form such a wish； considering how much I am indebted to your
goodness； and the ineffable pleasure I have derived from your
indulgence and approbation Good God！ I never heard your name
mentioned without emotion！ the most distant prospect of being
admitted to your company； filled my whole soul with a kind of
pleasing alarm！ as the time approached； my heart beat with
redoubled force； and every nerve thrilled with a transport of
expectation； but； when I found myself actually in your presence；
when I heard you speak； when I saw you smile； when I beheld
your charming eyes turned favourably upon me； my breast was filled
with such tumults of delight； as wholly deprived me of the power
of utterance； and wrapt me in a delirium of joy！ encouraged by
your sweetness of temper and affability； I ventured to describe
the feelings of my heart even then you did not check my
presumption you pitied my sufferings and gave me leave to hope
you put a favourable perhaps too favourable a construction； on
my appearance certain it is； I am no player in love I speak
the language of my own heart； and have no prompter but nature。
Yet there is something in this heart； which I have not yet
disclosed。 I flattered myself But； I will not I must not
proceed。 Dear Miss Liddy！ for Heaven's sake； contrive； if
possible； some means of letting me speak to you before you leave
Gloucester； otherwise； I know not what will But I begin to
rave again。 I will endeavour to bear this trial with fortitude
while I am capable of reflecting upon your tenderness and
truth； I surely have no cause to despair a cloud hangs over
me； and there is a dreadful weight upon my spirits！ While you
stay in this place； I shall continually hover about your
lodgings； as the parted soul is said to linger about the grave
where its mortal comfort lies。 I know； if it is in your power；
you will task your humanity your compassion shall I add；
your affection？ in order to assuage the almost intolerable
disquiet that torments the heart of your afflicted；
WILSON
GLOUCESTER； March 31。
To Sir WATKIN PHILLIPS； of Jesus college； Oxon。
HOT WELL； April 18。
DEAR PHILLIPS；
I give Mansel credit for his invention； in propagating the report
that I had a quarrel with a mountebank's merry Andrew at
Gloucester： but I have too much respect for every appendage of
wit； to quarrel even with the lowest buffoonery； and therefore I
hope Mansel and I shall always be good friends。 I cannot；
however； approve of his drowning my poor dog Ponto； on purpose to
convert Ovid's pleonasm into a punning epitaph； deerant quoque
Littora Ponto： for； that he threw him into the Isis； when it was
so high and impetuous； with no other view than to kill the fleas；
is an excuse that will not hold water But I leave poor Ponto
to his fate； and hope Providence will take care to accommodate
Mansel with a drier death。
As there is nothing that can be called company at the Well； I am
here in a state of absolute rustication： This； however； gives me
leisure to observe the singularities in my uncle's character；
which seems to have interested your curiosity。 The truth is； his
disposition and mine； which； like oil and vinegar； repelled one
another at first； have now begun to mix by dint of being beat up
together。 I was once apt to believe him a complete Cynic； and
that nothing but the necessity of his occasions could compel him
to get within the pale of society I am now of another opinion。
I think his peevishness arises partly from bodily pain； and
partly from a natural excess of mental sensibility； for； I
suppose； the mind as well as the body； is in some cases endued
with a morbid excess of sensation。
I was t'other day much diverted with a conversation that passed
in the Pump…room； betwixt him and the famous Dr Ln； who is come
to ply at the Well for patients。 My uncle was complaining of the
stink； occasioned by the vast quantity of mud and slime which the
river leaves at low ebb under the windows of the Pumproom。 He
observed； that the exhalations arising from such a nuisance；
could not but be prejudicial to the weak lungs of many
consumptive patients； who came to drink the water。 The Doctor
overhearing this remark； made up to him； and assured him he was
mistaken。 He said； people in general were so misled by vulgar
prejudices that philosophy was hardly sufficient to undeceive
them。 Then humming thrice； he assumed a most ridiculous solemnity
of aspect； and entered into a learned investigation of the nature
of stink。 He observed； that stink； or stench； meant no more than
a strong impression on the olfactory nerves； and might be applied
to substances of the most opposite qualities； that in the Dutch
language； stinken signifies the most agreeable perfume； as well
as the most fetid odour； as appears in Van Vloudel's translation
of Horace； in that beautiful ode； Quis multa gracilis； &c。 The
words fiquidis perfusus odoribus； he translates van civet &
moschata gestinken： that individuals differed toto coelo in their
opinion of smells； which； indeed； was altogether as arbitrary as
the opinion of beauty； that the French were pleased with the
