the expedition of humphry clinker-第29章

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inamorata　struggling　with　his　acquired　affability；　and　his
natural　fear　of　giving　offence；　throws　him　into　a　kind　of
distress　which　is　extremely　ridiculous。

Two　days　ago；　he　persuaded　my　uncle　and　me　to　accompany　him　to　St
James's；　where　he　undertook　to　make　us　acquainted　with　the
persons　of　all　the　great　men　in　the　kingdom；　and；　indeed；　there
was　a　great　assemblage　of　distinguished　characters；　for　it　was　a
high　festival　at　court。　Our　conductor　performed　his　promise　with
great　punctuality。　He　pointed　out　almost　every　individual　of　both
sexes；　and　generally　introduced　them　to　our　notice；　with　a
flourish　of　panegyrick　　Seeing　the　king　approach；　'There　comes
（said　he）　the　most　amiable　sovereign　that　ever　swayed　the　sceptre
of　England：　the　delicioe　humani　generis；　Augustus；　in　patronizing
merit；　Titus　Vespasian　in　generosity；　Trajan　in　beneficence；　and
Marcus　Aurelius　in　philosophy。'　'A　very　honest　kind　hearted
gentleman　（added　my　uncle）　he's　too　good　for　the　times。　A　king　of
England　should　have　a　spice　of　the　devil　in　his　composition。'
Barton；　then　turning　to　the　duke　of　C＇umberland＇；　proceeded；　
'You　know　the　duke；　that　illustrious　hero；　who　trode　rebellion
under　his　feet；　and　secured　us　in　possession　of　every　thing　we
ought　to　hold　dear；　as　English　men　and　Christians。　Mark　what　an
eye；　how　penetrating；　yet　pacific！　what　dignity　in　his　mien！　what
humanity　in　his　aspect　　Even　malice　must　own；　that　he　is　one　of
the　greatest　officers　in　Christendom。'　'I　think　he　is　（said　Mr
Bramble）　but　who　are　these　young　gentlemen　that　stand　beside
him？'　'Those！　（cried　our　friend）　those　are　his　royal　nephews；　the
princes　of　the　blood。　Sweet
young　princes！　the　sacred　pledges　of　the　Protestant　line；　so
spirited；　so　sensible；　so　princely'　　'Yes；　very　sensible！　very
spirited！　（said　my　uncle；　interrupting　him）　but　see　the　queen！
ha；　there's　the　queen！　　There's　the　queen！　let　me　see　　Let　me
see　　Where　are　my　glasses？　ha！　there's　meaning　in　that　eye　
There's　sentiment　　There's　expression　　Well；　Mr　Barton；　what
figure　do　you　call　next？'　The　next　person　he　pointed　out；　was　the
favourite　yearl；　who　stood　solitary　by　one　of　the　windows　
'Behold　yon　northern　star　（said　he）　shorn　of　his　beams'　　'What！
the　Caledonian　luminary；　that　lately　blazed　so　bright　in　our
hemisphere！　methinks；　at　present；　it　glimmers　through　a　fog；　like
Saturn　without　his　ring；　bleak；　and　dim；　and　distant　　Ha；　there's
the　other　great　phenomenon；　the　grand　pensionary；　that
weathercock　of　patriotism　that　veers　about　in　every　point　of　the
political　compass；　and　still　feels　the　wind　of　popularity　in　his
tail。　He　too；　like　a　portentous　comet；　has　risen　again　above　the
court…horizon；　but　how　long　he　will　continue　to　ascend；　it　is　not
easy　to　foretell；　considering　his　great　eccentricity　　Who　are
those　two　satellites　that　attend　his　motions？'　When　Barton　told
him　their　names；　'To　their　characters　（said　Mr　Bramble）　I　am　no
stranger。　One　of　them；　without　a　drop　of　red　blood　in　his　veins；
has　a　cold　intoxicating　vapour　in　his　head；　and　rancour　enough　in
his　heart　to　inoculate　and　affect　a　whole　nation。　The　other　is　（I
hear）　intended　for　a　share　in　the　ad＇ministratio＇n；　and　the
pensionary　vouches　for　his　being　duly　qualified　　The　only
instance　I　ever　heard　of　his　sagacity；　was　his　deserting　his
former　patron；　when　he　found　him　declining　in　power；　and　in
disgrace　with　the　people。　Without　principle；　talent；　or
intelligence；　he　is　ungracious　as　a　hog；　greedy　as　a　vulture；　and
thievish　as　a　jackdaw；　but；　it　must　be　owned；　he　is　no　hypocrite。
He　pretends　to　no　virtue；　and　takes　no　pains　to　disguise　his
character　　His　ministry　will　be　attended　with　one　advantage；　no
man　will　be　disappointed　by　his　breach　of　promise；　as　no　mortal
ever　trusted　to　his　word。　I　wonder　how　lord　first　discovered
this　happy　genius；　and　for　what　purpose　lord　has　now　adopted
him：　but　one　would　think；　that　as　amber　has　a　power　to　attract
dirt；　and　straws；　and　chaff；　a　minister　is　endued　with　the　same
kind　of　faculty；　to　lick　up　every　knave　and　blockhead　in　his
