the expedition of humphry clinker- 第1部分

The　Expedition　of　Humphry　Clinker

by　Tobias　Smollett





To　Mr　HENRY　DAVIS；　Bookseller；　in　London。

ABERGAVENNY；　Aug。　4。

RESPECTED　SIR；

I　have　received　your　esteemed　favour　of　the　13th　ultimo；　whereby
it　appeareth；　that　you　have　perused　those　same　Letters；　the　which
were　delivered　unto　you　by　my　friend；　the　reverend　Mr　Hugo　Behn；
and　I　am　pleased　to　find　you　think　they　may　be　printed　with　a
good　prospect　of　success；　in　as　much　as　the　objections　you
mention；　I　humbly　conceive；　are　such　as　may　be　redargued；　if　not
entirely　removed　　And；　first；　in　the　first　place；　as　touching
what　prosecutions　may　arise　from　printing　the　private
correspondence　of　persons　still　living；　give　me　leave；　with　all
due　submission；　to　observe；　that　the　Letters　in　question　were　not
written　　and　sent　under　the　seal　of　secrecy；　that　they　have　no
tendency　to　the　mala　fama；　or　prejudice　of　any　person　whatsoever；
but　rather　to　the　information　and　edification　of　mankind：　so　that
it　becometh　a　sort　of　duty　to　promulgate　them　in　usum　publicum。
Besides；　I　have　consulted　Mr　Davy　Higgins；　an　eminent　attorney　of
this　place；　who；　after　due　inspection　and　consideration；
declareth；　That　he　doth　not　think　the　said　Letters　contain　any
matter　which　will　be　held　actionable　in　the　eye　of　the　law。
Finally；　if　you　and　I　should　come　to　a　right　understanding；　I　do
declare　in　verbo　sacerdotis；　that；　in　case　of　any　such
prosecution；　I　will　take　the　whole　upon　my　own　shoulders；　even
quoad　fine　and　imprisonment；　though；　I　must　confess；　I　should　not
care　to　undergo　flagellation：　Tam　ad　turpitudinem；　quam　ad
amaritudinem　poenoe　spectans　　Secondly；　concerning　the　personal
resentment　of　Mr　Justice　Lismahago；　I　may　say；　non　flocci　facio　
I　would　not　willingly　vilipend　any　Christian；　if；　peradventure；
he　deserveth　that　epithet：　albeit；　I　am　much　surprised　that　more
care　is　not　taken　to　exclude　from　the　commission　all　such　vagrant
foreigners　as　may　be　justly　suspected　of　disaffection　to　our
happy　constitution；　in　church　and　state　　God　forbid　that　I
should　be　so　uncharitable；　as　to　affirm；　positively；　that　the
said　Lismahago　is　no　better　than　a　Jesuit　in　disguise；　but　this　I
will　assert　and　maintain；　totis　viribus；　that；　from　the　day　he
qualified；　he　has　never　been　once　seen　intra　templi　parietes；
that　is　to　say；　within　the　parish　church。

Thirdly；　with　respect　to　what　passed　at　Mr　Kendal's　table；　when
the　said　Lismahago　was　so　brutal　in　his　reprehensions；　I　must
inform　you；　my　good　Sir；　that　I　was　obliged　to　retire；　not　by
fear　arising　from　his　minatory　reproaches；　which；　as　I　said
above；　I　value　not　of　a　rush；　but　from　the　sudden　effect
produced；　by　a　barbel's　row；　which　I　had　eaten　at　dinner；　not
knowing；　that　the　said　row　is　at　certain　seasons　violently
cathartic；　as　Galen　observeth　in　his　chapter　Peri　ichtos。

Fourthly；　and　lastly；　with　reference　to　the　manner　in　which　I　got
possession　of　these　Letters；　it　is　a　circumstance　that　concerns
my　own　conscience　only；　sufficeth　it　to　say；　I　have　fully
satisfied　the　parties　in　whose　custody　they　were；　and；　by　this
time；　I　hope　I　have　also　satisfied　you　in　such　ways；　that　the
last　hand　may　be　put　to　our　agreement；　and　the　work　proceed　with
all　convenient　expedition；　in　which　I　hope　I　rest；

Respected　Sir；
Your　very　humble　servant；

JONATHAN　DUSTWICH。

P。S。　I　propose；　Deo　volente；　to　have　the　pleasure　of　seeing　you
in　the　great　city；　towards　All…hallowtide；　when　I　shall　be　glad
to　treat　with　you　concerning　a　parcel　of　MS。　sermons；　of　a
certain　clergyman　deceased；　a　cake　of　the　right　leaven；　for　the
present　taste　of　the　public。　Verbum　sapienti；　&c。

