Нортенгерское аббатство
Chapter 14
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“Youarefondofhistory!AndsoareMr.Allenandmyfather;andIhavetwobrotherswhodonotdislikeit.Somanyinstanceswithinmysmallcircleoffriendsisremarkable!Atthisrate,Ishallnotpitythewritersofhistoryanylonger.Ifpeopleliketoreadtheirbooks,itisallverywell,buttobeatsomuchtroubleinfillinggreatvolumes,which,asIusedtothink,nobodywouldwillinglyeverlookinto,tobelabouringonlyforthetormentoflittleboysandgirls,alwaysstruckmeasahardfate;andthoughIknowitisallveryrightandnecessary,Ihaveoftenwonderedattheperson’scouragethatcouldsitdownonpurposetodoit.”
“Thatlittleboysandgirlsshouldbetormented,”saidHenry,“iswhatnooneatallacquaintedwithhumannatureinacivilizedstatecandeny;butinbehalfofourmostdistinguishedhistorians,Imustobservethattheymightwellbeoffendedatbeingsupposedtohavenohigheraim,andthatbytheirmethodandstyle,theyareperfectlywellqualifiedtotormentreadersofthemostadvancedreasonandmaturetimeoflife.Iusetheverb’totorment,’asIobservedtobeyourownmethod,insteadof’toinstruct,’supposingthemtobenowadmittedassynonymous.
