(Так вот, с помощью всевозможных мелких ухищрений: thus – таким образом; divers – разные, различные (архаизм); makeshift – временное средство, уловка)
in that ingenious way which is commonly denominated «by hook and by crook,» (тем изобретательным способом, что обычно называют «и так и сяк» или «всеми правдами и неправдами»: ingenious – изобретательный; to denominate – называть; by hook and by crook – любыми средствами, как получится)
the worthy pedagogue got on tolerably enough, (достойный педагог справлялся более или менее сносно: worthy – достойный; pedagogue – педагог, учитель; to get on – справляться, выживать; tolerably enough – вполне сносно)
and was thought, by all who understood nothing of the labor of headwork, (и считался, всеми, кто ничего не понимал в умственном труде: to be thought – считаться; headwork – умственный труд)
to have a wonderfully easy life of it. (человеком, живущим на удивление лёгкой жизнью: wonderfully – удивительно; easy life – лёгкая жизнь)
In addition to his other vocations, he was the singing-master of the neighborhood, and picked up many bright shillings by instructing the young folks in psalmody. It was a matter of no little vanity to him on Sundays, to take his station in front of the church gallery, with a band of chosen singers; where, in his own mind, he completely carried away the palm from the parson. Certain it is, his voice resounded far above all the rest of the congregation; and there are peculiar quavers still to be heard in that church, and which may even be heard half a mile off, quite to the opposite side of the millpond, on a still Sunday morning, which are said to be legitimately descended from the nose of Ichabod Crane. Thus, by divers little makeshifts, in that ingenious way which is commonly denominated «by hook and by crook,» the worthy pedagogue got on tolerably enough, and was thought, by all who understood nothing of the labor of headwork, to have a wonderfully easy life of it.
The schoolmaster is generally a man of some importance in the female circle of a rural neighborhood; (Школьный учитель, как правило, – человек немалой значимости в женском кругу сельской местности: generally – обычно; importance – значимость; female circle – женское окружение; rural – сельский; neighborhood – округа)