TflE RURAL SOCRATES. 75 



.*< had been forced, inprefence of the judge, to acknow- 

 *' ledge that Kliyogg was in the right in every article ; 

 ** though he was convinced then, as well as afterwards, 

 ^'' that he was in the wrong ; and that furely he muft 

 >*' have bewitched hisrcafon." — Would to heaven (laid 

 I inwardly) that all my enemies may have no worfc 

 things of which to accuie me. 



I had no farther view in. commencing an acquaintance 

 r^nth Kliyogg, than that of extending and improving 

 my knowledge in rural economy. I rated my own abil- 

 ities much above the fimplicity of a peafant ; and meant 

 to irvftrucl him ; and, by attacking and fubduing any 

 ■prejudices he might have contracted to put him into the 

 method of trying nev/ experiments in hufDandry. I in- 

 tended communicating thefe to the Philofophical Socie- 

 ty ; which at that period, piirpofed to excite by premi- 

 lims, the mofi: rational and induflrious cultivatois to 

 put in pradlice fuch rules for the improvement of land, 

 as fhouid be acknowledged befb to anfwer that pur- 

 pofe.' — But what was my c^flonifnmenr, to fird in this 

 villager, a man entirely divefled of prejudice ; anden- 

 dowed v/ith a judgment as perfcil as tliat of the moR- 

 celebrated pbilorc])her ; his fentiments and \vill be- 

 ing abfolutely fublervient to reafon 1 His turn of re- 

 jection, his wcrds, his adlions, Itemed always in p^iitcx 

 harmony with each, other. When he dwelt on twc 

 duties of the various ranks in fociety, and the univerfai 

 happinefs attendant on their obfervation, I was ftrack 

 with veneration : whilfl I liftened, my cheeks were 

 inoidened with tears ; an4 f fancied myfelf tranfported 

 into the company of one of the fages of ancient Greece^ 



m 



One day he found me in a deep melancholy ; and 



i could not forbear expreffing my anguifli in his pre- 



fence. He eacrerly fought to comfort my deprefled fpir- 



its, with all the zeal of fricnd(bip.— '' My dear doctor, 



' iWid he to me (in the courfe of a converfation on the 



" nature 



