Dr. Hawkesworth, though already in a delicate state of health, was so highly animated4 by his election to this office, and with the vast emolument5 which, with scarcely any labour, promised to give the dignity of ease and comfort to the rest of his life; that he performed his task, and finished the narratory compilation6, with a rapidity of pleasure, resulting from a promise of future independence, that filled him with kind gratitude7 to Dr. Burney; and seemed to open his heart, temper, and manners, to the most cordial feelings of happiness.
But the greatness of his recompense for the smallness of his trouble, immediately disposed all his colleagues in the road of renown8 to censure9; and all his competitors in that of profit, to jealousy10 and
[Pg 275]
ill-will. Unfortunately, in his Introduction to the Voyages, he touched upon some controversial points of religious persuasion11, which proved a fatal opening to malignity12 for the enemies of his success; and other enemies, so upright was the man, it is probable he had none. His reasoning here, unhappily, was seized upon with avidity by his infuriated enviers; and the six thousand pounds which flowed into his coffers, brought six millions of pungent13 stings to his peace, by arraigning14 his principles.
A war so ungenial to his placid15 nature, and hitherto honoured life, breaking forth16, with the offensive enmity of assumed superior piety17, in calumnious18 assertions, that strove to blacken the purity of his faith and doctrine19; occurring at the moment when he had thought all his worldly cares blown away, to be succeeded by soft serenity20 and easy affluence21; made the attack so unexpected, that its shock was enervating22; and his wealth lost its charms, from a trembling susceptibility that detached him from every pleasure it could procure—save that of a now baneful23 leisure for framing answers to his traducers.
In his last visit, as it proved, to Queen-Square, where he dined and spent the evening, Dr. Burney
[Pg 276]
was forcibly struck with concern at sight of the evident, though uncomplaining invalid24; so changed, thin, and livid was his appearance.
He conversed25 freely upon the subject of his book, and the abuse which it had heaped upon him, with the Doctor; who strongly exhorted26 him to repel27 such assaulters with the contempt that they deserved: adding, “They are palpably the offsprings of envy at your success. Were you to become a bankrupt, they would all turn to panegyrists; but now, there is hardly a needy28 man in the kingdom, who has ever held a pen in his hand for a moment, who, in pondering upon the six thousand pounds, does not think he could have done the work better.”
Dr. Hawkesworth said that he had not yet made any answer to the torrent29 of invective30 poured upon him, except to Dalrymple, who had attacked him by name; for a law-suit was then impending31 upon Parkinson’s publication, and he would write nothing that might seem meant to influence justice: but when that law-suit, by whatever result, should be decided32, he would bring out a full and general reply to all the invidious aspersions that so cruelly and wantonly had been cast upon him, since the publication of the Voyages.
[Pg 277]
He then further, and confidentially33, opened to Dr. Burney upon his past life and situation: “Every thing that I possess,” he cried, “I have earned by the most elaborate industry, except this last six thousand pounds! I had no education, and no advantage but such as I sedulously34 worked to obtain for myself; but I preserved my reputation and my character as unblemished as my principles—till this last year!”
Rallying a little then, from a depression which he saw was becoming contagious35, he generously changed the subject to the History of Music; and begged to be acquainted with its progress; and to learn something of its method, manner, and meaning; frankly36 avowing37 an utter ignorance of the capabilities38, or materials, that such a work demanded.
Dr. Burney read to him the dissertation,—then but roughly sketched,—on the Music of the Ancients, by which the History opens: and Dr. Hawkesworth, confessing its subject to be wholly new to him, warmly declared that he found its treatment extremely entertaining, as well as instructive.
After a visit, long, and deeply interesting, he left his friend very anxious about his health, and very impatient for his promised pamphlet: but, while still
[Pg 278]
waiting, with strong solicitude39, the appearance of a vindication40 that might tranquillize the author’s offended sensibility, the melancholy41 tidings arrived, that a slow fever had robbed the invalid of sleep and of appetite; and had so fastened upon his shattered nerves, that, after lingering a week or two, he fell a prey42 to incurable43 atrophy44; and sunk to his last earthly rest exactly a month after the visit to Dr. Burney, the account of which has been related.
