XXIV.—THE AVARICIOUS MILLER.

XXIV.—THE AVARICIOUS MILLER.GOLDSMITH.Oliver Goldsmith was born in 1731, at Pallasmore, County of Longford, Ireland, and died in 1774. The works of Goldsmith are more popular to-day than those of any English author of the Eighteenth Century. He was equally successful as a novelist and a poet. His “Vicar of Wakefield”, “Traveller,” and “Deserted Village” are each models of excellence in their way. His essays, also, have rare merit.

GOLDSMITH.

Oliver Goldsmith was born in 1731, at Pallasmore, County of Longford, Ireland, and died in 1774. The works of Goldsmith are more popular to-day than those of any English author of the Eighteenth Century. He was equally successful as a novelist and a poet. His “Vicar of Wakefield”, “Traveller,” and “Deserted Village” are each models of excellence in their way. His essays, also, have rare merit.

1. Whang, the miller, was naturally avaricious;[213]nobody loved money better than he, or more respected those that had it. When people would talk of a rich man in company, Whang would say, “Iknow him very well;heandIhave been very long acquainted;heandIare intimate.”[214]

2. But, if a poor man was mentioned, he had not the least knowledge of the man; he might be very well, for aughtheknew; but he was not fond of making many acquaintances, and loved to choose his company.

3. Whang, however, with all his eagerness[215]for riches, was poor. He had nothing but the profits of his mill to support him; but, though these were small, they were certain: while it stood and went, he was sure of eating; and his frugality[216]was such, that he, every day, laid some money by; which he would, at intervals, count and contemplate with much satisfaction.

4. Yet still his acquisitions[217]were not equal to his desires; he only found himself above want, whereas he desired to be possessed of affluence.[218]One day, as he was indulging these wishes, he was informed that a neighbor of his had found a pan of money under ground, having dreamed of it three nights in succession.[219]

5. These tidings were daggers to the heart of poor Whang. “Here am I,” said he, “toiling and moiling[220]from morning till night for a few paltry farthings, while neighbor Thanks only goes quietly to bed, and dreams himself into thousands before morning. Oh, that I could dream like him! With what pleasure would I dig round the pan! How slyly would I carry it home! Not even my wife should see me! And then, oh the pleasure of thrusting one’s hands into a heap of gold up to the elbows!”

6. Such reflections only served to make the miller unhappy. He discontinued[221]his former assiduity;[222]he was quite disgusted[223]with small gains, and his customers began to forsake him. Every day he repeated the wish, and every night laid himself down in order to dream. Fortune, that was for a long time unkind, at last, however, seemed to smile upon his distress, and indulged[224]him with the wished-for vision.

7. He dreamed that under a certain part of the foundation of his mill, there was concealed a monstrous[225]pan of gold and diamonds, buried deep in the ground, and covered with a large flat stone. He concealed his good luck from every person, as is usual in money-dreams, in order to have the vision repeated the two succeeding[226]nights, by which he should be certain of its truth. His wishes in this, also, were answered; hestill dreamed of the same pan of money, in the very same place.

8. Now, therefore, it was past a doubt; so, getting up early the third morning, he repaired, alone, with a mattock[227]in his hand, to the mill, and began to undermine[228]that part of the wall to which the vision directed. The first omen[229]of success that he met with was a broken ring; digging still deeper, he turned up a house-tile, quite new and entire.

9. At last, after much digging, he came to a broad, flat stone; but, then, it was so large, that it was beyond his strength to remove it. “There,” cried he in raptures to himself, “there it is!under this stone, there is room for a very large pan of diamonds, indeed. I must even go home to my wife, and tell her the whole affair, and get her to assist me in turning it up.” Away, therefore, he goes, and acquaints his wife with every circumstance of their good fortune.

10. Her raptures, on this occasion, may easily be imagined;[230]she flew round his neck, and embraced him in an agony of joy. But these transports, however, did not allay their eagerness to know the exact sum; returning together to the place where Whang had been digging, there they found—not, indeed, the expected treasure—but the mill, their only support, undermined and fallen!

[213]Av-a-riˊ-cious, greedy after gain.[214]Inˊ-ti-mate, close in friendship.[215]Eaˊ-ger-ness, ardent desire.[216]Fru-galˊ-i-ty, wise economy.[217]Ac-qui-siˊ-tions, gains.[218]Afˊ-flu-ence, great wealth.[219]Suc-cesˊ-sion, regular order.[220]Moilˊ-ing, drudging; laboring.[221]Dis-con-tinˊ-u-ed, ceased.[222]As-si-duˊ-i-ty, untiring diligence.[223]Dis-gustˊ-ed, greatly dissatisfied.[224]In-dulgˊ-ed, gratified.[225]Monˊ-strous, very large.[226]Suc-ceedˊ-ing, following.[227]Matˊ-tock, pick-ax.[228]Un-der-mineˊ, dig under.[229]Oˊ-men, sign; token.[230]Im-agˊ-in-ed. conceived.

[213]Av-a-riˊ-cious, greedy after gain.

[214]Inˊ-ti-mate, close in friendship.

[215]Eaˊ-ger-ness, ardent desire.

[216]Fru-galˊ-i-ty, wise economy.

[217]Ac-qui-siˊ-tions, gains.

[218]Afˊ-flu-ence, great wealth.

[219]Suc-cesˊ-sion, regular order.

[220]Moilˊ-ing, drudging; laboring.

[221]Dis-con-tinˊ-u-ed, ceased.

[222]As-si-duˊ-i-ty, untiring diligence.

[223]Dis-gustˊ-ed, greatly dissatisfied.

[224]In-dulgˊ-ed, gratified.

[225]Monˊ-strous, very large.

[226]Suc-ceedˊ-ing, following.

[227]Matˊ-tock, pick-ax.

[228]Un-der-mineˊ, dig under.

[229]Oˊ-men, sign; token.

[230]Im-agˊ-in-ed. conceived.

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