the expedition of humphry clinker-第91部分

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subjection　can　the　'squire　make　to　our　coming　together　　Thof　my
father　wan't　a　gentleman；　my　mother　was　an　honest　woman　　I　didn't
come　on　the　wrong　side　of　the　blanket；　girl　　My　parents　were
marred　according　to　the　right　of　holy　mother　crutch；　in　the　face
of　men　and　angles　　Mark　that；　Mary　Jones。

Mr　Clinker　（Loyd　I　would　say）　had　best　look　to　his　tackle。　There
be　other　chaps　in　the　market；　as　the　saying　is　　What　would　he　say
if　I　should　except　the　soot　and　sarvice　of　the　young　squire's
valley？　Mr　Machappy　is　a　gentleman　born；　and　has　been　abroad　in
the　wars　　He　has　a　world　of　buck　larning；　and　speaks　French；　and
Ditch；　and　Scotch；　and　all　manner　of　outlandish　lingos；　to　be
sure　he's　a　little　the　worse　for　the　ware；　and　is　much　given　to
drink；　but　then　he's　good…tempered　in　his　liquor；　and　a　prudent
woman　mought　wind　him　about　her　finger　　But　I　have　no　thoughts　of
him；　I'll　assure　you　　I　scorn　for　to　do；　or　to　say；　or　to　think
any　thing　that　mought　give　unbreech　to　Mr　Loyd；　without　furder
occasion　　But　then　I　have　such　vapours；　Molly　I　sit　and　cry　by
myself；　and　take　ass　of　etida；　and　smill　to　burnt　fathers；　and
kindal…snuffs；　and　I　pray　constantly　for　grease；　that　I　may　have
a　glimpse　of　the　new…light；　to　shew　me　the　way　through　this
wretched　veil　of　tares。　And　yet；　I　want　for　nothing　in　this　family
of　love；　where　every　sole　is　so　kind　and　so　courteous；　that　wan
would　think　they　are　so　many　saints　in　haven。　Dear　Molly；　I
recommend　myself　to　your　prayers；　being；　with　my　sarvice　to　Saul；

your　ever　loving；
and　discounselled　friend；
WIN。　JENKINS
Oct。　14。



To　Dr　LEWIS。

DEAR　DICK；

You　cannot　imagine　what　pleasure　I　have　in　seeing　your　hand…writing；
after　such　a　long　cessation　on　your　side　of　our
correspondence　　Yet；　Heaven　knows；　I　have　often　seen　your
hand…writing　with　disgust　　I　mean；　when　it　appeared　in　abbreviations
of　apothecary's　Latin　　I　like　your　hint　of　making　interest　for
the　reversion　of　the　collector's　place；　for　Mr　Lismahago；　who　is
much　pleased　with　the　scheme；　and　presents　you　with　his
compliments　and　best　thanks　for　thinking　so　kindly　of　his
concerns　　The　man　seems　to　mend；　upon　further　acquaintance。　That
harsh　reserve；　which　formed　a　disagreeable　husk　about　his
character；　begins　to　peel　off　in　the　course　of　our　communication　
I　have　great　hopes　that　he　and　Tabby　will　be　as　happily　paired
as　any　two　draught　animals　in　the　kingdom；　and　I　make　no　doubt
but　that　he　will　prove　a　valuable　acquisition　to　our　little
society；　in　the　article　of　conversation；　by　the　fire…side　in
winter。

Your　objection　to　my　passing　this　season　of　the　year　at　such　a
distance　from　home；　would　have　more　weight　if　I　did　not　find
myself　perfectly　at　my　ease　where　I　am；　and　my　health　so　much
improved；　that　I　am　disposed　to　bid　defiance　to　gout　and
rheumatism　　I　begin　to　think　I　have　put　myself　on　the
superannuated　list　too　soon；　and　absurdly　sought　for　health　in
the　retreats　of　laziness　　I　am　persuaded　that　all　valetudinarians
are　too　sedentary；　too　regular；　and　too　cautious　　We　should
sometimes　increase　the　motion　of　the　machine；　to　unclog　the
wheels　of　life；　and　now　and　then　take　a　plunge　amidst　the　waves
of　excess；　in　order　to　caseharden　the　constitution。　I　have　even
found　a　change　of　company
as　necessary　as　a　change　of　air；　to　promote　a　vigorous
circulation　of　the　spirits；　which　is　the　very　essence　and
criterion　of　good　health。

Since　my　last；　I　have　been　performing　the　duties　of　friendship；
that　required　a　great　deal　of　exercise；　from　which　I　hope　to
derive　some　benefit　　Understanding；　by　the　greatest　accident　in
the　world；　that　Mr　Baynard's　wife　was　dangerously　ill　of　a
pleuritic　fever；　I　borrowed　Dennison's　post…chaise；　and　went
across　the　country　to　his　habitation；　attended　only　by　Loyd
（quondam　Clinker）　on　horseback。　　As　the　distance　is　not　above
thirty　miles；　I　arrived　about　four　in　the　afternoon；　and　meeting
the　physician　at　the　door；　was　informed　that　his　patient　had　just
expired。　　I　was　instantly　seized　with　a　violent　emotion；　but　it
was　not　grief。　　The　family　being　in　confusion；　I　ran　up　stairs
into　the　chamber；　where；　indeed；　they　were　all　assembled。　　The
aunt　stood　wringing　her　hands　in　a　kind　of　stupefaction　of
sorrow；　but　my　friend　acted　all　the　extravagancies　of　affliction　
He　held　the　body　in　his　arms；　and　poured　forth　such　a
lamentation；　that　one　would　have　thought　he　had　lost　the　most
amiable　consort　and　valuable　companion　upon　earth。