Had the health of Dr. Hawkesworth been more sound, he might have turned with cold disdain45 from the outrages46 of mortified47 slanderers; or have scoffed48 the impotent rage of combatants whom he had had the ability to distance:—but, who shall venture to say where begins, and where ends, the complicate49 reciprocity of influence which involves the corporeal50 with the intellectual part of our being? Dr. Hawkesworth foresaw not the danger, to a constitution already, and perhaps natively, fragile, of yielding to the agitating51 effects of resentful vexation. He brooded, therefore, unresistingly, over the injustice52 of which he was the victim; instead of struggling to master it by the only means through which it is conquerable, namely, a calm
[Pg 279]
and determined53 silence, that would have committed his justification54 to personal character;—a still, but intrepid55 champion, against which falsehood never ultimately prevails.
点击收听单词发音
1 nomination | |
n.提名,任命,提名权 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
2 overcast | |
adj.阴天的,阴暗的,愁闷的;v.遮盖,(使)变暗,包边缝;n.覆盖,阴天 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
3 lament | |
n.悲叹,悔恨,恸哭;v.哀悼,悔恨,悲叹 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
4 animated | |
adj.生气勃勃的,活跃的,愉快的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
5 emolument | |
n.报酬,薪水 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
6 compilation | |
n.编译,编辑 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
7 gratitude | |
adj.感激,感谢 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
8 renown | |
n.声誉,名望 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
9 censure | |
v./n.责备;非难;责难 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
10 jealousy | |
n.妒忌,嫉妒,猜忌 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
11 persuasion | |
n.劝说;说服;持有某种信仰的宗派 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
12 malignity | |
n.极度的恶意,恶毒;(病的)恶性 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
13 pungent | |
adj.(气味、味道)刺激性的,辛辣的;尖锐的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
14 arraigning | |
v.告发( arraign的现在分词 );控告;传讯;指责 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
15 placid | |
adj.安静的,平和的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
16 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
17 piety | |
n.虔诚,虔敬 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
18 calumnious | |
adj.毁谤的,中伤的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
19 doctrine | |
n.教义;主义;学说 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
20 serenity | |
n.宁静,沉着,晴朗 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
21 affluence | |
n.充裕,富足 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
22 enervating | |
v.使衰弱,使失去活力( enervate的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
23 baneful | |
adj.有害的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
24 invalid | |
n.病人,伤残人;adj.有病的,伤残的;无效的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
25 conversed | |
v.交谈,谈话( converse的过去式 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
26 exhorted | |
v.劝告,劝说( exhort的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
27 repel | |
v.击退,抵制,拒绝,排斥 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
28 needy | |
adj.贫穷的,贫困的,生活艰苦的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
29 torrent | |
n.激流,洪流;爆发,(话语等的)连发 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
30 invective | |
n.痛骂,恶意抨击 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
31 impending | |
a.imminent, about to come or happen | |
参考例句: |
|
|
32 decided | |
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
33 confidentially | |
ad.秘密地,悄悄地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
34 sedulously | |
ad.孜孜不倦地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
35 contagious | |
adj.传染性的,有感染力的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
36 frankly | |
adv.坦白地,直率地;坦率地说 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
37 avowing | |
v.公开声明,承认( avow的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
38 capabilities | |
n.能力( capability的名词复数 );可能;容量;[复数]潜在能力 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
39 solicitude | |
n.焦虑 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
40 vindication | |
n.洗冤,证实 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
41 melancholy | |
n.忧郁,愁思;adj.令人感伤(沮丧)的,忧郁的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
42 prey | |
n.被掠食者,牺牲者,掠食;v.捕食,掠夺,折磨 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
43 incurable | |
adj.不能医治的,不能矫正的,无救的;n.不治的病人,无救的人 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
44 atrophy | |
n./v.萎缩,虚脱,衰退 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
45 disdain | |
n.鄙视,轻视;v.轻视,鄙视,不屑 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
46 outrages | |
引起…的义愤,激怒( outrage的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
47 mortified | |
v.使受辱( mortify的过去式和过去分词 );伤害(人的感情);克制;抑制(肉体、情感等) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
48 scoffed | |
嘲笑,嘲弄( scoff的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
49 complicate | |
vt.使复杂化,使混乱,使难懂 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
50 corporeal | |
adj.肉体的,身体的;物质的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
51 agitating | |
搅动( agitate的现在分词 ); 激怒; 使焦虑不安; (尤指为法律、社会状况的改变而)激烈争论 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
52 injustice | |
n.非正义,不公正,不公平,侵犯(别人的)权利 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
53 determined | |
adj.坚定的;有决心的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
54 justification | |
n.正当的理由;辩解的理由 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
55 intrepid | |
adj.无畏的,刚毅的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
欢迎访问英文小说网 |