the expedition of humphry clinker-第54部分

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served　only　to　agitate　his　humour　for　disputation。　　He　said；　if
every　nation　had　its　own　recitative　or　music；　the　Scots　had
theirs；　and　the　Scotchman　who　had　not　yet　acquired　the　cadence　of
the　English；　would　naturally　use　his　own　in　speaking　their
language；　therefore；　if　he　was　better　understood　than　the　native；
his　recitative　must　be　more　intelligible　than　that　of　the
English；　of　consequence；　the　dialect　of　the　Scots　had　an
advantage　over　that　of　their　fellow…subjects；　and　this　was
another　strong　presumption　that　the　modern　English　had　corrupted
their　language　in　the　article　of　pronunciation。

The　lieutenant　was；　by　this　time；　become　so　polemical；　that　every
time　he　opened　his　mouth　out　flew　a　paradox；　which　he　maintained
with　all　the　enthusiasm　of　altercation；　but　all　his　paradoxes
favoured　strong　of　a　partiality　for　his　own　country。　He　undertook
to　prove　that　poverty　was　a　blessing　to　a　nation；　that　oatmeal
was　preferable　to　wheat…flour；　and　that　the　worship　of　Cloacina；
in　temples　which　admitted　both　sexes；　and　every　rank　of　votaries
promiscuously；　was　a　filthy　species　of　idolatry　that　outraged
every　idea　of　delicacy　and　decorum。　I　did　not　so　much　wonder　at
his　broaching　these　doctrines；　as　at　the　arguments；　equally
whimsical　and　ingenious；　which　he　adduced　in　support　of　them。

In　fine；　lieutenant　Lismahago　is　a　curiosity　which　I　have　not　yet
sufficiently　perused；　and　therefore　I　shall　be　sorry　when　we　lose
his　company；　though；　God　knows；　there　is　nothing　very　amiable　in
his　manner　or　disposition。　　As　he　goes　directly　to　the　south…west
division　of　Scotland；　and　we　proceed　in　the　road　to　Berwick；　we
shall　part　tomorrow　at　a　place　called　Feltonbridge；　and；　I　dare
say；　this　separation　will　be　very　grievous　to　our　aunt　Mrs
Tabitha；　unless　she　has　received　some　flattering　assurance　of　his
meeting　her　again。　If　I　fail　in　my　purpose　of　entertaining　you
with　these　unimportant　occurrences；　they　will　at　least　serve　as
exercises　of　patience；　for　which　you　are　indebted　to


Yours　always；
J。　MELFORD
MORPETH；　July　13。



To　Dr　LEWIS。

DEAR　DOCTOR；

I　have　now　reached　the　northern　extremity　of　England；　and　see；
close　to　my　chamber…window；　the　Tweed　gliding　through　the　arches
of　that　bridge　which　connects　this　suburb　to　the　town　of
Berwick。　　Yorkshire　you　have　seen；　and　therefore　I　shall　say
nothing　of　that　opulent　province。　The　city　of　Durham　appears　like
a　confused　heap　of　stones　and　brick；　accumulated　so　as　to　cover　a
mountain；　round　which　a　river　winds　its　brawling　course。　The
Streets　are　generally　narrow；　dark；　and　unpleasant；　and　many　of
them　almost　impassible　in　consequence　of　their　declivity。　The
cathedral　is　a　huge　gloomy　pile；　but　the　clergy　are　well　lodged。　
The　bishop　lives　in　a　princely　manner　　the　golden　prebends　keep
plentiful　tables　　and；　I　am　told；　there　is　some　good　sociable
company　in　the　place；　but　the　country；　when　viewed　from　the　top
of　Gateshead…Fell；　which　extends　to　Newcastle；　exhibits　the
highest　scene　of　cultivation　that　ever　I　beheld。　As　for
Newcastle；　it　lies　mostly　in　a　bottom；　on　the　banks　of　the　Tyne；
and　makes　an　appearance　still　more　disagreeable　than　that　of
Durham；　but　it　is　rendered　populous　and　rich　by　industry　and
commerce；　and　the　country　lying　on　both　sides　the　river；　above
the　town；　yields　a　delightful　prospect　of　agriculture　and
plantation。　Morpeth　and　Alnwick　are　neat；　pretty　towns；　and　this
last　is　famous　for　the　castle　which　has　belonged　so　many　ages　to
the　noble　house　of　Piercy；　earls　of　Northumberland。　　It　is；
doubtless；　a　large　edifice；　containing　a　great　number　of
apartments；　and　stands　in　a　commanding　　situation；　but　the
strength　of　it　seems　to　have　consisted　not　so　much　in　its　site；
or　the　manner　in　which　it　is　fortified；　as　in　the　valour　of　its
defendants。