Affection　may　certainly　exist　independent　of　esteem；　nay；　the
same　object　may　be　lovely　in　one　respect；　and　detestable　in
another　　The　mind　has　a　surprising　faculty　of　accommodating；　and
even　attaching　itself；　in　such　a　manner；　by　dint　of　use；　to
things　that　are　in　their　own　nature　disagreeable；　and　even
pernicious；　that　it　cannot　bear　to　be　delivered　from　them　without
reluctance　and　regret。　Baynard　was　so　absorbed　in　his　delirium；
that　he　did　not　perceive　me　when　I　entered；　and　desired　one　of
the　women　to　conduct　the　aunt　into　her　own　chamber。　　At　the　same
time　I　begged　the　tutor　to　withdraw　the　boy；　who　stood　gaping　in
a　corner；　very　little　affected　with　the　distress　of　the　scene。　
These　steps　being　taken；　I　waited　till　the　first　violence　of　my
friend's　transport　was　abated；　then　disengaged　him　gently　from
the　melancholy　object；　and　led　him　by　the　hand　into　another
apartment；　though　he　struggled　so　hard；　that　I　was　obliged　to
have　recourse　to　the　assistance　of　his　valet　de　chambre　　In　a　few
minutes；　however；　he　recollected　himself；　and　folding　me　in　his
arms；　'This　（cried　he）；　is　a　friendly　office；　indeed！　　I　know　not
how　you　came　hither；　but；　I　think；　Heaven　sent　you　to　prevent　my
going　distracted　　O　Matthew！　I　have　lost　my　dear　Harriet！　　my
poor；　gentle；　tender　creature；　that　loved　me　with　such　warmth　and
purity　of　affection　　my　constant　companion　of　twenty　years！　She's
gone　　she's　gone　for　ever！　　Heaven　and　earth！　where　is　she？　
Death　shall　not　part　us！'

So　saying；　he　started　up；　and　could　hardly　be　with…held　from
returning　to　the　scene　we　had　quitted　　You　will　perceive　it　would
have　been　very　absurd　for　me　to　argue　with　a　man　that　talked　so
madly。　　On　all　such　occasions；　the　first　torrent　of　passion　must
be　allowed　to　subside　gradually。　　I　endeavoured　to　beguile　his
attention　by　starting　little　hints　and　insinuating　other　objects
of　discourse　imperceptibly；　and　being　exceedingly　pleased　in　my
own　mind　at　this　event；　I　exerted　myself　with　such　an
extraordinary　flow　of　spirits　as　was　attended　with　success。　　In　a
few　hours；　he　was　calm　enough　to　hear　reason；　and　even　to　own
that　Heaven　could　not　have　interposed　more　effectually　to　rescue
him　from　disgrace　and　ruin。　　That　he　might　not；　however；　relapse
into　weaknesses　for　want　of　company；　I　passed　the　night　in　his
chamber；　in　a　little　tent　bed　brought　thither　on　purpose；　and
well　it　was　I　took　this　precaution；　for　he　started　up　in　bed
several　times；　and　would　have　played　the　fool；　if　I　had　not　been
present。

Next　day　he　was　in　a　condition　to　talk　of　business；　and　vested　me
with　full　authority　over　his　household；　which　I　began　to　exercise
without　loss　of　time；　tho'　not　before　he　knew　and　approved　of　the
scheme　I　had　projected　for　his　advantage。　　He　would　have　quitted
the　house　immediately；　but　this　retreat　I　opposed。　　Far　from
encouraging　a　temporary　disgust；　which　might　degenerate　into　an
habitual　aversion；　I　resolved；　if　possible；　to　attach　him　more
than　ever　to　his　Houshold　Gods。　　I　gave　directions　for　the
funeral　to　be　as　private　as　was　consistant　with　decency；　I　wrote
to　London；　that　an　inventory　and　estimate　might　be　made　of　the
furniture　and　effects　in　his　town…house；　and　gave　notice　to　the
landlord；　that　Mr　Baynard　should　quit　the　premises　at　Lady…day；　I
set　a　person　at　work　to　take　account　of　every　thing　in　the
country…house；　including　horses；　carriages；　and　harness；　I
settled　the　young　gentleman　at　a　boarding…school；　kept　by　a
clergyman　in　the　neighbourhood；　and　thither　he　went　without
reluctance；　as　soon　as　he　knew　that　he　was　to　be　troubled　no　more
with　his　tutor；　whom　we　dismissed。　The　aunt　continued　very
sullen；　and　never　appeared　at　table；　though　Mr　Baynard　payed　his
respects　to　her　every　day　in　her　own　chamber；　there　also　she　held
conferences　with　the　waiting…women　and　other　servants　of　the
family：　but；　the　moment　her　niece　was　interred；　she　went　away　in
a　post…chaise　prepared　for　that　purpose：　she　did　not　leave　the
house；　however；　without　giving　Mr　Baynard　to　understand；　that　the
wardrobe　of　her　niece　was　the　perquisite　of　her　woman；
accordingly　that　worthless　drab　received　all　the　clothes；　laces；
and　linen　of　her　deceased　mistress；　to　the　value　of　five　hundred
pounds；　at　a　moderate　computation。

The　next　step　I　took　was　to　disband　that　legion　of　supernumerary
domestics；　who　had　preyed　so　long　upon　the　vitals　of　my　friend：；
a　parcel　of　idle　drones；　so　intolerably　insolent；　that　they　even
treated　their　own　master　with　the　most　contemptuous　neglect。　They
had　been　generally　hired　by　his　wife；　according　to　the
recommendation　of　her　woman；　and　these　were　the　only　patrons　to
whom　they　payed　the　least　deference。　I　had　therefore　uncommon
satisfaction　in　clearing　the　house　of　t