him　of　the　truth；　and　that　I　did　not　belong　in　any　sort　to　the　company；　he　was　condescending　enough　to　desire　me　and　the　player　to　partake　in　a　bowl　of　punch；　over　which　he　discussed　modern　politics　with　great　earnestness　and　interest。　I　set　him　down　in　my　mind　for　nothing　less　than　a　parliament…man　at　least；　but　was　almost　confirmed　in　my　conjectures；　when　upon　my　asking　what　there　was　in　the　house　for　supper；　he　insisted　that　the　Player　and　I　should　sup　with　him　at　his　house；　with　which　request；　after　some　entreaties；　we　were　prevailed　on　to　comply。



CHAPTER　19

The　description　of　a　person　discontented　with　the　present　government；　and　apprehensive　of　the　loss　of　our　liberties


The　house　where　we　were　to　be　entertained；　lying　at　a　small　distance　from　the　village；　our　inviter　observed；　that　as　the　coach　was　not　ready；　he　would　conduct　us　on　foot；　and　we　soon　arrived　at　one　of　the　most　magnificent　mansions　I　had　seen　in　that　part　of　the　country。　The　apartment　into　which　we　were　shewn　was　perfectly　elegant　and　modern；　he　went　to　give　orders　for　supper；　while　the　player；　with　a　wink；　observed　that　we　were　perfectly　in　luck。　Our　entertainer　soon　returned；　an　elegant　supper　was　brought　in；　two　or　three　ladies；　in　an　easy　deshabille；　were　introduced；　and　the　conversation　began　with　some　sprightliness。　Politics；　however；　was　the　subject　on　which　our　entertainer　chiefly　expatiated；　for　he　asserted　that　liberty　was　at　once　his　boast　and　his　terror。　After　the　cloth　was　removed；　he　asked　me　if　I　had　seen　the　last　Monitor；　to　which　replying　in　the　negative；　'What；　nor　the　Auditor；　I　suppose？'　cried　he。　'Neither；　Sir；'　returned　I。　'That's　strange；　very　strange；'　replied　my　entertainer。　'Now；　I　read　all　the　politics　that　come　out。　The　Daily；　the　Public；　the　Ledger；　the　Chronicle；　the　London　Evening；　the　Whitehall　Evening；　the　seventeen　magazines；　and　the　two　reviews；　and　though　they　hate　each　other；　I　love　them　all。　Liberty；　Sir；　liberty　is　the　Briton's　boast；　and　by　all　my　coal　mines　in　Cornwall；　I　reverence　its　guardians。'　'Then　it　is　to　be　hoped；'　cried　I；　'you　reverence　the　king。'　'Yes；'　returned　my　entertainer；　'when　he　does　what　we　would　have　him；　but　if　he　goes　on　as　he　has　done　of　late；　I'll　never　trouble　myself　more　with　his　matters。　I　say　nothing。　I　think　only。　I　could　have　directed　some　things　better。　I　don't　think　there　has　been　a　sufficient　number　of　advisers：　he　should　advise　with　every　person　willing　to　give　him　advice；　and　then　we　should　have　things　done　in　anotherguess　manner。'

'I　wish；'　cried　I；　'that　such　intruding　advisers　were　fixed　in　the　pillory。　It　should　be　the　duty　of　honest　men　to　assist　the　weaker　side　of　our　constitution；　that　sacred　power　that　has　for　some　years　been　every　day　declining；　and　losing　its　due　share　of　influence　in　the　state。　But　these　ignorants　still　continue　the　cry　of　liberty；　and　if　they　have　any　weight　basely　throw　it　into　the　subsiding　scale。'

'How；'　cried　one　of　the　ladies；　'do　I　live　to　see　one　so　base；　so　sordid；　as　to　be　an　enemy　to　liberty；　and　a　defender　of　tyrants？　Liberty；　that　sacred　gift　of　heaven；　that　glorious　privilege　of　Britons！'

'Can　it　be　possible；'　cried　our　entertainer；　'that　there　should　be　any　found　at　present　advocates　for　slavery？　Any　who　are　for　meanly　giving　up　the　privileges　of　Britons？　Can　any；　Sir；　be　so　abject？'

'No；　Sir；'　replied　I；　'I　am　for　liberty；　that　attribute　of　Gods！　Glorious　liberty！　that　theme　of　modem　declamation。　I　would　have　all　men　kings。　I　would　be　a　king　myself。　We　have　all　naturally　an　equal　right　to　the　throne：　we　are　all　originally　equal。　This　is　my　opinion；　and　was　once　the　opinion　of　a　set　of　honest　men　who　were　called　Levellers。'　They　tried　to　erect　themselves　into　a　community；　where　all　should　be　equally　free。　But；　alas！　it　would　never　answer；　for　there　were　some　among　them　stronger；　and　some　more　cunning　than　others；　and　these　became　masters　of　the　rest；　for　as　sure　as　your　groom　rides　your　horses；　because　he　is　a　cunninger　animal　than　they；　so　surely　will　the　animal　that　is　cunninger　or　stronger　than　he；　sit　upon　his　shoulders　in　turn。　Since　then　it　is　entailed　upon　humanity　to　submit；　and　some　are　born　to　command；　and　others　to　obey；　the　question　is；　as　there　must　be　tyrants；　whether　it　is　better　to　have　them　in　the　same　house　with　us；　or　in　the　same　village；　or　still　farther　off；　in　the　metropolis。　Now；　Sir；　for　my　own　part；　as　I　naturally　hate　the　face　of　a　tyrant；　the　farther　off　he　is　removed　from　me；　the　better　pleased　am　I。　The　generality　of　mankind　also　are　of　my　way　of　thinking；　and　have　unanimously　created　one　king；　whose　election　at　once　diminishes　the　number　of　tyrants；　and　puts　tyranny　at　the　greatest　distance　from　the　greatest　number　of　people。　Now　the　great　who　were　tyrants　themselves　before　the　elec