Of my Birth and Education
I was born in the northern part of this united kingdom, in the house of my grandfather, a gentleman of considerable fortune and influence, who had on many occasions signalised himself in behalf of his country; and was remarkable1 for his abilities in the law, which he exercised with great success in the station of a judge, particularly against beggars, for whom he had a singular aversion.
My father (his youngest son) falling in love with a poor relation, who lived with the old gentleman in quality of a housekeeper2, espoused3 her privately5; and I was the first fruit of that marriage. During her pregnancy6, a dream discomposed my mother so much that her husband, tired with her importunity7, at last consulted a highland8 seer, whose favourable9 interpretation10 he would have secured beforehand by a bribe11, but found him incorruptible. She dreamed she was delivered of a tennis-ball, which the devil (who, to her great surprise, acted the part of a midwife) struck so forcibly with a racket that it disappeared in an instant; and she was for some time inconsolable for the lost of her offspring; when, all on a sudden, she beheld12 it return with equal violence, and enter the earth, beneath her feet, whence immediately sprang up a goodly tree covered with blossoms, the scent13 of which operated so strongly on her nerves that she awoke. The attentive14 sage15, after some deliberation, assured my parents, that their firstborn would be a great traveller; that he would undergo many dangers and difficulties, and at last return to his native land, where he would flourish in happiness and reputation. How truly this was foretold16 will appear in the sequel. It was not long before some officious person informed my grandfather of certain familiarities that passed between his son and housekeeper which alarmed him so much that, a few days after, he told my father it was high time for him to think of settling; and that he had provided a match for him, to which he could in justice have no objections. My father, finding it would be impossible to conceal17 his situation much longer, frankly18 owned what he had done; and excused himself for not having asked the consent of his father, by saying, he knew it would have. been to no Purpose; and that, had his inclination19 been known, my grandfather might have taken such measures as would have effectually put the gratification of it out of his power: he added, that no exceptions could be taken to his wife’s virtue20, birth, beauty, and good sense, and as for fortune, it was beneath his care. The old gentleman, who kept all his passions, except one, in excellent order, heard him to an end with great temper, and then calmly asked, how he proposed to maintain himself and spouse4? He replied, he could be in no danger of wanting while his father’s tenderness remained, which he and his wife should always cultivate with the utmost veneration21; and he was persuaded his allowance would be suitable to the dignity and circumstances of his family, and to the provision already made for his brothers and sisters, who were happily settled under his protection. “Your brothers and sisters,” said my grandfather, “did not think it beneath them to consult me in an affair of such importance as matrimony; neither, I suppose, would you have omitted that piece of duty, had you not some secret fund in reserve; to the comforts of which I leave you, with a desire that you will this night seek out another habitation for yourself and wife, whither, in a short time, I will send you an account of the ex pens I have been at in your education, with a view of being reimbursed22. Sir, you have made the grand tour — you are a polite gentleman — a very pretty gentleman — I wish you a great deal of joy, and am your very humble23 servant.”
So saying, he left my father in a situation easily imagined. However, be did not long hesitate; for, being perfectly24 well acquainted with his father’s disposition25, he did not doubt that he was glad of this pretence26 to get rid of him; and his resolves being as invariable as the laws of the Medes and Persians, he know it would be to no purpose to attempt him by prayers and entreaties27; so without any farther application, he betook himself, with his disconsolate28 bedfellow to a farm-house, where an old servant of his mother dwelt: there they remained some time in a situation but ill adapted to the elegance29 of their desires and tenderness of their love; which nevertheless my father chose to endure, rather than supplicate30 an unnatural31 and inflexible32 parent but my mother, foreseeing the inconveniences to which she must have been exposed, bad she been delivered in this place (and her pregnancy was very far advanced), without communicating her design to her husband, went in disguise to the house of my grand. father, hoping that her tears and condition would move him to compassion33, and reconcile him to an event which was now irrecoverably past.
She found means to deceive the servants, and get introduced as an unfortunate lady, who wanted to complain of some matrimonial grievances34, it being my grandfather’s particular province to decide in all cases of scandal. She was accordingly admitted into his presence, where, discovering herself, she fell at his feet, and in the most affecting manner implored35 his forgiveness; at the same the same time representing the danger that threatened not only her life, but that of his own grandchild, which was about to see the light. He told her he was sorry that the indiscretion of her and his son had compelled him to make a vow36, which put it out of his power to give them any assistance; that he had already imparted his thoughts on that subject to her husband, and was surprised that they should disturb his peace with any farther importunity. This said, he retired37.