putrid effluvia of animal food； and so were the Hottentots in
Africa； and the Savages in Greenland； and that the Negroes on the
coast of Senegal would not touch fish till it was rotten； strong
presumptions in favour of what is generally called stink； as
those nations are in a state of nature； undebauched by luxury；
unseduced by whim and caprice： that he had reason to believe the
stercoraceous flavour； condemned by prejudice as a stink； was； in
fact； most agreeable to the organs of smelling； for； that every
person who pretended to nauseate the smell of another's
excretions； snuffed up his own with particular complacency； for
the truth of which he appealed to all the ladies and gentlemen
then present： he said； the inhabitants of Madrid and Edinburgh
found particular satisfaction in breathing their own atmosphere；
which was always impregnated with stercoraceous effluvia： that
the learned Dr B； in his treatise on the Four Digestions；
explains in what manner the volatile effluvia from the intestines
stimulate and promote the operations of the animal economy： he
affirmed； the last Grand Duke of Tuscany； of the Medicis family；
who refined upon sensuality with the spirit of a philosopher； was
so delighted with that odour； that he caused the essence of
ordure to be extracted； and used it as the most delicious
perfume： that he himself （the doctor） when he happened to be low…spirited；
or fatigued with business； found immediate relief and
uncommon satisfaction from hanging over the stale contents of a
close…stool； while his servant stirred it about under his nose；
nor was this effect to be wondered at； when we consider that this
substance abounds with the self…same volatile salts that are so
greedily smelled to by the most delicate invalids； after they
have been extracted and sublimed by the chemists。 By this time
the company began to hold their noses； but the doctor； without
taking the least notice of this signal； proceeded to shew； that
many fetid substances were not only agreeable but salutary； such
as assa foetida； and other medicinal gums； resins； roots； and
vegetables； over and above burnt feathers； tan…pits； candle…snuffs；
&c。 In short； he used many learned arguments to persuade
his audience out of their senses； and from stench made a
transition to filth； which he affirmed was also a mistaken idea；
in as much as objects so called； were no other than certain
modifications of matter； consisting of the same principles that
enter into the composition of all created essences； whatever they
may be： that in the filthiest production of nature； a philosopher
considered nothing but the earth； water； salt and air； of which
it was compounded； that； for his own part； he had no more
objections to drinking the dirtiest ditch…water； than he had to a
glass of water from the Hot Well； provided he was assured there
was nothing poisonous in the concrete。 Then addressing himself to
my uncle； 'Sir （said he） you seem to be of a dropsical habit； and
probably will soon have a confirmed ascites： if I should be
present when you are tapped； I will give you a convincing proof
of what I assert； by drinking without hesitation the water that
comes out of your abdomen。' The ladies made wry faces at this
declaration； and my uncle； changing colour； told him he did not
desire any such proof of his philosophy： 'But I should he glad to
know （said he） what makes you think I am of a dropsical habit？'
'Sir； I beg pardon （replied the Doctor） I perceive your ancles
are swelled； and you seem to have the facies leucophlegmatica。
Perhaps； indeed； your disorder may be oedematous； or gouty； or it
may be the lues venerea： If you have any reason to flatter
yourself it is this last； sir； I will undertake to cure you with
three small pills； even if the disease should have attained its
utmost inveteracy。 Sir； it is an arcanum； which I have
discovered； and prepared with infinite labour。 Sir； I have
lately cured a woman in Bristol a common prostitute； sir； who
had got all the worst symptoms of the disorder； such as nodi；
tophi； and gummata； verruca； cristoe Galli； and a serpiginous
eruption； or rather a pocky itch all over her body。 By the time
she had taken the second pill； sir； by Heaven！ she was as smooth
as my hand； and the third made her sound and as fresh as a new
born infant。' 'Sir （cried my uncle peevishly） I have no reason to
flatter myself that my disorder comes within the efficacy of your
nostrum。 But this patient you talk of may not be so sound at
bottom as you imagine。' 'I can't possibly be mistaken （rejoined
the philosopher） for I have had communication with her three
times I always ascertain my cures in that manner。' At this
remark； all the ladies retired to another corner of the room； and
some of them began to spit。 As to my uncle； though he was
ruffled at first by the doctor's saying he was dropsical； he
could not help smiling at this ridiculous confession and； I
suppose； with a view to punish this original； told him there was
a wart upon his nose； that looked a little suspicious。 '