J。D。



To　the　Revd。　Mr　JONATHAN　DUSTWICH；　at　

SIR；

I　received　yours　in　course　of　post；　and　shall　be　glad　to　treat
with　you　for　the　M。S。　which　I　have　delivered　to　your　friend　Mr
Behn；　but　can　by　no　means　comply　with　the　terms　proposed。　Those
things　are　so　uncertain　　Writing　is　all　a　lottery　　I　have
been　a　loser　by　the　works　of　the　greatest　men　of　the　age　　I
could　mention　particulars；　and　name　names；　but　don't　choose　it　
The　taste　of　the　town　is　so　changeable。　Then　there　have　been　so
many　letters　upon　travels　lately　published　　What　between
Smollett's；　Sharp's；　Derrick's；　Thicknesse's；　Baltimore's；　and
Baretti's；　together　with　Shandy's　Sentimental　Travels；　the　public
seems　to　be　cloyed　with　that　kind　of　entertainment　
Nevertheless；　I　will；　if　you　please；　run　the　risque　of　printing
and　publishing；　and　you　shall　have　half　the　profits　of　the
impression　　You　need　not　take　the　trouble　to　bring　up　your
sermons　on　my　account　　No　body　reads　sermons　but　Methodists　and
Dissenters　　Besides；　for　my　own　part；　I　am　quite　a　stranger　to
that　sort　of　reading；　and　the　two　persons；　whose　judgment　I
depended　upon　in　those　matters；　are　out　of　the　way；　one　is　gone
abroad；　carpenter　of　a　man　of　war；　and　the　other；　has　been　silly
enough　to　abscond；　in　order　to　avoid　a　prosecution　for　blasphemy
　I'm　a　great　loser　by　his　going　off　　He　has　left　a　manual　of
devotion　half　finished　on　my　hands；　after　having　received　money
for　the　whole　copy　　He　was　the　soundest　divine；　and　had　the
most　orthodox　pen　of　all　my　people；　and　I　never　knew　his　judgment
fail；　but　in　flying　from　his　bread　and　butter　on　this　occasion。

By　owning　you　was　not　put　in　bodily　fear　by　Lismahago；　you
preclude　yourself　from　the　benefit　of　a　good　plea；　over　and　above
the　advantage　of　binding　him　over。　In　the　late　war；　I　inserted　in
my　evening　paper；　a　paragraph　that　came　by　the　post；　reflecting
upon　the　behaviour　of　a　certain　regiment　in　battle。　An　officer　of
said　regiment　came　to　my　shop；　and；　in　the　presence　of　my　wife
and　journeyman；　threatened　to　cut　off　my　ears　　As　I　exhibited
marks　of　bodily　fear　more　ways　than　one；　to　the　conviction　of　the
byestanders；　I　bound　him　over；　my　action　lay；　and　I　recovered。　As
for　flagellation；　you　have　nothing　to　fear；　and　nothing　to　hope；
on　that　head　　There　has　been　but　one　printer　flogged　at　the
cart's　tail　these　thirty　years；　that　was　Charles　Watson；　and　he
assured　me　it　was　no　more　than　a　flea…bite。　C　S　has　been
threatened　several　times　by　the　House　of　L；　but　it　came　to
nothing。　If　an　information　should　be　moved　for；　and　granted
against　you；　as　the　editor　of　those　Letters；　I　hope　you　will　have
honesty　and　wit　enough　to　appear　and　take　your　trial　　If　you
should　be　sentenced　to　the　pillory；　your　fortune　is　made　　As
times　go；　that's　a　sure　step　to　honour　and　preferment。　I　shall
think　myself　happy　if　I　can　lend　you　a　lift；　and　am；　very
sincerely；

Yours；

HENRY　DAVIS。
LONDON；　Aug。　10th。

Please　my　kind　service　to　your　neighbour；　my　cousin　Madoc　　I
have　sent　an　Almanack　and　Court…kalendar；　directed　for　him　at　Mr
Sutton's；　bookseller；　in　Gloucester；　carriage　paid；　which　he　will
please　to　accept　as　a　small　token　of　my　regard。　My　wife；　who　is
very　fond　of　toasted　cheese；　presents　her　compliments　to　him；　and
begs　to　know　if　there's　any　of　that　kind；　which　he　was　so　good　as
to　send　us　last　Christmas；　to　be　sold　in　London。

