We left Forester when he was just going to offer himself as clerk to a brewer1. The brewer was a prudent2 man; and he sent one of his porters with a letter to Dr. Campbell, to inform him that a young lad, whom he had formerly3 seen in company with Mr. Henry Campbell, and who, he understood, was the doctor’s ward4, had applied5 to him, and that he should be very happy to take him into his service, if his friends approved of it, and could properly recommend him. In consequence of Dr. Campbell’s answer to the brewer’s letter, Forester, who knew nothing of the application to his friends, obtained the vacant clerkship. He did not, however, long continue in his new situation. At first he felt happy, when he found himself relieved from, the vulgar petulance6 of Miss M’Evoy and her brother Colin: in comparison with their rude ill-humours, the clerks who were his companions appeared patterns of civility. By hard experience, Forester was taught to know, that obliging manners in our companions add something to the happiness of our lives. “My mind to me a kingdom is,” was once his common answer to all that his friend Henry could urge in favour of the pleasures of society; but he began now to suspect, that separated from social intercourse7, his mind, however enlarged, would afford him but a dreary8 kingdom.
He flattered himself, that he could make a friend of the clerk who had found his key: this young man’s name was Richardson; he was good-natured, but ignorant; and neither his education nor his abilities distinguished9 him from any other clerk in similar circumstances. Forester invited him to walk to Arthur’s Seat, after the monotonous10 business of the day was over, but the clerk preferred walking on holidays in Prince’s-street; and, after several ineffectual attempts to engage him in moral and metaphysical arguments, our hero discovered the depth of his companion’s ignorance with astonishment11. Once, when he found that two of the clerks, to whom he had been talking of Cicero and Pliny, did not know any thing of these celebrated12 personages, he said, with a sigh,
“But knowledge to their eyes her ample page,
Rich with the spoils of time, did ne’er unroll;
Chill penury13 repressed their noble rage,
And froze the genial14 current of their soul.”
The word penury, in this stanza15, the clerks at least understood, and it excited their “noble rage;” they hinted, that it ill became a person, who did not dress nearly as well as themselves, to give himself such airs, and to taunt16 his betters with poverty; they said that they supposed, because he was an Englishman, as they perceived by his accent, he thought he might insult Scotchmen as he pleased. It was vain for him to attempt any explanation; their pride and their prejudices combined against him: and, though their dislike to him was not so outrageous17 as that of the gardener, gentle Colin, yet it was quite sufficient to make him uneasy in his situation. Richardson was as steady as could reasonably be expected; but he showed so little desire to have “the ample page, rich with the spoils of time,” unrolled to him, that he excited our young scholar’s contempt. No friendships can be more unequal than those between ignorance and knowledge. We pass over the journal of our hero’s hours, which were spent in casting up and verifying accounts; this occupation, at length he decided18, must be extremely injurious to the human understanding: “All the higher faculties19 of my soul,” said he to himself, “are absolutely useless at this work, and I am reduced to a mere20 machine.” But there were many other circumstances in the mercantile system, which Forester had not foreseen, and which shocked him extremely. The continual attention to petty gain, the little artifices21 which a tradesman thinks himself justifiable22 in practising upon his customers, could not be endured by his ingenuous23 mind. One morning the brewery24 was in an uncommon25 bustle26; the clerks were all in motion. Richardson told Forester that they expected a visit in a few hours from the gauger27 and the supervisor28, and that they were preparing for their reception. When the nature of these preparations was explained to Forester; when he was made to understand that the business and duty of a brewer’s clerk was to assist his master in evading29 certain clauses in certain acts of parliament; when he found, that to trick a gauger was thought an excellent joke, he stood in silent moral astonishment. He knew about as much of the revenue laws as the clerks did of Cicero and Pliny; but his sturdy principles of integrity could not bend to any of the arguments, founded on expediency30, which were brought by his companions in their own and their master’s justification31. He declared that he must speak to his master upon the subject immediately. His master was as busy as he could possibly be; and, when Forester insisted upon seeing him, he desired that he would speak as quickly as he could, for that he expected the supervisor every instant. Our hero declared, that he could not, consistently with his principles, assist in evading the laws of his country. The brewer stared, and then laughed; assured him that he had as great a respect for the laws as other people; that he did nothing but what every person in his situation was obliged to do in their own defence. Forester resolutely32 persisted in his determination against all clandestine33 practices. The brewer cut the matter short, by saying, he had not time to argue; but that he did not choose to keep a clerk who was not in his interests; that he supposed the next thing would be, to betray him to his supervisor.
“I am no traitor34!” exclaimed Forester; “I will not stay another instant with a master who suspects me.”
The brewer suffered him to depart without reluctance35; but what exasperated36 Forester the most was the composure of his friend Richardson during this scene, who did not even offer to shake hands with him, when he saw him going out of the house: for Richardson had a good place, and did not choose to quarrel with his master, for a person whom he now verily believed to be, as he had originally suspected, insane.
“This is the world!— this is friendship!” said Forester to himself.
His generous and enthusiastic imagination supplied him with eloquent37 invectives against human nature, even while he ardently38 desired to serve his fellow-creatures. He wandered through the streets of Edinburgh, indulging himself alternately in misanthropic39 reflections and benevolent40 projects. One instant, he resolved to study the laws, that he might reform the revenue laws; the next moment, he recollected41 his own passion for a desert island, and he regretted that he could not be shipwrecked in Edinburgh.
The sound of a squeaking42 fiddle43 roused Forester from his reverie; he looked up, and saw a thin, pale man fiddling44 to a set of dancing dogs, that he was exhibiting upon the flags, for the amusement of a crowd of men, women, and children. It was a deplorable spectacle; the dogs appeared so wretched, in the midst of the merriment of the spectators, that Forester’s compassion45 was moved, and he exclaimed —
“Enough, enough!— They are quite tired; here are some halfpence!”
