第58章

OnSunday，March31，Icalledonhim，andshewedhimasacuriositywhichIhaddiscovered，hisTranslationofLobo’sAccountofAbyssinia，whichSirJohnPringlehadlentme，itbeingthenlittleknownasoneofhisworks。Hesaid，’Takenonoticeofit，’or’don’ttalkofit。’Heseemedtothinkitbeneathhim，thoughdoneatsix-and-twenty。Isaidtohim，’Yourstyle，Sir，ismuchimprovedsinceyoutranslatedthis。’Heansweredwithasortoftriumphantsmile，’Sir，Ihopeitis。’

OnWednesday，April3，inthemorningIfoundhimverybusyputtinghisbooksinorder，andastheyweregenerallyveryoldones，cloudsofdustwereflyingaroundhim。Hehadonapairoflargeglovessuchashedgersuse。Hispresentappearanceputmeinmindofmyuncle，Dr。Boswell’sdescriptionofhim，’Arobustgenius，borntograpplewithwholelibraries。’

HehadbeenincompanywithOmai，anativeofoneoftheSouthSeaIslands，afterhehadbeensometimeinthiscountry。Hewasstruckwiththeeleganceofhisbehaviour，andaccountedforitthus：’Sir，hehadpassedhistime，whileinEngland，onlyinthebestcompany；sothatallthathehadacquiredofourmannerswasgenteel。Asaproofofthis，Sir，LordMulgraveandhedinedonedayatStreatham；theysatwiththeirbackstothelightfrontingme，sothatIcouldnotseedistinctly；andtherewassolittleofthesavageinOmai，thatIwasafraidtospeaktoeither，lestI

shouldmistakeonefortheother。’

Weagreedtodineto-dayattheMitre-tavernaftertherisingoftheHouseofLords，whereabranchofthelitigationconcerningtheDouglasEstate，inwhichIwasoneofthecounsel，wastocomeon。

Iintroducedthetopick，whichisoftenignorantlyurged，thattheUniversitiesofEnglandaretoorich；sothatlearningdoesnotflourishinthemasitwoulddo，ifthosewhoteachhadsmallersalaries，anddependedontheirassiduityforagreatpartoftheirincome。JOHNSON。’Sir，theveryreverseofthisisthetruth；theEnglishUniversitiesarenotrichenough。Ourfellowshipsareonlysufficienttosupportamanduringhisstudiestofithimfortheworld，andaccordinglyingeneraltheyareheldnolongerthantillanopportunityoffersofgettingaway。Nowandthen，perhaps，thereisafellowwhogrowsoldinhiscollege；butthisisagainsthiswill，unlesshebeamanveryindolentindeed。Ahundredayearisreckonedagoodfellowship，andthatisnomorethanisnecessarytokeepamandecentlyasascholar。Wedonotallowourfellowstomarry，becauseweconsideracademicalinstitutionsaspreparatorytoasettlementintheworld。Itisonlybybeingemployedasatutor，thatafellowcanobtainanythingmorethanalivelihood。Tobesureaman，whohasenoughwithoutteaching，willprobablynotteach；forwewouldallbeidleifwecould。Inthesamemanner，amanwhoistogetnothingbyteaching，willnotexerthimself。GreshamCollegewasintendedasaplaceofinstructionforLondon；ableprofessorsweretoreadlecturesgratis，theycontrivedtohavenoscholars；whereas，iftheyhadbeenallowedtoreceivebutsixpencealecturefromeachscholar，theywouldhavebeenemuloustohavehadmanyscholars。EverybodywillagreethatitshouldbetheinterestofthosewhoteachtohavescholarsandthisisthecaseinourUniversities。Thattheyaretoorichiscertainlynottrue；fortheyhavenothinggoodenoughtokeepamanofeminentlearningwiththemforhislife。

IntheforeignUniversitiesaprofessorshipisahighthing。Itisasmuchalmostasamancanmakebyhislearning；andthereforewefindthemostlearnedmenabroadareintheUniversities。Itisnotsowithus。OurUniversitiesareimpoverishedoflearning，bythepenuryoft

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