按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
the world in which he lives so carelessly that his portraits bear no
resemblance to the originals； for exhibiting as copies from real life
monstrous combinations of things which never were and never could be
found together。 What would be thought of a painter who should mix
August and January in one landscape； who should introduce a frozen river
into a harvest scene？ Would it be a sufficient defence of such a picture to
say that every part was exquisitely coloured； that the green hedges； the
apple…trees loaded with fruit； the waggons reeling under the yellow
sheaves； and the sun…burned reapers wiping their foreheads； were very fine；
and that the ice and the boys sliding were also very fine？ To such a picture
the 〃Deserted Village〃 bears a great resemblance。 It is made up of
incongruous parts。 The village in its happy days is a true English village。
The village in its decay is an Irish village。 The felicity and the misery
which Goldsmith has brought close together belong to two different
countries； and to two different stages in the progress of society。 He had
assuredly never seen in his native island such a rural paradise； such a seat
of plenty； content； and tranquillity； as his 〃Auburn。〃 He had assuredly
40
… Page 41…
THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
never seen in England all the inhabitants of such a paradise turned out of
their homes in one day and forced to emigrate in a body to America。 The
hamlet he had probably seen in Kent； the ejectment he had probably seen
in Munster： but； by joining the two； he has produced something which
never was and never will be seen in any part of the world。
In 1773 Goldsmith tried his chance at Covent Garden with a second
play； 〃She Stoops to Conquer。〃 The manager was not without great
difficulty induced to bring this piece out。 The sentimental comedy still
reigned； and Goldsmith's comedies were not sentimental。 The
〃Goodnatured Man〃 had been too funny to succeed； yet the mirth of the
〃Goodnatured Man〃 was sober when compared with the rich drollery of
〃She Stoops to Conquer；〃 which is； in truth； an incomparable farce in five
acts。 On this occasion； however； genius triumphed。 Pit； boxes； and
galleries； were in a constant roar of laughter。 If any bigoted admirer of
Kelly and Cumberland ventured to hiss or groan； he was speedily silenced
by a general cry of 〃turn him out；〃 or 〃throw him over。〃 Two generations
have since confirmed the verdict which was pronounced on that night。
While Goldsmith was writing the 〃Deserted Village；〃 and 〃She Stoops
to Conquer；〃 he was employed on works of a very different kind； works
from which he derived little reputation but much profit。 He compiled for
the use of schools a 〃History of Rome；〃 by which he made 300 pounds； a
〃History of England；〃 by which he made 600 pounds； a 〃History of
Greece；〃 for which he received 250 pounds； a 〃Natural History；〃 for which
the booksellers covenanted to pay him 800 guineas。 These works he
produced without any elaborate research； by merely selecting； abridging；
and translating into his own clear； pure； and flowing language what he
found in books well…known to the world； but too bulky or too dry for boys
and girls。 He committed some strange blunders； for he knew nothing with
accuracy。 Thus in his 〃History of England；〃 he tells us that Naseby is in
Yorkshire； nor did he correct this mistake when the book was reprinted。
He was very nearly hoaxed into putting into the 〃History of Greece〃 an
account of the battle between Alexander the Great and Montezuma。 In his
〃Animated Nature〃 he relates； with faith and with perfect gravity； all the
most absurd lies which he could find in books of travels about gigantic
41
… Page 42…
THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
Patagonians； monkeys that preach sermons； nightingales that repeat long
conversations。 〃If he can tell a horse from a cow；〃 said Johnson； 〃that is
the extent of his knowledge of zoology。〃 How little Goldsmith was
qualified to write about the physical sciences is sufficiently proved by two
anecdotes。 He on one occasion denied that the sun is longer in the northern
than in the southern signs。 It was vain to cite the authority of Maupertuis。
〃Maupertuis！〃 he cried； 〃I understand those matters better than
Maupertuis。〃 On another occasion he； in defiance of the evidence of his
own senses； maintained obstinately； and even angrily； that he chewed his
dinner by moving his upper jaw。
Yet； ignorant as Goldsmith was； few writers have done more to make
the first steps in the laborious road to knowledge easy and pleasant。 His
compilations are widely distinguished from the compilations of ordinary
book…makers。 He was a great； perhaps an unequalled； master of the arts of
selection and condensation。 In these respects his histories of Rome and of
England； and still more his own abridgements of these histories； well
deserve to be studied。 In general nothing is less attractive than an epitome：
but the epitomes of Goldsmith； even when most concise； are always
amusing； and to read them is considered by intelligent children； not as a
task； but as a pleasure。
Goldsmith might now be considered as a prosperous man。 He had the
means of living in comfort； and even in what to one who had so often slept
in barns and on bulks must have been luxury。 His fame was great and was
constantly rising。 He lived in what was intellectually far the best society of
the kingdom； in a society in which no talent or accomplishment was
wanting； and in which the art of conversation was cultivated with splendid
success。 There probably were never four talkers more admirable in four
different ways than Johnson； Burke； Beauclerk； and Garrick； and
Goldsmith was on terms of intimacy with all the four。 He aspired to share
in their colloquial renown； but never was ambition more unfortunate。 It
may seem strange that a man who wrote with so much perspicuity；
vivacity； and grace； should have been； whenever he took a part in
conversation； an empty； noisy； blundering rattle。 But on this point the
evidence is overwhelming。 So extraordinary was the contrast between
42
… Page 43…
THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
Goldsmith's published works and the silly things which he said； that
Horace Walpole described him as an inspired idiot。 〃Noll；〃 said Garrick；
〃wrote like an angel； and talked like poor Poll。〃 Chamier declared that it
was a hard exercise of faith to believe that so foolish a chatterer could
have really written the 〃Traveller。〃 Even Boswell could say； with
contemptuous compassion； that he liked very well to hear honest
Goldsmith run on。 〃Yes； sir；〃 said Johnson； 〃but he should not like to hear
himself。〃 Minds differ as rivers differ。 There are transparent and sparkling
rivers from which it is delightful to drink as they flow； to such rivers the
minds of such men as Burke and Johnson may be compared。 But there are
rivers of which the water when first drawn is turbid and noisome； but
becomes pellucid as crystal； and delicious to the taste； if it be suffered to
stand till it has deposited a sediment； and such a river is a type of the mind
of Goldsmith。 His first thoughts on every subject were confused even to
absurdity； but they required only a little time to work themselves clear。
When he wrote they had that time； and therefore his readers pronounced
him a man of genius： but when he talked he talked nonsense； and made
himself the laughing…stock of his hearers。 He was painfully sensible of his
inferiority in conversation； he felt every failure keenly； yet he had not
sufficient judgment and self…command