Tales and Novels, vol 2 | Page 9

when I came in. It
does not become me to repeat the handsome things he said to me, upon
reading over my good master's letter; but he was very gracious to me,
and told me that he would look out for some place or employment that
would suit me; and in the mean time, that I should be welcome to stay
in his house, where I should meet with the good treatment (which he
was pleased to say) I deserved. Then, observing that I was overcome
with bashfulness, at being looked at by so many strangers, he kindly
dismissed me.
"The next day he sent for me again to his study, when he was alone;
and asked me several questions, seeming pleased with the openness and
simplicity of my answers. He saw that I gazed with vast curiosity at
several objects in the room, which were new to me: and pointing to the
glass tube, which he had been showing the boys when I first came in,
he asked me if they had such things as that in our mines; and if I knew
the use of it? I told him I had seen something like it in our overseer's
hands; but that I had never known its use. It was a thermometer. Mr.
Y---- took great pains to show me how, and on what occasions, this
instrument might be useful.
"I saw I had now to do with a person who was somewhat different from
my friend the waggoner; and I cannot express the surprise and gratitude
I felt, when I found that he did not think me quite a fool. Instead of
looking at me with scorn, as one very nearly an idiot, he answered my
questions with condescension; and sometimes was so good as to add,

'That's a sensible question, my lad.'
"While we were looking at the thermometer, he found out that I could
not read the words _temperate, freezing point, boiling water heat, &c._
which were written upon the ivory scale, in small characters. He took
that occasion to point out to me the use and advantages of knowing
how to read and write; and he told me that, as I wished to learn, he
would desire the writing-master, who came to attend his young
grandson, to teach me.
"I shall not detain you with a journal of my progress through my
spelling-book and copy-books: it is enough to say that I applied with
diligence, and soon could write my name in rather more intelligible
characters than those in which the name of Jervas is cut on the rock that
we were looking at yesterday.
"My eagerness to read the books which he put into my hands, and the
attention which I paid to his lessons, pleased my writing-master so
much, that he took a pride, as he said, 'in bringing me forward as fast
as possible.'
"And here, I must confess, he was rather imprudent in the warmth of
his commendations; my head could not stand them; as much as I was
humbled and mortified by the waggoner's calling me an idiot, so much
was I elated by my writing-master's calling me a genius. I wrote some
very bad lines in praise of a thistle, which I thought prodigiously fine,
because my writing-master looked surprised, when I showed them to
him; and because he told me that, having given a copy of them to some
gentlemen in Exeter, they agreed that the rhymes were wonderful for
me.
"I was at this period very nearly spoiled for life: but fortunately my
friend Mr. Y---- saw my danger, and cured me of my conceit, without
damping my ardour to acquire knowledge. He took me to the books in
his study, and showed me many volumes of fine poems; pointing out
some passages to me that greatly diminished my admiration of my own
lines on the thistle The vast distance which I perceived between myself
and these writers threw me into despair. Mr. Y---- seeing me

thoroughly abashed, observed that he was glad to find I saw the
difference between bad and good poetry; and pointed out to me, it was
not likely, if I turned my industry to writing verses, that I should ever
either earn my bread, or equal those who had enjoyed greater
advantages of leisure and education. 'But, Jervas,' continued he, 'I
commend you for your application and quickness in learning to write
and read, in so short a time: you will find both these qualifications of
great advantage to you. Now, I advise you, turn your thoughts to
something that may make you useful to other people. You have your
bread to earn, and this you can only do by making yourself useful in
some way or other. Look about you, and you will