the expedition of humphry clinker-第69部分

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we　visited　the　adjacent　islands　of　Ila；　Jura；　Mull；　and　Icomkill。
In　the　first；　we　saw　the　remains　of　a　castle；　built　in　a　lake；
where　Macdonald；　lord　or　king　of　the　isles；　formerly　resided。
Jura　is　famous　for　having　given　birth　to　one　Mackcrain；　who　lived
one　hundred　and　eighty　years　in　one　house；　and　died　in　the　reign
of　Charles　the　Second。　Mull　affords　several　bays；　where　there　is
safe　anchorage：　in　one　of　which；　the　Florida；　a　ship　of　the
Spanish　armada；　was　blown　up　by　one　of　Mr　Smollett's　ancestors　
About　forty　years　ago；　John　duke　of　Argyle　is　said　to　have
consulted　the　Spanish　registers；　by　which　it　appeared；　that　this
ship　had　the　military　chest　on　board　　He　employed　experienced
divers　to　examine　the　wreck；　and　they　found　the　hull　of　the
vessel　still　entire；　but　so　covered　with　sand；　that　they　could
not　make　their　way　between　decks；　however；　they　picked　up　several
pieces　of　plate；　that　were　scattered　about　in　the　bay；　and　a
couple　of　fine　brass　cannon。

Icolmkill；　or　Iona；　is　a　small　island　which　St　Columba　chose　for
his　habitation　　It　was　respected　for　its　sanctity；　and　college　or
seminary　of　ecclesiastics　　Part　of　its　church　is　still　standing；
with　the　tombs　of　several　Scottish；　Irish；　and　Danish　sovereigns；
who　were　here　interred　　These　islanders　are　very　bold　and
dexterous　watermen；　consequently　the　better　adapted　to　the
fishery：　in　their　manners　they　are　less　savage　and　impetuous　than
their　countrymen　on　the　continent；　and　they　speak　the　Erse　or
Gaelick　in　its　greatest　purity。

Having　sent　round　our　horses　by　land；　we　embarked　in　the　distinct
of　Cowal；　for　Greenock；　which　is　a　neat　little　town；　on　the　other
side　of　the　Frith；　with　a　curious　harbour　formed　by　three　stone
jetties；　carried　out　a　good　way　into　the　sea　　Newport…Glasgow　is
such　another　place；　about　two　miles　higher　up。　Both　have　a　face　of
business　and　plenty；　and　are　supported　entirely　by　the　shipping
of　Glasgow；　of　which　I　counted　sixty　large　vessels　in　these
harbours　　Taking　boat　again　at　Newport；　we　were　in　less　than　an
hour　landed　on　the　other　side；　within　two　short　miles　of　our
head…quarters；　where　we　found　our　women　in　good　health　and
spirits。　They　had　been　two　days　before　joined　by　Mr。　Smollett　and
his　lady；　to　whom　we　have　such　obligations　as　I　cannot　mention；
even　to　you；　without　blushing。

To…morrow　we　shall　bid　adieu　to　the　Scotch　Arcadia；　and　begin　our
progress　to　the　southward；　taking　our　way　by　Lanerk　and
Nithsdale；　to　the　west　borders　of　England。　I　have　received　so
much　advantage　and　satisfaction　from　this　tour；　that　if　my　health
suffers　no　revolution　in　the　winter；　I　believe　I　shall　be　tempted
to　undertake　another　expedition　to　the　Northern　extremity　of
Caithness；　unencumbered　by　those　impediments　which　now　clog　the
heels　of；

