the expedition of humphry clinker-第2部分

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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　the
landry；　to　partake　the　house；　with　the　blunderbuss　and　the　great
dog；　and　hope　you'll　have　a　watchful　eye　over　the　maids。　I　know
that　hussy　Mary　Jones；　loves　to　be　rumping　with　the　men。　Let　me
know　Alderney's　calf　be　sould　yet；　and　what　he　fought　　if　the
ould　goose　be　sitting；　and　if　the　cobler　has　cut　Dicky；　and　how
pore　anemil　bore　the　operation。　No　more　at　present；　but　rests；

Yours；
TABITHA　BRAMBLE
GLOSTAR；　April　2。


TO　Mrs　MARY　JONES；　at　Brambleton…hall。

DEAR　MOLLY；

Heaving　this　importunity；　I　send；　my　love　to　you　and　Saul；　being
in　good　health；　and　hoping　to　hear　the　same　from　you；　and　that
you　and　Saul　will　take　my　poor　kitten　to　bed　with　you　this　cold
weather。　We　have　been　all　in；　a　sad　taking　here　at　Glostar　
Miss　Liddy　had　like　to　have　run　away　with　a　player…man；　and　young
master　and　he　would　adone　themselves　a　mischief；　but　the；　squire
applied　to　the　mare；　and　they　were；　bound　over。　　Mistress　bid
me　not　speak　a　word　of　the　matter　to　any　Christian　soul　　no
more　I　shall；　for；　we　servints　should　see　all　and　say　nothing　
But　what　was　worse　than　all　this；　Chowder　has；　had　the；
misfortune　to　be　worried　by　a　butcher's　dog；　and　came　home　in　a
terrible　pickle　　Mistress　was　taken　with　the　asterisks；　but
they　soon　went　off。　The　doctor　was　sent　for　to　Chowder；　and　he
subscribed　a　repository　which　did　him　great　service　　thank　God
he's　now　in　a　fair　way　to　do　well　　pray　take　care　of　my　box　and
the　pillyber　and　put　them　under　your　own　bed；　for；　I　do　suppose
madam；　Gwyllim　will　be　a　prying　into　my　secrets；　now　my　back　is
turned。　　John　Thomas　is　in　good　health；　but　sulky。　The　squire
gave　away　an　ould　coat　to　a　poor　man；　and　John　says　as；　how　'tis
robbing　him　of　his　perquisites。　　I　told　him；　by　his　agreement
he　was　to　receive　no　vails；　but　he　says　as　how　there's　a
difference　betwixt　vails　and　perquisites；　and　so　there　is　for
sartain。　We　are　all　going　to　the　Hot　Well；　where　I　shall　drink
your　health　in　a　glass　of　water；　being；

Dear　Molly；
Your　humble　servant　to　command；
W。　JENKINS
GLOSTAR；　April　2nd。


To　Sir　WATKIN　PHILLIPS；　Bart。　of　Jesus　college；　Oxon。

DEAR　PHILLIPS；

As　I　have　nothing　more　at　heart　than　to　convince　you　I　am
incapable　of　forgetting；　or　neglecting　the　friendship　I　made　at
college；　now　begin　that　correspondence　by　letters；　which　you　and
I　agreed；　at　parting；　to　cultivate。　I　begin　it　sooner　than　I
intended；　that　you　may　have　it　in　your　power　to　refute　any　idle
reports　which　may　be　circulated　to　my　prejudice　at　Oxford；
touching　a　foolish　quarrel；　in　which　I　have　been　involved　on
account　of　my　sister；　who　had　been　some　time　settled　here　in　a
boarding…school。　When　I　came　hither　with　my　uncle　and　aunt　（who
are　our　guardians）　to　fetch　her　away；　I　found　her　a　fine　tall
girl；　of　seventeen；　with　an　agreeable　person；　but　remarkably
simple；　and　quite　ignorant　of　the　world。　This　disposition；　and
want　of　experience；　had　exposed　her　to　the　addresses　of　a　person
　I　know　not　what　to　call　him；　who　had　seen　her　at　a　play；　and；
with　a　confidence　and　dexterity　peculiar　to　himself；　found　means
to　be　recommended　to　her　acquaintance。　It　was　by　the　greatest
accident　I　intercepted　one　of　his　letters；　as　it　was　my　duty　to
stifle　this　correspondence　in　its　birth；　I　made　it　my　business　to
find　him　out；　and　tell　him　very　freely　my　sentiments　of　the
matter。　The　spark　did　not　like　the　stile　I　used；　and　behaved　with
abundance　of　mettle。　Though　his　rank　in　life　（which；　by　the　bye；
I　am　ashamed　to　declare）　did　not　entitle　him　to　much　deference；
yet　as　his　behaviour　was　remarkably　spirited；　I　admitted　him　to
the　privilege　of　a　gentleman；　and　something　might　have　happened；
had　not　we　been　prevented。　　In　short；　the　business　took　air；　I
know　not　how；　and　made　abundance　of　noise　　recourse　was　had　to
justice　　I　was　obliged　to　give　my　word　and　honour；　&c。　and
to…morrow　morning　we　set　out　for　Bristol　Wells；　where　I　expect　to
hear　from　you　by　the　return　of　the　post。　　I　have　got　into　a
family　of　originals；　whom　I　may　one　day　attempt　to　describe　for
your　amusement。　My　aunt；　Mrs　Tabitha　Bramble；　is　a　maiden　of
forty…five；　exceedingly　starched；　vain；　and　ridiculous。　　My
uncle　is　an　odd　kind　of　humorist；　always　on　the　fret；　and　so
unpleasant　in　his　manner；　that　rather　than　be　obliged　to　keep　him
company；　I'd　resign　all　claim　to　the　inheritance　of　his　estate。
Indeed　his　being　tortured　by　the　gout　may　have　soured　his　temper；
and；　perhaps；　I　may　like　him　better　on　further　acquaintance；
certain　it　is；　all　his　servants　and　neighbours　in　the　country　are
fond　of　him；　even　to　a　degree　of　enthusiasm；　the　reason　of　which
I　cannot　as　yet　comprehend。　Remember　me　to　Griffy　Price；　Gwyn；
Mansel；　Basset；　and　all　the　rest　of　my　old　Cambrian　companions。　
Salute　the　bedmaker　in　my　name　　give　my　service　to　the　cook；
and　pray　take　care　of　poor　Ponto；　for　the　sake　of　his　old　master；
who　is；　and　ever　will　be；