H。　D。



THE　EXPEDITION　OF　HUMPHRY　CLINKER


To　Dr　LEWIS。

DOCTOR；

The　pills　are　good　for　nothing　　I　might　as　well　swallow
snowballs　to　cool　my　reins　　I　have　told　you　over　and　over　how
hard　I　am　to　move；　and　at　this　time　of　day；　I　ought　to　know
something　of　my　own　constitution。　Why　will　you　be　so　positive？
Prithee　send　me　another　prescription　　I　am　as　lame　and　as　much
tortured　in　all　my　limbs　as　if　I　was　broke　upon　the　wheel：
indeed；　I　am　equally　distressed　in　mind　and　body　　As　if　I　had
not　plagues　enough　of　my　own；　those　children　of　my　sister　are
left　me　for　a　perpetual　source　of　vexation　　what　business　have
people　to　get　children　to　plague　their　neighbours？　A　ridiculous
incident　that　happened　yesterday　to　my　niece　Liddy；　has
disordered　me　in　such　a　manner；　that　I　expect　to　be　laid　up　with
another　fit　of　the　gout　　perhaps；　I　may　explain　myself　in　my
next。　I　shall　set　out　tomorrow　morning　for　the　Hot　Well　at
Bristol；　where　I　am　afraid　I　shall　stay　longer　than　I　could　wish。
On　the　receipt　of　this　send　Williams　thither　with　my　saddle…horse
and　the　demi　pique。　Tell　Barns　to　thresh　out　the　two　old　ricks；
and　send　the　corn　to　market；　and　sell　it　off　to　the　poor　at　a
shilling　a　bushel　under　market　price。　　I　have　received　a
snivelling　letter　from　Griffin；　offering　to　make　a　public
submission　and　pay　costs。　I　want　none　of　his　submissions；　neither
will　I　pocket　any　of　his　money。　The　fellow　is　a　bad　neighbour；　and
I　desire；　to　have　nothing　to　do　with　him：　but　as　he　is　purse…proud；
he　shall　pay　for　his　insolence：　let　him　give　five　pounds
to　the　poor　of　the　parish；　and　I　will　withdraw　my　action；　and　in
the　mean　time　you　may　tell　Prig　to　stop　proceedings。　　Let
Morgan's　widow　have　the　Alderney　cow；　and　forty　shillings　to
clothe　her　children：　but　don't　say　a　syllable　of　the　matter　to
any　living　soul　　I'll　make　her　pay　when　she　is　able。　I　desire
you　will　lock　up　all　my　drawers；　and　keep　the　keys　till　meeting；
and　be　sure　you　take　the　iron　chest　with　my　papers　into　your　own
custody　　Forgive　all；　this　trouble　from；

Dear　Lewis；
Your　affectionate
M。　BRAMBLE
GLOUCESTER；　April　2。


To　Mrs　GWYLLIM；　house…keeper　at　Brambleton…hall。

MRS　GWILLIM；

When　　this　cums　to　hand；　be　sure　to　pack　up　in　the　trunk　male
that　stands　in　my　closet；　to　be　sent　me　in　the　Bristol　waggon
without　loss　of　time；　the　following　articles；　viz。　my　rose
collard　neglejay　with　green　robins；　my　yellow　damask；　and　my
black　velvets　with　the　short　hoop；　my　bloo　quilted　petticot；　my
green　mantel；　my　laced　apron；　my　French　commode；　Macklin　head　and
lappets　and　the　litel　box　with　my　jowls。　Williams　may　bring　over
my　bum…daffee；　and　the　viol　with　the　easings　of　Dr　Hill's
dockwater　and　Chowder's　lacksitif。　The　poor　creature　has　been
terribly　stuprated　ever　since　we　left　huom。　Pray　take　particular
care　of　the　house　while　the　family　is　absent。　Let　there　be　a　fire
constantly　kept　in　my　brother's　chamber　and　mine。　The　maids；
having　nothing　to　do；　may　be　sat　a　spinning。　I　desire　you'll　clap
a　pad…luck　on　the　wind…seller；　and　let　none　of　the　men　have　excess　to
the　strong　bear　　don't　forget　to　have　the　gate　shit　every
evening　be　dark　　The　gardnir　and　the　hind　may　lie　below　in　t