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glory of Bunyan is that those who most hated his doctrines have tried to
borrow the help of his genius。 A Catholic version of his parable may be
seen with the head of the Virgin in the title…page。 On the other hand； those
Antinomians for whom his Calvinism is not strong enough may study the
pilgrimage of Hephzibah； in which nothing will be found which can be
construed into an admission of free agency and universal redemption。 But
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
the most extraordinary of all the acts of Vandalism by which a fine work
of art was ever defaced was committed so late as the year 1853。 It was
determined to transform the 〃Pilgrim's Progress〃 into a Tractarian book。
The task was not easy： for it was necessary to make the two sacraments
the most prominent objects in the allegory； and of all Christian theologians；
avowed Quakers excepted； Bunyan was the one in whose system the
sacraments held the least prominent place。 However； the Wicket Gate
became a type of Baptism； and the House Beautiful of the Eucharist。 The
effect of this change is such as assuredly the ingenious person who made it
never contemplated。 For； as not a single pilgrim passes through the Wicket
Gate in infancy； and as Faithful hurries past the House Beautiful without
stopping； the lesson which the fable in its altered shape teaches； is that
none but adults ought to be baptised； and that the Eucharist may safely be
neglected。 Nobody would have discovered from the original 〃Pilgrim's
Progress〃 that the author was not a Paedobaptist。 To turn his book into a
book against Paedobaptism was an achievement reserved for an Anglo…
Catholic divine。 Such blunders must necessarily be committed by every
man who mutilates parts of a great work； without taking a comprehensive
view of the whole。
。。。
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
OLIVER GOLDSMITH。
（February 1856。）
Oliver Goldsmith； one of the most pleasing English writers of the
eighteenth century。 He was of a Protestant and Saxon family which had
been long settled in Ireland； and which had； like most other Protestant and
Saxon families； been； in troubled times； harassed and put in fear by the
native population。 His father； Charles Goldsmith； studied in the reign of
Queen Anne at the diocesan school of Elphin； became attached to the
daughter of the schoolmaster； married her； took orders； and settled at a
place called Pallas in the county of Longford。 There he with difficulty
supported his wife and children on what he could earn； partly as a curate
and partly as a farmer。
At Pallas Oliver Goldsmith was born in November 1728。 That spot
was then； for all practical purposes； almost as remote from the busy and
splendid capital in which his later years were passed； as any clearing in
Upper Canada or any sheep…walk in Australasia now is。 Even at this day
those enthusiasts who venture to make a pilgrimage to the birthplace of the
poet are forced to perform the latter part of their journey on foot。 The
hamlet lies far from any high road； on a dreary plain which； in wet weather；
is often a lake。 The lanes would break any jaunting car to pieces； and there
are ruts and sloughs through which the most strongly built wheels cannot
be dragged。
While Oliver was still a child； his father was presented to a living
worth about 200 pounds a year； in the county of Westmeath。 The family
accordingly quitted their cottage in the wilderness for a spacious house on
a frequented road； near the village of Lissoy。 Here the boy was taught his
letters by a maid…servant； and was sent in his seventh year to a village
school kept by an old quartermaster on half…pay； who professed to teach
nothing but reading； writing； and arithmetic； but who had an inexhaustible
fund of stories about ghosts； banshees； and fairies； about the great
Rapparee chiefs； Baldearg O'Donnell and galloping Hogan； and about the
exploits of Peterborough and Stanhope； the surprise of Monjuich； and the
glorious disaster of Brihuega。 This man must have been of the Protestant
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
religion； but he was of the aboriginal race； and not only spoke the Irish
language； but could pour forth unpremeditated Irish verses。 Oliver early
became； and through life continued to be； a passionate admirer of the Irish
music； and especially of the compositions of Carolan； some of the last
notes of whose harp he heard。 It ought to be added that Oliver； though by
birth one of the Englishry； and though connected by numerous ties with
the Established Church； never showed the least sign of that contemptuous
antipathy with which； in his days； the ruling minority in Ireland too
generally regarded the subject majority。 So far indeed was he from sharing
in the opinions and feelings of the caste to which he belonged； that he
conceived an aversion to the Glorious and Immortal Memory； and； even
when George the Third was on the throne； maintained that nothing but the
restoration of the banished dynasty could save the country。
From the humble academy kept by the old soldier Goldsmith was
removed in his ninth year。 He went to several grammar schools； and
acquired some knowledge of the ancient languages。 His life at this time
seems to have been far from happy。 He had； as appears from the admirable
portrait of him at Knowle； features harsh even to ugliness。 The small…pox
had set its mark on him with more than usual severity。 His stature was
small； and his limbs ill put together。 Among boys little tenderness is shown
to personal defects； and the ridicule excited by poor Oliver's appearance
was heightened by a peculiar simplicity and a disposition to blunder which
he retained to the last。 He became the common butt of boys and masters；
was pointed at as a fright in the play…ground； and flogged as a dunce in the
school…room。 When he had risen to eminence； those who had once derided
him ransacked their memory for the events of his early years； and recited
repartees and couplets which had dropped from him； and which； though
little noticed at the time； were supposed； a quarter of a century later； to
indicate the powers which produced the 〃Vicar of Wakefield〃 and the
〃Deserted Village。〃
In his seventeenth year Oliver went up to Trinity College； Dublin； as a
sizar。 The sizars paid nothing for food and tuition； and very little for
lodging； but they had to perform some menial services from which they
have long been relieved。 They swept the court： they carried up the dinner
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
to the fellows' table； and changed the plates and poured out the ale of the
rulers of the society。 Goldsmith was quartered； not alone； in a garret； on
the window of which his name； scrawled by himself； is still read with
interest。 （The glass on which the name is written has； as we are informed
by a writer in 〃Notes and Queries〃 （2d。 S。 ix。 p。 91）； been inclosed in a
frame and deposited in the Manuscript Room of the College Library；
where it is still to be seen。） From such garrets many men of less parts than
his have made their way to the woolsack or to the episcopal bench。 But
Goldsmith； while he suffered all the humiliations； threw away all the
advantages； of his situation。 He neglected the studies of the place； stood
low at the examinations； was turned down to the bottom of his class for
playing the buffoon in the lecture…room； was severely reprimanded for
pumping on a constable； and was caned by a brutal tutor for giving a ball
in the attic story of the college to some gay youths and damsels from the
city。
While Oliver was leading at