way'　　His　eulogium　was　interrupted　by　the　arrival　of　the　old　duke
of　N；　who；　squeezing　into　the　circle　with　a　busy　face　of
importance；　thrust　his　head　into　every　countenance；　as　if　he　had
been　in　search　of　somebody；　to　whom　he　wanted　to　impart　something
of　great　consequence　　My　uncle；　who　had　been　formerly　known　to
him；　bowed　as　he　passed；　and　the　duke　seeing　himself　saluted　so
respectfully　by　a　well…dressed　person；　was　not　slow　in　returning
the　courtesy　　He　even　came　up；　and；　taking　him　cordially　by　the
hand；　'My　dear　friend；　Mr　A　（said　he）　I　am　rejoiced　to　see　you　
How　long　have　you　been　come　from　abroad？　　How　did　you　leave　our
good　friends　the　Dutch？　The　king　of　Prussia　don't　think　of
another　war；　ah？　　He's　a　great　king！　a　great　conqueror！　a　very
great　conqueror！　Your　Alexanders　and　Hannibals　were　nothing；　at
all　to　him；　sir　　Corporals！　drummers！　dross！　mere　trash　　Damned
trash；　heh？'　　His　grace　being　by　this　time　out　of　breath；　my
uncle　took　the　opportunity　to　tell　him　he　had　not　been　out　of
England；　that　his　name　was　Bramble；　and　that　he　had　the　honour　to
sit　in　the　last　parliament　but　one　of　the　late　king；　as
representative　for　the　borough　of　Dymkymraig。　'Odso！　（cried　the
duke）　I　remember　you　perfectly　well；　my　dear　Mr　Bramble　　You　was
always　a　good　and　loyal　subject　　a　stanch　friend　to
administration　　I　made　your　brother　an　Irish　bishop'　　'Pardon　me；
my　lord　（said　the　squire）　I　once　had　a　brother；　but　he　was　a
captain　in　the　army'　　'Ha！　（said　his　grace）　he　was　so　　He　was；
indeed！　But　who　was　the　Bishop　then！　Bishop　Blackberry　　Sure　it
was　bishop　Blackberry。　Perhaps　some　relation　of　yours'　　'Very
likely；　my　lord　（replied　my　uncle）；　the　Blackberry　is　the　fruit
of　the　Bramble　　But；　I　believe；　the　bishop　is　not　a　berry　of　our
bush'　　'No　more　he　is　　No　more　he　is；　ha；　ha；　ha！　（exclaimed　the
duke）　there　you　gave　me　a　scratch；　good　Mr　Bramble；　ha；　ha；　ha！　
Well；　I　shall　be　glad　to　see　you　at　Lincoln's　inn…fields　　You
know　the　way　　Times　are　altered。　Though　I　have　lost　the　power；　I
retain　the　inclination　　Your　very　humble　servant；　good　Mr
Blackberry'　　So　saying；　he　shoved　to　another　corner　of　the　room。
'What　a　fine　old　gentleman！　（cried　Mr　Barton）　what　spirits！　what
a　memory！　He　never　forgets　an　old　friend。'　'He　does　me　too　much
honour　（observed　our　squire）　to　rank　me　among　the　number　　Whilst
I　sat　in　parliament；　I　never　voted　with　the　ministry　but　three
times；　when　my　conscience　told　me　they　were　in　the　right：
however；　if　he　still　keeps　levee；　I　will　carry　my　nephew　thither；
that　he　may　see；　and　learn　to　avoid　the　scene；　for；　I　think；　an
English　gentleman　never　appears　to　such　disadvantage；　as　at　the
levee　of　a　minister　　Of　his　grace　I　shall　say　nothing　at　present；
but　that　for　thirty　years　he　was　the　constant　and　common　butt　of
ridicule　and　execration。　He　was　generally　laughed　at　as　an　ape　in
politics；　whose　office　and　influence　served　only　to　render　his
folly　the　more　notorious；　and　the　opposition　cursed　him；　as　the
indefatigable　drudge　of　a　first…mover；　who　was　justly　stiled　and
stigmatized　as　the　father　of　corruption：　but　this　ridiculous　ape；
this　venal　drudge；　no　sooner　lost　the　places　he　was　so　ill
qualified　to　fill；　and　unfurled　the　banners　of　faction；　than　he
was　metamorphosed　into　a　pattern　of　public　virtue；　the　very
people　who　reviled　him　before；　now　extolled　him　to　the　skies；　as
a　wise；　experienced　statesman；　chief　pillar　of　the　Protestant
succession；　and　corner　stone　of　English　liberty。　I　should　be　glad
to　know　how　Mr　Barton　reconciles　these　contradictions；　without
obliging　us　to　resign　all　title　to　the　privilege　of　common
sense。'　'My　dear　sir　（answered　Barton）　I　don't　pretend　to　justify
the　extravagations　of　the　multitude；　who；　I　suppose；　were　as　wild
in　their　former　censure；　as　in　the　present　praise：　but　I　shall　be
very　glad　to　attend　you　on　Thursday　next　to　his　grace's　levee；
where；　I'm　afraid；　we　shall　not　be　crowded　with　company；　for；　you
know；　there's　a　wide　difference　between　his　present　office　of
president　of　the　council；　and　his　former　post　of　first　lord
commissioner　of　the　treasury。'

This　communicative　friend　having　announced　all