Our　adventures　since　we　left　Scarborough；　are　scarce　worth
reciting；　and　yet　I　must　make　you　acquainted　with　my　sister
Tabby's　progress　in　husband…hunting；　after　her　disappointments　at
Bath　and　London。　She　had　actually　begun　to　practise　upon　a
certain　adventurer；　who　was　in　fact　a　highwayman　by　profession；
but　he　had　been　used　to　snares　much　more　dangerous　than　any　she
could　lay；　and　escaped　accordingly。　Then　she　opened　her　batteries
upon　an　old　weather…beaten　Scotch　lieutenant；　called　Lismahago；
who　joined　us　at　Durham；　and　is；　I　think；　one　of　the　most
singular　personages　I　ever　encountered　　His　manner　is　as　harsh　as
his　countenance；　but　his　peculiar　turn　of　thinking；　and　his　pack
of　knowledge　made　up　of　the　remnants　of　rarities；　rendered　his
conversation　desirable；　in　spite　of　his　pedantry　and　ungracious
address。　I　have　often　met　with　a　crab…apple　in　a　hedge；　which　I
have　been　tempted　to　eat　for　its　flavour；　even　while　I　was
disgusted　by　its　austerity。　The　spirit　of　contradiction　is
naturally　so　strong　in　Lismahago；　that　I　believe　in　my　conscience
he　has　rummaged；　and　read；　and　studied　with　indefatigable
attention；　in　order　to　qualify　himself　to　refute　established
maxims；　and　thus　raise　trophies　for　the　gratification　of
polemical　pride。　　Such　is　the　asperity　of　his　self…conceit；　that
he　will　not　even　acquiesce　in　a　transient　compliment　made　to　his
own　individual　in　particular；　or　to　his　country　in　general。

When　I　observed；　that　he　must　have　read　a　vast　number　of　books　to
be　able　to　discourse　on　such　a　variety　of　subjects；　he　declared
he　had　read　little　or　nothing；　and　asked　how　he　should　find　books
among　the　woods　of　America；　where　he　had　spent　the　greatest　part
of　his　life。　My　nephew　remarking　that　the　Scots　in　general　were
famous　for　their　learning；　he　denied　the　imputation；　and　defied
him　to　prove　it　from　their　works　　'The　Scots　（said　he）　have　a
slight　tincture　of　letters；　with　which　they　make　a　parade　among
people　who　are　more　illiterate　than　themselves；　but　they　may　be
said　to　float　on　the　surface　of　science；　and　they　have　made　very
small　advances　in　the　useful　arts。'　'At　least　（cried　Tabby）；　all
the　world　allows　that　the　Scots　behaved　gloriously　in　fighting
and　conquering　the　savages　of　America。'　'I　can　assure　you；　madam；
you　have　been　misinformed　（replied　the　lieutenant）；　in　that
continent　the　Scots　did　nothing　more　than　their　duty；　nor　was
there　one　corps　in　his　majesty's　service　that　distinguished
itself　more　than　another。　　Those　who　affected　to　extol　the　Scots
for　superior　merit；　were　no　friends　to　that　nation。'

Though　he　himself　made　free　with　his　countrymen；　he　would　not
suffer　any　other　person　to　glance　a　sarcasm　at　them　with
impunity。　One　of　the　company　chancing　to　mention　lord　B's
inglorious　peace；　the　lieutenant　immediately　took　up　the　cudgels
in　his　lordship's　favour；　and　argued　very　strenuously　to　prove
that　it　was　the　most　honourable　and　advantageous　peace　that
England　had　ever　made　since　the　foundation　of　the　monarchy。　　Nay；
between　friends；　he　offered　such　reasons　on　this　subject；　that　I
was　really　confounded；　if　not　convinced。　　He　would　not　allow　that
the　Scots　abounded　above　their　proportion　in　the　army　and　navy　of
Great…Britain；　or　that　the　English　had　any　reason　to　say　his
countrymen　had　met　with　extraordinary　encouragement　in　the
service。　'When　a　South　and　North…Briton　（said　he）　are　competitors
for　a　place　or　commission；　which　is　in　the　disposal　of　an　English
minister　or　an　English　general；　it　would　be　absurd　to　suppose
that　the　preference　will　not　be　given　to　the　native　of　England；
who　has　so　many　advantages　over　his　rival。　　First　and　foremost；
he　has　in　his　favour　that　laudable　partiality；　which；　Mr　Addison
says；　never　fails　to　cleave　to　the　heart　of　an　Englishman；　secondly；
he　has　more　powerful　connexions；　and　a　greater　share　of　parliamentary
interest；　by　which　those　contests　are　generally　decided；　and
lastly；　he　has　a　greater　command　of　money　to　smooth　the　way　to
his　success。　For　my　own　part　（said　he）；　I　know　no　Scotch　officer；
who　has　risen　in　the　army　above　the　rank　of　a　subaltern；　without
purchasing　every　degree　of　preferment　either　with　money　or
recruits；　but　I　know　many　gentlemen　of　that　country；　who；　for
want　of　money　and　interest；　have　grown　grey　in　the　rank　of
lieutenants；　whereas　very　few　instances　of　this　ill…fortune　are
to　be　found　among　the　natives　of　South…Britain。　　Not　that　I　would
insinuate　that　my　countrymen　have　the　least　reason　to　complain。
Preferment　in　the　service；　like　success　in　any　other　branch　of
traffic；　will　naturally　favour　those　who　have　the　greatest　stock
of　cash　and　credit；　merit　and　capacity　being　supposed　equal　on
all　sides。'

But　the　most　hardy　of　all　this　original's　positions　were　these：
That　commerce　would；　sooner　or　later；　prove　the　ruin　of　every
nation；　where　it　flourishes　to　any　extent　　that　the　parliament
was　the　rotten　part　of　the　British　constitution　　that　the　liberty
of　the　press　was　a　national　evil　　and　that　the　boasted
institution　of　juries；　as　managed　in　England；　was　productive　of
shameful　perjury　and　flagrant　injustice。　He　observed；　that
traffick　was　an　enemy　to　all　the　liberal　passions　of　the　soul；
founded　on　the　thirst　of　lucre；　a　sordid　disposition　to　take
advantage　of　the　necessities　of　our　fellow　creatures。　　He
affirmed；　the　nature　of　commerce　was　such；　that　it　could　not　be
fixed　or　perpetuated；　but；