Dear　Phillips；
Your　affectionate　friend；
and　humble　servant；
JER。　MELFORD
GLOUCESTER；　April　2。



To　Mrs　JERMYN　at　her　house　in　Gloucester。

DEAR　MADAM；

Having　no　mother　of　my　own；　I　hope　you　will　give　me　leave　to
disburden　my　poor　heart　to　you；　who　have　always　acted　the　part　of
a　kind　parent　to　me；　ever　since　I　was　put　under　your　care。
Indeed；　and　indeed；　my　worthy　governess　may　believe　me；　when　I
assure　her；　that　I　never　harboured　a　thought　that　was　otherwise
than　virtuous；　and；　if　God　will　give　me　grace；　I　shall　never
behave　so　as　to　cast　a　reflection　on　the　care　you　have　taken　in
my　education。　I　confess　I　have　given　just　cause　of　offence　by　my
want　of　prudence　and　experience。　I　ought　not　to　have　listened　to
what　the　young　man　said；　and　it　was　my　duty　to　have　told　you　all
that　passed；　but　I　was　ashamed　to　mention　it；　and　then　he　behaved
so　modest　and　respectful；　and　seemed　to　be　so　melancholy　and
timorous；　that　I　could　not　find　in　my　heart　to　do　any　thing　that
should　make　him　miserable　and　desperate。　As　for　familiarities；　I
do　declare；　I　never　once　allowed　him　the　favour　of　a：　salute；　and
as　to　the　few　letters　that　passed　between　us；　they　are　all　in　my
uncle's　hands；　and　I　hope　they　contain　nothing　contrary　to
innocence　and　honour。　　I　am　still　persuaded　that　he　is　not　what
he　appears　to　be：　but　time　will　discover　　mean　while　I　will
endeavour　to　forget　a　connexion；　which　is　so　displeasing　to　my
family。　I　have　cried　without　ceasing；　and　have　not　tasted　any
thing　but　tea；　since　I　was　hurried　away　from　you；　nor　did　I　once
close　my　eyes　for　three　nights　running。　　My　aunt　continues　to
chide　me　severely　when　we　are　by　ourselves；　but　I　hope　to　soften
her　in　time；　by　humility　and　submission。　　My　uncle；　who　was　so
dreadfully　passionate　in　the　beginning；　has　been　moved　by　my
tears　and　distress；　and　is　now　all　tenderness　and　compassion；　and
my　brother　is　reconciled　to　me　on　my　promise　to　break　off　all
correspondence　with　that　unfortunate　youth；　but；　notwithstanding
all　their　indulgence；　I　shall　have　no　peace　of　mind　till　I　know
my　dear　and　ever　honoured　governess　has　forgiven　her　poor；
disconsolate；　forlorn；

Affectionate　humble　servant；
till　death；
LYDIA　MELFORD
CLIFTON；　April　6。



To　Miss　LAETITIA　WILLIS；　at　Gloucester。

MY　DEAREST　LETTY；

I　am　in　such　a　fright；　lest　this　should　not　come　safe　to　hand　by
the　conveyance　of　Jarvis　the　carrier；　that　I　beg　you　will　write
me；　on　the　receipt　of　it；　directing　to　me；　under　cover；　to　Mrs
Winifred　Jenkins；　my　aunt's　maid；　who　is　a　good　girl；　and　has
been　so　kind　to　me　in　my　affliction；　that　I　have　made　her　my
confidant；　as　for　Jarvis；　he　was　very　shy　of　taking　charge　of　my
letter　and　the　little　parcel；　because　his　sister　Sally　had　like
to　have　lost　her　place　on　my　account：　indeed　I　cannot　blame　the
man　for　his　caution；　but　I　have　made　it　worth　his　while。　　My
dear　companion　and　bed…fellow；　it　is　a　grievous　addition　to　my
other　misfortunes；　that　I　am　deprived　of　your　agreeable　company
and　conversation；　at　a　time　when　I　need　so　much　the　comfort　of
your　good　humour　and　good　sense；　but；　I　hope；　the　friendship　we
contracted　at　boarding…school；　will　last　for　life　　I　doubt　not
but　on　my　side　it　will　da