The violence of my mother’s affliction had such an effect on her constitution that she was immediately seized with the pains of childbed; and had not an old maidservant, to whom she was very dear, afforded her pity and assistance, at the hazard of incurring38 my grandfather’s displeasure, she and the innocent fruit of her womb must have fallen miserable39 victims to his rigour and inhumanity. By the friendship of this poor woman she was carried up to a garret, and immediately delivered of a man child, the story of whose unfortunate birth he himself now relates. My father, being informed of what had happened, flew to the embraces of his darling spouse, and while he loaded his offspring with paternal40 embraces, could not forbear shedding a flood of tears on beholding41 the dear partner of his heart (for whose ease he would have sacrificed the treasures of the east) stretched upon a flock bed, in a miserable apartment, unable to protect her from the inclemencies of the weather. It is not to be supposed that the old gentleman was ignorant of what passed, though he affected42 to know nothing of the matter, and pretended to be very much surprised, when one of his grandchildren, by his eldest43 son deceased, who lived with him as his heir apparent, acquainted him with the affair; he determined44 therefore to observe no medium, but immediately (on the third day after her delivery) sent her a peremptory45 order to be gone, and turned off the servant who had preserved her life. This behaviour so exasperated46 my father that he had recourse to the most dreadful imprecations; and on his bare knees implored that Heaven would renounce47 him if ever he should forget or forgive the barbarity of his sire.
The injuries which this unhappy mother received from her removal in such circumstances, and the want of necessaries where she lodged48, together with her grief and anxiety of mind, soon threw her into a languishing49 disorder50, which put an end to her life. My father, who loved her tenderly, was so affected with her death that he remained six weeks deprived of his senses; during which time, the people where he lodged carried the infant to the old man who relented so far, on hearing the melancholy51 story of his daughter-in-law’s death, and the deplorable condition of his son, as to send the child to nurse, and he ordered my father to be carried home to his house, where he soon recovered the use of his reason.
Whether this hardhearted judge felt any remorse52 for his cruel treatment of his son and daughter, or (which is more probable) was afraid his character would suffer in the neighbourhood, he professed53 great sorrow for his conduct to my father, whose delirium54 was succeeded by a profound melancholy and reserve. At length he disappeared, and, notwithstanding all imaginable inquiry55, could not be heard of; a circumstance which confirmed most people in the opinion of his having made away with himself in a fit of despair. How I understood the particulars of my birth will appear in the course of these memoirs56.
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1
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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housekeeper
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| n.管理家务的主妇，女管家 | |
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espoused
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| v.（决定）支持，拥护（目标、主张等）( espouse的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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spouse
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| n.配偶(指夫或妻) | |
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privately
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| adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地 | |
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pregnancy
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| n.怀孕，怀孕期 | |
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importunity
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| n.硬要，强求 | |
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highland
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| n.(pl.)高地，山地 | |
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favourable
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| adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的 | |
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interpretation
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| n.解释，说明，描述；艺术处理 | |
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bribe
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| n.贿赂；v.向…行贿，买通 | |
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12
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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attentive
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| adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的 | |
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sage
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| n.圣人，哲人；adj.贤明的，明智的 | |
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foretold
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| v.预言，预示( foretell的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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veneration
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| n.尊敬，崇拜 | |
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reimbursed
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| v.偿还，付还( reimburse的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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pretence
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| n.假装，作假；借口，口实；虚伪；虚饰 | |
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entreaties
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| n.恳求，乞求( entreaty的名词复数 ) | |
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disconsolate
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| adj.忧郁的，不快的 | |
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elegance
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| n.优雅；优美，雅致；精致，巧妙 | |
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supplicate
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| v.恳求；adv.祈求地，哀求地，恳求地 | |
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unnatural
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| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
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32
inflexible
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| adj.不可改变的，不受影响的，不屈服的 | |
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33
compassion
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| n.同情，怜悯 | |
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grievances
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| n.委屈( grievance的名词复数 )；苦衷；不满；牢骚 | |
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implored
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| 恳求或乞求（某人）( implore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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vow
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| n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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incurring
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| 遭受，招致，引起( incur的现在分词 ) | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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paternal
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| adj.父亲的，像父亲的，父系的，父方的 | |
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41
beholding
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| v.看，注视( behold的现在分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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42
affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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43
eldest
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| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
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44
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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45
peremptory
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| adj.紧急的，专横的，断然的 | |
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46
exasperated
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| adj.恼怒的 | |
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47
renounce
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| v.放弃；拒绝承认，宣布与…断绝关系 | |
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48
lodged
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| v.存放( lodge的过去式和过去分词 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属 | |
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49
languishing
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| a. 衰弱下去的 | |
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50
disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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51
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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52
remorse
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| n.痛恨，悔恨，自责 | |
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53
professed
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| 公开声称的，伪称的，已立誓信教的 | |
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54
delirium
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| n. 神智昏迷,说胡话;极度兴奋 | |
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inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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memoirs
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| n.回忆录；回忆录传( mem,自oir的名词复数) | |
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