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AT the time when I was leaving school, and rising towards manhood, my father consulted with his friends what profession he should bring me up to; most of them seemed to think that an application to letters would be a work of time, attended besides with great labor and expense, and, in short, only fit for such as were possessed of a splendid fortune; that my abilities, moreover, were but very moderate, and would stand in need of immediate assistance and support; whereas if I turned mechanic I might get something by my trade, not live idly at home upon my father, but in a little time be able to repay him for the expense of my education. The next question, therefore, was, which trade was the best, the most cheaply and easily learned, the most liberal, and that would bring in the surest profit; they all then gave their opinions; one preferring one, another another, according to their judgment or experience: when my father, looking steadfastly on my uncle, who was then present, one of the best statuaries[1] of his time. | AT the time when I was leaving school, and rising towards manhood, my father consulted with his friends what profession he should bring me up to; most of them seemed to think that an application to letters would be a work of time, attended besides with great labor and expense, and, in short, only fit for such as were possessed of a splendid fortune; that my abilities, moreover, were but very moderate, and would stand in need of immediate assistance and support; whereas if I turned mechanic I might get something by my trade, not live idly at home upon my father, but in a little time be able to repay him for the expense of my education. The next question, therefore, was, which trade was the best, the most cheaply and easily learned, the most liberal, and that would bring in the surest profit; they all then gave their opinions; one preferring one, another another, according to their judgment or experience: when my father, looking steadfastly on my uncle, who was then present, one of the best statuaries[1] of his time. | ||
- | > [1] Statuaries] // | + | > [1] Statuaries] // |
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I knew little of the matter, and pressing too hard on the marble, broke it in pieces. My uncle flew into a violent passion, and taking up a switch that happened to lay near him, with no great tenderness fell upon, and belabored me pretty handsomely, by way off initiating me[2] into the art. | I knew little of the matter, and pressing too hard on the marble, broke it in pieces. My uncle flew into a violent passion, and taking up a switch that happened to lay near him, with no great tenderness fell upon, and belabored me pretty handsomely, by way off initiating me[2] into the art. | ||
- | > [1] A good beginning] Lucian attributes this saying to Hesiod, in whose works, however, it is not at present, I believe, to be sound. We meet with it in Plato, Aristotle, Dionysius of Halicarnassus, | + | > [1] A good beginning] Lucian attributes this saying to Hesiod, in whose works, however, it is not at present, I believe, to be sound. We meet with it in Plato, Aristotle, Dionysius of Halicarnassus, |
- | > [2] Initiating me] The Greek word is very strong and expressive, signifying the rites performed at sacrifices just before the victim was slain.((Select Dialogues: Of Lucian, Translated from the Greek by Thomas Franklin, D.D. The Sungraphein, | + | > [2] Initiating me] The Greek word is very strong and expressive, signifying the rites performed at sacrifices just before the victim was slain.((Select Dialogues: Of Lucian, Translated from the Greek by Thomas Franklin, D.D. The Sungraphein, |
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Even at this distance of time, what I saw is actually before my eyes; and everything I heard, still sounding in my ears; so powerful was the effect it had upon me. | Even at this distance of time, what I saw is actually before my eyes; and everything I heard, still sounding in my ears; so powerful was the effect it had upon me. | ||
- | > [1] See Homer' | + | > [1] See Homer' |
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What it was [2] I dropped upon them myself I cannot remember; I only know, that wherever I went, men looked up to and addressed me like a deity with prayers and praises. | What it was [2] I dropped upon them myself I cannot remember; I only know, that wherever I went, men looked up to and addressed me like a deity with prayers and praises. | ||
- | > [1] Like Triptolemus] Triptolemus, | + | > [1] Like Triptolemus] Triptolemus, |
- | > [2] What it was] Though Lucian modestly pretends not to know, his readers, however, can tell what it was he dropped on this occasion, viz. a large quantity of good sense, wit, and humor, which are scattered throughout his works. | + | > [2] What it was] Though Lucian modestly pretends not to know, his readers, however, can tell what it was he dropped on this occasion, viz. a large quantity of good sense, wit, and humor, which are scattered throughout his works.((Select Dialogues: Of Lucian, Translated from the Greek by Thomas Franklin, D.D. The Sungraphein, |
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- | But whilst I am relating it, methinks I hear someone crying out, O Hercules, what a tedious judicial dream is this! A winter' | + | But whilst I am relating it, methinks I hear someone crying out, O Hercules, what a tedious judicial dream is this! A winter' |
- | > * Hercules' | + | |
- | What does he mean by trifling so with us, and talking of his boyish dreams; does he think we have nothing to do but to be his interpreter? | + | What does he mean by trifling so with us, and talking of his boyish dreams; does he think we have nothing to do but to be his interpreter? |
- | > * Xenophon] In the two dreams of Xenophon, as related in the third and fourth books of his Anabasis, or Retreat of the Ten Thousand. | + | > [1] Hercules' |
+ | > [2] Xenophon] In the two dreams of Xenophon, as related in the third and fourth books of his Anabasis, or Retreat of the Ten Thousand.((Select Dialogues: Of Lucian, Translated from the Greek by Thomas Franklin, D.D. The Sungraphein, | ||
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- | And for the same reason | + | And for the same reason[1] I have told you my dream, that by it I might persuade our young men to the study of literature; more especially if any of them, induced by poverty, should be inclined to throw away good parts and genius, and embrace some mean and illiberal profession; whoever they may be, I am satisfied they would change their resolution when they heard this discourse, and would follow my example, when they reflected on what I was, when, turning my mind to better things, I applied to literature, without regard to the narrowness of my circumstances, |
- | > * For the same reason] That is, Xenophon did not tell his dream to the officers about: him merely to entertain and divert them; it was not a Fiction, (which is the best sense we can put on the word hypocrisis but a real vision; he was in earnest, and so am I; his dream was attended with the best: consequences, | + | > [1] For the same reason] That is, Xenophon did not tell his dream to the officers about: him merely to entertain and divert them; it was not a Fiction, (which is the best sense we can put on the word hypocrisis but a real vision; he was in earnest, and so am I; his dream was attended with the best: consequences, |
home/texts_and_library/essays/the-vision.txt · Last modified: 2019/07/10 20:29 by frank