The Vicar of Wakefield; . rofessors, but openly tendered my talents tothe Principal himself. I went, had admittance, andoffered him my service as a master of the Greek language,which I had been told was a desideratum in hisuniversity. The Principal seemed at first to doubtmy abiUties; but of these I offered to convince him,by turning a part of any Greek author he should fixupon into Latin. Finding me perfectly earnest in myproposal, he addressed me thus: You see me, youngman; I never learned Greek, and I dont find that Iever missed it. I have had a Doctors cap and gownwithout Greek; I have ten
The Vicar of Wakefield; . rofessors, but openly tendered my talents tothe Principal himself. I went, had admittance, andoffered him my service as a master of the Greek language,which I had been told was a desideratum in hisuniversity. The Principal seemed at first to doubtmy abiUties; but of these I offered to convince him,by turning a part of any Greek author he should fixupon into Latin. Finding me perfectly earnest in myproposal, he addressed me thus: You see me, youngman; I never learned Greek, and I dont find that Iever missed it. I have had a Doctors cap and gownwithout Greek; I have ten thousand florins a yearwithout Greek; I eat heartily without Greek; and,V in short, continued he, as I dont know Greek, I donot believe there is any good in it. I was now too far from home to think of returning ;so I resolved to go forward. I had some knowledge ofmusic, with a tolerable voice : I naw turned what wasonce my amusement into a present means of passed among the harmless peasants of Flanders, 136. THE VICAR OF WAKEFIELD and among such of the French as were poor enough tobe very merry; for I ever found them sprightly inproportion to their wants. Whenever I approacheda peasants house towards nightfall, I played one of mymost merry tunes, and that procured me not only alodging, but subsistence for the next day. I once ortwice attempted to play for people of fashion, but theyalways thought my performance odious, and neverrewarded me even with a trifle. This was to me thethe more extraordinary, as, whenever I used, in betterdays, to play for company, when playing was myamusement, my music never failed to throw them intoraptures, and the ladies especially-; but as it was nowmy only means, it was received with contempt—a proof^/how ready the world is to underrate those talents bywhich a man is supported. In this manner I proceeded to Paris, with no designbut just to look about me, and then go people of Paris are much fonder of strangers thathave
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