The showman took the halfpence; but several fresh spectators were yet to see the sight; and though the exhausted46 animals were but little inclined to perform their antic feats47, their master twitched48 the rope, that was fastened round their necks, so violently, that they were compelled to renew their melancholy49 dance.
Forester darted50 forward, stopped the fiddler’s hand, and began an expostulation, not one word of which was understood by the person to whom it was addressed. A stout51 lad, who was very impatient at this interruption of his diversion, began to abuse Forester, and presently from words he proceeded to blows.
Forester, though a better orator52, was by no means so able a boxer53 as his opponent. The battle was obstinately54 fought on both sides; but, at length, our young Quixote received what has no name in heroic language, but in the vulgar tongue is called a black eye; and, covered with blood and bruises55, he was carried by some humane56 passenger into a neighbouring house. It was a printer and bookseller’s shop. The bookseller treated him with humanity; and, after advising him not to be so hastily engaged to be the champion of dancing dogs, inquired who he was, and whether he had any friends in Edinburgh, to whom he could send.
This printer, from having been accustomed to converse57 with a variety of people, was a good judge of the language of gentlemen; and, though there was nothing else in Forester’s manners which could have betrayed him, he spoke58 in such good language, that the bookseller was certain that he had received a liberal education.
Our hero declined telling his history; but the printer was so well pleased with his conversation, that he readily agreed to give him employment; and, as soon as he recovered from his bruises, Forester was eager to learn the art of printing.
“The art of printing,” said he, “has emancipated59 mankind, and printers ought to be considered as the most respectable benefactors60 of the human race.”
Always warm in his admiration61 of every new phantom62 that struck his imagination, he was now persuaded that printers’ devils were angels, and that he should be supremely63 blessed in a printer’s office.
“What employment so noble!” said he, as he first took the composing-stick in his hand; “what employment so noble, as that of disseminating64 knowledge over the universe!”
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brewer
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| n. 啤酒制造者 | |
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prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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ward
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| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
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applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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petulance
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| n.发脾气，生气，易怒，暴躁，性急 | |
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intercourse
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| n.性交；交流，交往，交际 | |
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dreary
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| adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的 | |
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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monotonous
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| adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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penury
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| n.贫穷，拮据 | |
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genial
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| adj.亲切的，和蔼的，愉快的，脾气好的 | |
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stanza
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| n.（诗）节，段 | |
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taunt
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| n.辱骂，嘲弄；v.嘲弄 | |
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outrageous
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| adj.无理的，令人不能容忍的 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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faculties
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| n.能力( faculty的名词复数 )；全体教职员；技巧；院 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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artifices
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| n.灵巧( artifice的名词复数 )；诡计；巧妙办法；虚伪行为 | |
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justifiable
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| adj.有理由的，无可非议的 | |
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ingenuous
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| adj.纯朴的，单纯的；天真的；坦率的 | |
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brewery
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| n.啤酒厂 | |
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uncommon
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| adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的 | |
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bustle
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| v.喧扰地忙乱，匆忙，奔忙；n.忙碌；喧闹 | |
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gauger
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| n.收税官 | |
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supervisor
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| n.监督人，管理人，检查员，督学，主管，导师 | |
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evading
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| 逃避( evade的现在分词 )； 避开； 回避； 想不出 | |
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expediency
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| n.适宜；方便；合算；利己 | |
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justification
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| n.正当的理由；辩解的理由 | |
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resolutely
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| adj.坚决地，果断地 | |
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clandestine
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| adj.秘密的，暗中从事的 | |
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traitor
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| n.叛徒，卖国贼 | |
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reluctance
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| n.厌恶，讨厌，勉强，不情愿 | |
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exasperated
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| adj.恼怒的 | |
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eloquent
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| adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的 | |
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ardently
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| adv.热心地，热烈地 | |
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misanthropic
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| adj.厌恶人类的，憎恶（或蔑视）世人的；愤世嫉俗 | |
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benevolent
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| adj.仁慈的，乐善好施的 | |
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recollected
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| adj.冷静的；镇定的；被回忆起的；沉思默想的v.记起，想起( recollect的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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42
squeaking
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| v.短促地尖叫( squeak的现在分词 )；吱吱叫；告密；充当告密者 | |
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43
fiddle
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| n.小提琴；vi.拉提琴；不停拨弄，乱动 | |
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fiddling
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| 微小的 | |
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compassion
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| n.同情，怜悯 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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feats
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| 功绩，伟业，技艺( feat的名词复数 ) | |
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twitched
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| vt.& vi.（使）抽动，（使）颤动（twitch的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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orator
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| n.演说者，演讲者，雄辩家 | |
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boxer
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| n.制箱者，拳击手 | |
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obstinately
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| ad.固执地，顽固地 | |
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bruises
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| n.瘀伤，伤痕，擦伤( bruise的名词复数 ) | |
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humane
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| adj.人道的，富有同情心的 | |
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converse
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| vi.谈话，谈天，闲聊；adv.相反的，相反 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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emancipated
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| adj.被解放的，不受约束的v.解放某人（尤指摆脱政治、法律或社会的束缚）( emancipate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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benefactors
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| n.捐助者，施主( benefactor的名词复数 )；恩人 | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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phantom
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| n.幻影，虚位，幽灵；adj.错觉的，幻影的，幽灵的 | |
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supremely
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| adv.无上地，崇高地 | |
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disseminating
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| 散布，传播( disseminate的现在分词 ) | |
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