the expedition of humphry clinker-第53章

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his　passage　overthrown；　though　not　with　impunity；　for　the
cripple；　in　falling；　gave　him　such　a　good　pelt　on　the　head　with
his　crutch；　that　the　blood　followed。

As　for　this　lawyer；　he　waited　below　till　the　hurly　burly　was
over；　and　then　stole　softly　to　his　own　chamber；　from　whence　he
did　not　venture　to　make　a　second　sally　till　eleven　in　the
forenoon；　when　he　was　led　into　the　Public　Room；　by　his　own
servant　and　another　assistant；　groaning　most　woefully；　with　a
bloody　napkin　round　his　head。　But　things　were　greatly　altered　
The　selfish　brutality　of　his　behaviour　on　the　stairs　had　steeled
their　hearts　against　all　his　arts　and　address　　Not　a　soul　offered
to　accommodate　him　with　a　chair；　cushion；　or　footstool；　so　that
he　was　obliged　to　sit　down　on　a　hard　bench　　In　that　position；　he
looked　around　with　a　rueful　aspect；　and；　bowing　very　low；　said　in
a　whining　tone；　'Your　most　humble　servant；　ladies　　Fire　is　a
dreadful　calamity'　　'Fire　purifies　gold；　and　it　ties　friendship；'
cried　Mrs　Tabitha；　bridling。　'Yea；　madam　（replied　Micklewhimmen）；
and　it　trieth　discretion　also'　　'If　discretion　consists　in
forsaking　a　friend　in　adversity；　you　are　eminently　possessed　of
that　virtue'　（resumed　our　aunt）。　　'Na；　madam　（rejoined　the
advocate）；　well　I　wot；　I　cannot　claim　any　merit　from　the　mode　of
my　retreat　　Ye'll　please　to　observe；　ladies；　there　are　twa
independent　principles　that　actuate　our　nature　　One　is　instinct；
which　we　have　in　common　with　the　brute　creation；　and　the　other　is
reason　　Noo；　in　certain　great　emergencies；　when　the　faculty　of
reason　is　suspended；　instinct　taks　the　lead；　and　when　this
predominates；　having　no　affinity　with　reason；　it　pays　no　sort　of
regard　to　its　connections；　it　only　operates　for　the　preservation
of　the　individual；　and　that　by　the　most　expeditious　and　effectual
means；　therefore；　begging　your　pardon；　ladies；　I'm　no　accountable
in　foro　conscientioe　for　what　I　did；　while　under　the　influence　of
this　irresistible　pooer。'

Here　my　uncle　interposing；　'I　should　be　glad　to　know　（said　he）；
whether　it　was　instinct　that　prompted　you　to　retreat　with　bag　and
baggage；　for；　I　think；　you　had　a　portmanteau　on　your　shoulder'
The　lawyer　answered；　without　hesitation；　'Gif　I　might　tell　my
mind　freely；　withoot　incuring　the　suspicion　of　presumption；　I
should　think　it　was　something　superior　to　either　reason　or
instinct　which　suggested　that　measure；　and　this　on　a　twafold
accoont：　in　the　first　place；　the　portmanteau　contained　the
writings　of　a　worthy　nobleman's　estate；　and　their　being　burnt
would　have　occasioned　a　loss　that　could　not　be　repaired；
secondly；　my　good　angel　seems　to　have　laid　the　portmanteau　on　my
shoulders；　by　way　of　defence；　to　sustain　the　violence　of　a　most
inhuman　blow；　from　the　crutch　of　a　reverend　clergyman；　which；
even　in　spite　of　that　medium；　hath　wounded　me　sorely；　even　unto
the　pericranium。'　'By　your　own　doctrine　（cried　the　parson；　who
chanced　to　be　present）；　I　am　not　accountable　for　the　blow；　which
was　the　effect　of　instinct。'　'I　crave　your　pardon；　reverend　sir
（said　the　other）；　instinct　never　acts　but　for　the　preservation　of
the　individual；　but　your　preservation　was　out　of　the　case　　you
had　already　received　the　damage；　and　therefore　the　blow　must　be
imputed　to　revenge；　which　is　a　sinful　passion；　that　ill　becomes
any　Christian；　especially　a　protestant　divine；　and　let　me　tell
you；　most　reverend　doctor；　gin　I　had　a　mind　to　plea；　the　law
would　hauld　my　libel　relevant。'　'Why；　the　damage　is　pretty　equal
on　both　sides　（cried　the　parson）；　your　head　is　broke；　and　my
crutch　is　snapt　in　the　middle。　Now；　if　you　will　repair　the　one；　I
will　be　at　the　expence　of　curing　the　other。'