Yours；
MATT。　BRAMBLE
CAMERON；　Sept。　6。



To　Miss　LAETITIA　WILLIS；　at　Gloucester。

MY　DEAREST　LETTY；

Never　did　poor　prisoner　long　for　deliverance；　more　than　I　have
longed　for　an　opportunity　to　disburthen　my　cares　into　your
friendly　bosom；　and　the　occasion　which　now　presents　itself；　is
little　less　than　miraculous　　Honest　Saunders　Macawly；　the
travelling　Scotchman；　who　goes　every　year　to　Wales；　is　now　at
Glasgow；　buying　goods；　and　coming　to　pay　his　respects　to　our
family；　has　undertaken　to　deliver　this　letter　into　your　own　hand　
We　have　been　six　weeks　in　Scotland；　and　seen　the　principal　towns
of　the　kingdom；　where　we　have　been　treated　with　great　civility　
The　people　are　very　courteous；　and　the　country　being　exceedingly
romantic；　suits　my　turn　and　inclinations　　I　contracted　some
friendships　at　Edinburgh；　which　is　a　large　and　lofty　city；　full
of　gay　company；　and；　in　particular；　commenced　an　intimate
correspondence　with　one　miss　Rtn；　an　amiable　young　lady　of　my
own　age；　whose　charms　seemed　to　soften；　and　even　to　subdue　the
stubborn　heart　of　my　brother　Jery；　but　he　no　sooner　left　the
place　than　he　relapsed　into　his　former　insensibility　　I　feel；
however；　that　this　indifference　is　not　the　family　constitution　　I
never　admitted　but　one　idea　of　love；　and　that　has　taken　such　root
in　my　heart；　as　to　be　equally　proof　against　all　the　pulls　of
discretion；　and　the　frosts　of　neglect。

Dear　Letty！　I　had　an　alarming　adventure　at　the　hunters　ball　in
Edinburgh　　While　I　sat　discoursing　with　a　friend　in　a　corner；　all
at　once　the　very　image　of　Wilson　stood　before　me；　dressed　exactly
as　he　was　in　the　character　of　Aimwell！　It　was　one　Mr　Gordon；　whom
I　had　not　seen　before　　Shocked　at　the　sudden　apparition；　I
fainted　away；　and　threw　the　whole　assembly　in　confusion　　However；
the　cause　of　my　disorder　remained　a　secret　to　every　body　but　my
brother；　who　was　likewise　struck　with　the　resemblance；　and
scolded　after　we　came　home　　I　am　very　sensible　of　Jery's
affection；　and　know　he　spoke　as　well　with　a　view　to　my　own
interest　and　happiness；　as　in　regard　to　the　honour　of　the　family；
but　I　cannot　bear　to　have　my　wounds　probed　severely　　I　was　not　so
much　affected　by　the　censure　he　passed　upon　my　own　indiscretion；
as　with　the　reflection　he　made　on　the　conduct　of　Wilson。　He
observed；　that　if　he　was　really　the　gentleman　he　pretended　to　be；
and　harboured　nothing　but　honourable　designs；　he　would　have
vindicated　his　pretensions　in　the　face　of　day　　This　remark　made　a
deep　impression　upon　my　mind　　I　endeavoured　to　conceal　my
thoughts；　and　this　endeavour　had　a　bad　effect　upon　my　health　and
spirits；　so　it　was　thought　necessary　that　I　should　go　to　the
Highlands；　and　drink　the　goat…milk…whey。

