第74页 / 共483页

"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."