the expedition of humphry clinker-第27章

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one　half　of　them　cannot　possibly　hear；　how　can　I　help　supposing
they　are　actually　possessed　by　a　spirit；　more　absurd　and
pernicious　than　any　thing　we　meet　with　in　the　precincts　of
Bedlam？　In　all　probability；　the　proprietors　of　this；　and　other
public　gardens　of　inferior　note；　in　the　skirts　of　the　metropolis；
are；　in　some　shape；　connected　with　the　faculty　of　physic；　and　the
company　of　undertakers；　for；　considering　that　eagerness　in　the
pursuit　of　what　is　called　pleasure；　which　now　predominates
through　every　rank　and　denomination　of　life；　I　am　persuaded　that
more　gouts；　rheumatisms；　catarrhs；　and　consumptions　are　caught　in
these　nocturnal　pastimes；　sub　dio；　than　from　all　the　risques　and
accidents　to　which　a　life　of　toil　and　danger　is　exposed。

These；　and　other　observations；　which　I　have　made　in　this
excursion；　will　shorten　my　stay　at　London；　and　send　me　back　with
a　double　relish　to　my　solitude　and　mountains；　but　I　shall　return
by　a　different　route　from　that　which　brought　me　to　town。　I　have
seen　some　old　friends；　who　constantly　resided　in　this　virtuous
metropolis；　but　they　are　so　changed　in　manners　and　disposition；
that　we　hardly　know　or　care　for　one　another　　In　our　journey　from
Bath；　my　sister　Tabby　provoked　me　into　a　transport　of　passion；
during　which；　like　a　man　who　has　drank　himself　pot…valiant；　I
talked　to　her　in　such　a　stile　of　authority　and　resolution；　as
produced　a　most　blessed　effect。　She　and　her　dog　have　been
remarkably　quiet　and　orderly　ever　since　this　expostulation。　How
long　this　agreeable　calm　will　last；　Heaven　above　knows　　I　flatter
myself；　the　exercise　of　travelling　has　been　of　service　to　my
health；　a　circumstance　which　encourages　me　to…proceed　in　my
projected　expedition　to　the　North。　But　I　must；　in　the　mean　time；
for　the　benefit　and　amusement　of　my　pupils；　explore　the　depths　of
this　chaos；　this　misshapen　and　monstrous　capital；　without　head　or
tail；　members　or　proportion。

Thomas　was　so　insolent　to　my　sister　on　the　road；　that　I　was
obliged　to　turn　him　off　abruptly；　betwixt　Chippenham　and
Marlborough；　where　our　coach　was　overturned。　The　fellow　was
always　sullen　and　selfish；　but；　if　he　should　return　to　the
country；　you　may　give　him　a　character　for　honesty　and　sobriety；
and；　provided　he　behaves　with　proper　respect　to　the　family；　let
him　have　a　couple　of
guineas　in　the　name　of

Yours　always；
MATT。　BRAMBLE
LONDON；　May　20。



To　Miss　LAETITIA　WILLIS；　at　Gloucester。

MY　DEAR　LETTY；

Inexpressible　was　the　pleasure　I　received　from　yours　of　the　25th；
which　was　last　night　put　into　my　hands　by　Mrs　Brentford；　the
milliner；　from　Gloucester　　I　rejoice　to　hear　that　my　worthy
governess　is　in　good　health；　and；　still　more；　that　she　no　longer
retains　any　displeasure　towards　her　poor　Liddy。　I　am　sorry　you
have　lost　the　society　of　the　agreeable　Miss　Vaughn；　but；　I　hope
you　won't　have　cause　much　longer　to　regret　the　departure　of　your
school　companions；　as　I　make　no　doubt　but　your　parents　will；　in　a
little　time；　bring　you　into　the　world；　where　you　are　so　well
qualified　to　make　a　distinguished　figure。　When　that　is　the　case；
I　flatter　myself　you　and　I　shall　meet　again；　and　be　happy
together；　and　even　improve　the　friendship　which　we　contracted　in
our　tender　years。　This　at　least　I　can　promise　　It　shall　not　be　for
the　want　of　my　utmost　endeavours；　if　our　intimacy　does　not
continue　for　life。

About　five　days　ago　we　arrived　in　London；　after　an　easy　journey
from　Bath；　during　which；　however；　we　were　overturned；　and　met
with　some　other　little　incidents；　which；　had　like　to　have
occasioned　a　misunderstanding　betwixt　my　uncle　and　aunt；　but　now；
thank　God；　they　are　happily　reconciled：　we　live　in　harmony
together；　and　every　day　make　parties　to　see　the　wonders　of　this
vast　metropolis；　which；　however；　I　cannot　pretend　to　describe；
for　I　have　not　as　yet　seen　one　hundredth　part　of　its　curiosities；
and　I　am　quite　in　a　maze　of　admiration。

