George Crabbe: Poems, Volume 1 (of 3)Crabbe, George
General
George Crabbe: Poems, Volume 1 (of 3)
Crabbe, George
English poetry
Our concluding subject is Education; and some attempt is made to
describe its various seminaries, from that of the Poor Widow, who
pronounces the alphabet for infants, to seats whence the light of
learning is shed abroad on the world. If, in this Letter, I describe
the lives of literary men as embittered by much evil; if they be often
disappointed, and sometimes unfitted for the world they improve: let
it be considered that they are described as men who possess that great
pleasure, the exercise of their own talents, and the delight which
flows from their own exertions; they have joy in their pursuits, and
glory in their acquirements of knowledge. Their victory over
difficulties affords the most rational cause of triumph, and the
attainment of new ideas leads to incalculable riches, such as gratify
the glorious avarice of aspiring and comprehensive minds. Here, then,
I place the reward of learning.--Our Universities produce men of the
first scholastic attainments, who are heirs to large possessions, or
descendants from noble families. Now, to those so favoured, talents
and acquirements are, unquestionably, means of arriving at the most
elevated and important situations; but these must be the lot of a few.
In general, the diligence, acuteness, and perseverance of a youth at
the University, have no other reward than some College honours and
emoluments, which they desire to exchange, many of them, for very
moderate incomes in the obscurity of some distant village: so that, in
stating the reward of an ardent and powerful mind to consist
principally (I might have said entirely) in its own views, efforts,
and excursions, I place it upon a sure foundation, though not one so
elevated as the more ambitious aspire to. It is surely some
encouragement to a studious man to reflect, that if he be
disappointed, he cannot be without gratification; and that, if he gets
but a very humble portion of what the world can give, he has a
continual fruition of unwearying enjoyment, of which it has not power
to deprive him.
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