the expedition of humphry clinker-第102章

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stayhook；　that　cost　me　a　good　half…a…crown；　and　an　odd　shoe　of
green　gallow　monkey；　besides　wetting　my　cloaths　and　taring　my
smuck；　and　an　ugly　gash　made　in　the　back　part　of　my　thy；　by　the
stump　of　a　tree　　To　be　sure　Mr　Clinker　tuck　me　out　of　the　cox；
but　he　left　me　on　my　back　in　the　water；　to　go　to　the　'squire；　and
I　mought　have　had　a　watry　grave；　if　a　millar　had　not　brought　me
to　the　dry　land　　But；　O！　what　choppings　and　changes　girl　　The
player　man　that　came　after　Miss　Liddy；　and　frightened　me　with　a
beard　at　Bristol　Well；　is　now　matthew…murphy'd　into　a　fine　young
gentleman；　son　and　hare　of　'squire　Dollison　　We　are　all　together
in　the　same　house；　and　all　parties　have　agreed　to　the　match；　and
in　a　fortnite　the　surrymony　will　be　performed。

But　this　is　not　the　only　wedding　we　are　to　have　　Mistriss　is
resolved　to　have　the　same　frolick；　in　the　naam　of　God！　Last
Sunday　in　the　parish　crutch；　if　my　own　ars　may　be　trusted；　the
clerk　called　the　banes　of　marridge　betwixt　Opaniah　Lashmeheygo；
and　Tapitha　Brample；　spinster；　he　mought　as　well　have　called　her
inkle…weaver；　for　she　never　spun　and　hank　of　yarn　in　her　life　
Young　'squire　Dollison　and　Miss　Liddy　make　the　second　kipple；　and
there　might　have　been　a　turd；　but　times　are　changed　with　Mr
Clinker　　O　Molly！　what　do'st　think？　Mr　Clinker　is　found　to　be　a
pye…blow　of　our　own　'squire；　and　his　rite　naam　is　Mr　Matthew　Loyd
（thof　God　he　nose　how　that　can　be）；　and　he　is　now　out　of　livery；
and　wares　ruffles　　but　I　new　him　when　he　was　out　at　elbows；　and
had　not　a　rag　to　kiver　his　pistereroes；　so　he　need　not　hold　his
head　so　high　　He　is　for　sartin　very　umble　and　compleasant；　and
purtests　as　how　he　has　the　same　regard　as　before；　but　that　he　is
no　longer　his　own　master；　and　cannot　portend　to　marry　without　the
'squire's　consent　　He　says　he　must　wait　with　patience；　and　trust
to　Providence；　and　such　nonsense　　But　if　so　be　as　how　his　regard
be　the　same；　why　stand　shilly　shally？　Why　not　strike　while　the
iron　is　hot；　and　speak　to　the　'squire　without　loss　of　time？　What
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