The　cities　of　London　and　Westminster　are　spread　out　into　an
incredible　extent。　The　streets；　squares；　rows；　lanes；　and　alleys；
are　innumerable。　Palaces；　public　buildings；　and　churches　rise　in
every　quarter；　and；　among　these　last；　St　Paul's　appears　with　the
most　astonishing　pre…eminence。　They　say　it　is　not　so　large　as；　St
Peter's　at　Rome；　but；　for　my　own　part；　I　can　have　no　idea　of　any
earthly　temple　more　grand　and　magnificent。

But　even　these　superb　objects　are　not　so　striking　as　the　crowds
of　people　that　swarm　in　the　streets。　I　at　first　imagined　that
some　great　assembly　was　just　dismissed；　and　wanted　to　stand　aside
till　the　multitude　should　pass；　but　this　human　tide　continues　to
flow；　without　interruption　or　abatement；　from　morn　till　night。
Then　there　is　such　an　infinity　of　gay　equipages；　coaches；
chariots；　chaises；　and　other　carriages；　continually　rolling　and
shifting　before　your　eyes；　that　one's　head　grows　giddy　looking　at
them；　and　the　imagination　is　quite　confounded　with　splendour　and
variety。　Nor　is　the　prospect　by　water　less　grand　and　astonishing
than　that　by　land：　you　see　three　stupendous　bridges；　joining　the
opposite　banks　of　a　broad；　deep；　and　rapid　river；　so　vast；　so
stately；　so　elegant；　that　they　seem　to　be　the　work　of　the　giants；
betwixt　them；　the　whole　surface　of　the　Thames　is　covered　with
small　vessels；　barges；　boats；　and　wherries；　passing　to　and　fro；
and　below　the　three　bridges；　such　a　prodigious　forest　of　masts；
for　miles　together；　that　you　would　think　all　the　ships　in　the
universe　were　here　assembled。　All　that　you　read　of　wealth　and
grandeur　in　the　Arabian　Nights'　Entertainment；　and　the　Persian
Tales；　concerning　Bagdad；　Diarbekir；　Damascus；　Ispahan；　and
Samarkand；　is　here　realized。

Ranelagh　looks　like　the　inchanted　palace　of　a　genie；　adorned　with
the　most　exquisite　performances　of　painting；　carving；　and
gilding；　enlightened　with　a　thousand　golden　lamps；　that　emulate
the　noon…day　sun；　crowded　with　the　great；　the　rich；　the　gay；　the
happy；　and　the　fair；　glittering　with　cloth　of　gold　and　silver；
lace；　embroidery；　and　precious　stones。　While　these　exulting　sons
and　daughters　of　felicity　tread　this　round　of　pleasure；　or　regale
in　different　parties；　and　separate　lodges；　with　fine　imperial　tea
and　other　delicious　refreshments；　their　ears　are　entertained　with
the　most　ravishing　delights　of　music；　both　instrumental　and
vocal。　There　I　heard　the　famous　Tenducci；　a　thing　from　Italy　　It
looks　for　all　the　world　like　a　man；　though　they　say　it　is　not。
The　voice；　to　be　sure；　is　neither　man's　nor　woman's；　but　it　is
more　melodious　than　either；　and　it　warbled　so　divinely；　that；
while　I　listened；　I　really　thought　myself　in　paradise。

At　nine　o'clock；　in　a　charming　moonlight　evening；　we　embarked　at
Ranelagh　for　Vauxhall；　in　a　wherry　so　light　and　slender　that　we
looked　like　so　many　fairies　sailing　in　a　nutshell。　My　uncle；
being　apprehensive　of　catching　cold　upon　the　water；　went　round　in
the　coach；　and　my　aunt　would　have　accompanied　him；　but　he　would
not　suffer　me　to　go　by　water　if　she　went　by　land；　and　therefore
she　favoured　us　with　her　company；　as　she　perceived　I　had　a
curiosity　to　make　this　agreeable　voyage　　After　all；　the　vessel
was　sufficiently　loaded；　for；　besides　the　waterman；　there　was　my
brother　Jery；　and　a　friend　of　his；　one　Mr　Barton；　a　country
gentleman；　of　a　good　fortune；　who　had　dined　at　our　house　　The
pleasure　of　this　little　excursion　was；　however；　damped；　by　my
being　sadly　frighted　at　our　landing；　where　there　was　a　terrible
confusion　of　wherries　and　a　crowd　of　people　bawling；　and
swearing；　and　quarrelling；　nay；　a　parcel　of　ugly…looking　fellows
came　running　into　the　water；　and　laid　hold　of　our　boat　with　great
violence；　to　pull　it　a…shore；　nor　would　they　quit　their　hold　till
my　brother　struck　one　of　them　over　the　head　with　his　cane。　But
this　flutter　was　fully　recompensed　by　the　pleasures　of　Vauxhall；
which　I　no　sooner　entered；　than　I　was　dazzled　and　confounded　with
the　variety　of　beauties　that　rushed　all　at　once　upon　my　eye。
Image　to　yourself；　my　dear　Letty；　a　spacious　garden；　part　laid
out　in　delightful　walks；　bounded　with　high　hedges　and　trees；　and
paved　with　gravel；　part　exhibiting　a　wonderful　assemblage　of　the
most　picturesque　and　striking　objects'　pavilions；　lodges；　groves；
g