Pagina 74 di 483

"You may easily believe," said he, "how great was the difficulty

to persuade my father that all necessary knowledge was not

comprised in the noble art of book-keeping; and, indeed, I

believe I left him incredulous to the last, for his constant

answer to my unwearied entreaties was the same as that of the

Dutch schoolmaster in The Vicar of Wakefield: 'I have ten

thousand florins a year without Greek, I eat heartily without

Greek.' But his affection for me at length overcame his dislike

of learning, and he has permitted me to undertake a voyage of

discovery to the land of knowledge."

"It gives me the greatest delight to see you; but tell me how you

left my father, brothers, and Elizabeth."