BA FIRST YEAR 'ON NATIONAL PREJUDICES' ESSAY BY 'OLIVER GOLDSMITH'
ON NATIONAL PREJUDICES
OLIVER GOLDSMITH
As I am one of that sauntering tribe of mortals, who spend the greatest part of their time in taverns, coffee - houses, and other places of public resort, I have thus an opportunity of observing an infinite variety of characters, which, to a person of a contemplative turn is a much higher entertainment than a view of all the curiosities of art or nature. In one of these, my late rambles, I accidentally fell into the company of half a dozen gentlemen, who were engaged in a warm dispute about some political affair; the decision of which, as they were equally divided in their sentiments, they thought proper to refer to me, which naturally drew me in for a share of the conversation.
Amongst a multiplicity of other topics, we took occasion to talk of the different characters of the several nations of Europe; when one of the gentlemen, cocking his hat, and assuming such an air of importance as if he had possessed all the merit of the English nation in his own person, declared that the Dutch were a parcelofavaricious wretches; the French, a set of flattering sycophants; that the Germans were drunken sots and bcastly gluttons; and the Spaniards proud, haughty, and surly rvrants; but that in bravery, generosity. clemency, and in every other virtue, the English excelled all the rest of the world. _ This very learned and judicious remark was received with ageneral smile of approbation by all the company - all, I mean but your humble servant, who, endeavoring to keep my gravity as well as I could, and reclining my head upon my arm, continued for some time in a posture of affected thoughtfulness, as if I had been musing on something else, and did not seem to attend to the subject of conversation, hoping by these means to avoid the disagreeable neccessity of explaining myself, and thereby depriving the gentleman ofhis imaginary happiness. But my pseudo - patriot had no mind to let me escape so easily. Not satisfied that his opinion should pass without contradiction, he was determined to have it ratified by the suffrage of every one in the company; for which purpose addressing himself to me with an air of inexpressible confidence, he asked me if I was not of the same way of thinking. As I am never forward in giving my opinion, especially when I have reason to believe that it will not be agreeable; so, when I am obliged to give it, I always hold it for a maxim to speak my real sentiments. I therefore told him that, for my own part, ishould not have ventured to talkin sucha peremptory strain, unless I had made the tour of Europe, and examined the manners of these several nations with great care and accuracy: that, perhaps a more. impartial judgment would not scruple to affirm that the Dutch were more frugal and industrious, the French more temperate and polite, the Germans more hardy and patient of labor and fatigue, and the Spaniards more staid and sedate, than the English; who, though undoubtedly brave and generous, were at the same time rash, headstrong, and impetuous; to apt to be elated with prosperity, and too despond in adversity. I could easily perceive, that all the company began to regard me
Amongst a multiplicity of other topics, we took occasion to talk of the different characters of the several nations of Europe; when one of the gentlemen, cocking his hat, and assuming such an air of importance as if he had possessed all the merit of the English nation in his own person, declared that the Dutch were a parcelofavaricious wretches; the French, a set of flattering sycophants; that the Germans were drunken sots and bcastly gluttons; and the Spaniards proud, haughty, and surly rvrants; but that in bravery, generosity. clemency, and in every other virtue, the English excelled all the rest of the world. _ This very learned and judicious remark was received with ageneral smile of approbation by all the company - all, I mean but your humble servant, who, endeavoring to keep my gravity as well as I could, and reclining my head upon my arm, continued for some time in a posture of affected thoughtfulness, as if I had been musing on something else, and did not seem to attend to the subject of conversation, hoping by these means to avoid the disagreeable neccessity of explaining myself, and thereby depriving the gentleman ofhis imaginary happiness. But my pseudo - patriot had no mind to let me escape so easily. Not satisfied that his opinion should pass without contradiction, he was determined to have it ratified by the suffrage of every one in the company; for which purpose addressing himself to me with an air of inexpressible confidence, he asked me if I was not of the same way of thinking. As I am never forward in giving my opinion, especially when I have reason to believe that it will not be agreeable; so, when I am obliged to give it, I always hold it for a maxim to speak my real sentiments. I therefore told him that, for my own part, ishould not have ventured to talkin sucha peremptory strain, unless I had made the tour of Europe, and examined the manners of these several nations with great care and accuracy: that, perhaps a more. impartial judgment would not scruple to affirm that the Dutch were more frugal and industrious, the French more temperate and polite, the Germans more hardy and patient of labor and fatigue, and the Spaniards more staid and sedate, than the English; who, though undoubtedly brave and generous, were at the same time rash, headstrong, and impetuous; to apt to be elated with prosperity, and too despond in adversity. I could easily perceive, that all the company began to regard me
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