We　went　accordingly　to　Lough　Lomond；　one　of　the　most　enchanting
spots　in　the　whole　world；　and　what　with　this　remedy；　which　I　had
every　morning　fresh　from　the　mountains；　and　the　pure　air；　and
chearful　company；　I　have　recovered　my　flesh　and　appetite；　though
there　is　something　still　at　bottom；　which　it　is　not　in　the　power
of　air；　exercise；　company；　or　medicine　to　remove　　These　incidents
would　not　touch　me　so　nearly；　if　I　had　a　sensible　confidant　to
sympathize　with　my　affliction；　and　comfort　me　with　wholesome
advice　　I　have　nothing　of　this　kind；　except　Win　Jenkins；　who　is
really　a　good　body　in　the　main；　but　very　ill　qualified　for　such
an　office　　The　poor　creature　is　weak　in　her　nerves；　as　well　as　in
her　understanding；　otherwise　I　might　have　known　the　true　name　and
character　of　that　unfortunate　youth　　But　why　do　I　call　him
unfortunate？　perhaps　the　epithet　is　more　applicable　to　me　for
having　listened　to　the　false　professions　of　　But；　hold！　I　have　as
yet　no　right；　and　sure　I　have　no　inclination　to　believe　any　thing
to　the　prejudice　of　his　honour　　In　that　reflection　I　shall　still
exert　my　patience。　As　for　Mrs　Jenkins；　she　herself　is　really　an
object　of　compassion　　Between　vanity；　methodism；　and　love；　her
head　is　almost　turned。　I　should　have　more　regard　for　her；
however；　if　she　had　been　more　constant　in　the　object　of　her
affection；　but；　truly；　she　aimed　at　conquest；　and　flirted　at　the
same　time　with　my　uncle's　footman；　Humphrey　Clinker；　who　is
really　a　deserving　young　man；　and　one　Dutton；　my　brother's　valet
de　chambre；　a　debauched　fellow；　who；　leaving　Win　in　the　lurch；
ran　away　with　another　man's　bride　at　Berwick。

My　dear　Willis；　I　am　truly　ashamed　of　my　own　sex　　We　complain　of
advantages　which　the　men　take　of　our　youth；　inexperience；
insensibility；　and　all　that；　but　I　have　seen　enough　to　believe；
that　our　sex　in　general　make　it　their　business　to　ensnare　the
other；　and　for　this　purpose；　employ　arts　which　are　by　no　means　to
be　justified　　In　point　of　constancy；　they　certainly　have　nothing
to　reproach　the　male　part　of　the　creation　　My　poor　aunt；　without
any　regard　to　her　years　and　imperfections；　has　gone　to　market
with　her　charms　in　every　place　where　she　thought　she　had　the
least　chance　to　dispose　of　her　person；　which；　however；　hangs
still　heavy　on　her　hands　　I　am　afraid　she　has　used　even　religion
as　a　decoy；　though　it　has　not　answered　her　expectation　　She　has
been　praying；　preaching；　and　catechising　among　the　methodists；
with　whom　this　country　abounds；　and　pretends　to　have　such
manifestations　and　revelations；　as　even　Clinker　himself　can
hardly　believe；　though　the　poor　fellow　is　half　crazy　with
enthusiasm。　As　for　Jenkins；　she　affects　to　take　all　her
mistress's　reveries　for　gospel。　She　has　also　her　heart…heavings
and　motions　of　the　spirit；　and　God　forgive　me　if　I　think
uncharitably；　but　all　this　seems　to　me　to　be　downright　hypocrisy
and　deceit　　Perhaps；　indeed；　the　poor　girl　imposes　on　herself　
She　is　generally　in　a　flutter；　and　is　much　subject　to　vapours　
Since　we　came　to　Scotland；　she　has　seen　apparitions；　and　pretends
to　prophesy　　If　I　could　put　faith　in　all　these　supernatural
visitations；　I　should　think　myself　abandoned　of　grace；　for　I　have
neither　seen；　heard；　nor　felt　anything　of　this　nature；　although　I
endeavour　to　discharge　the　duties　of　religion　with　all　the
sincerity；　zeal；　and　devotion；　that　is　in　the　power　of；

Dear　Letty；
your　ever　affectionate；
LYDIA　MELFORD
GLASGOW；　Sept。　7。

We　are　so　far　on　our　return　to　Brambleton…hall；　and　I　would　fain
hope　we　shall　take　Gloucester　in　our　way；　in　which　case　I　shall
have　the　inexpressible　pleasure　of　embracing　my　dear　Willis　　Pray
remember　me　to　my　worthy　governess。



To　Mrs　MAR