This　sally　raised　the　laugh　against　Micklewhimmen；　who　began　to
look　grave；　when　my　uncle；　in　order　to　change　the　discourse；
observed；　that　instinct　had　been　very　kind　to　him　in　another
respect；　for　it　had　restored　to　him　the　use　of　his　limbs；　which；
in　his　exit；　he　had　moved　with　surprising　agility。　　He　replied；
that　it　was　the　nature　of　fear　to　brace　up　the　nerves；　and
mentioned　some　surprising　feats　of　strength　and　activity
performed　by　persons　under　the　impulse　of　terror；　but　he
complained　that　in　his　own　particular；　the　effects　had　ceased
when　the　cause　was　taken　away　　The　'squire　said；　he　would　lay　a
tea…drinking　on　his　head；　that　he　should　dance　a　Scotch　measure；
without　making　a　false　step；　and　the　advocate　grinning；　called
for　the　piper　　A　fidler　being　at　hand；　this　original　started　up；
with　his　bloody　napkin　over　his　black　tye…periwig；　and　acquitted
himself　in　such　a　manner　as　excited　the　mirth　of　the　whole
company；　but　he　could　not　regain　the　good　graces　of　Mrs　Tabby；
who　did　not　understand　the　principle　of　instinct；　and　the　lawyer
did　not　think　it　worth　his　while　to　proceed　to　further
demonstration。

From　Harrigate；　we　came　hither；　by　the　way　of　York；　and　here　we
shall　tarry　some　days；　as　my　uncle　and　Tabitha　are　both　resolved
to　make　use　of　the　waters。　Scarborough；　though　a　paltry　town；　is
romantic　from　its　situation　along　a　cliff　that　over…hangs　the
sea。　The　harbour　is　formed　by　a　small　elbow　of　land　that　runs　out
as　a　natural　mole；　directly　opposite　to　the　town；　and　on　that
side　is　the　castle；　which　stands　very　high；　of　considerable
extent；　and；　before　the　invention　of　gun…powder；　was　counted
impregnable。　At　the　other　end　of　Scarborough　are　two　public　rooms
for　the　use　of　the　company；　who　resort　to　this　place　in　the
summer　to　drink　the　waters　and　bathe　in　the　sea；　and　the
diversions　are　pretty　much　on　the　same　footing　here　as　at　Bath。
The　Spa　is　a　little　way　beyond　the　town；　on　this　side；　under　a
cliff；　within　a　few　paces　of　the　sea；　and　thither　the　drinkers　go
every　morning　in　dishabille；　but　the　descent　is　by　a　great　number
of　steps；　which　invalids　find　very　inconvenient。　Betwixt　the　well
and　the　harbour；　the　bathing　machines　are　ranged　along　the　beach；
with　all　their　proper　utensils　and　attendants。　You　have　never　seen
one　of　these　machines　　Image　to　yourself　a　small；　snug；　wooden
chamber；　fixed　upon　a　wheel…carriage；　having　a　door　at　each　end；
and　on　each　side　a　little　window　above；　a　bench　below　　The
bather；　ascending　into　this　apartment　by　wooden　steps；　shuts
himself　in；　and　begins　to　undress；　while　the　attendant　yokes　a
horse　to　the　end　next　the　sea；　and　draws　the　carriage　forwards；
till　the　surface　of　the　water　is　on　a　level　with　the　floor　of　the
dressing…room；　then　he　moves　and　fixes　the　horse　to　the　other
end　　The　person　within　being　stripped；　opens　the　door　to　the　sea…ward；
where　he　finds　the　guide　ready；　and　plunges　headlong　into
the　water　　After　having　bathed；　he　re…ascends　into　the　apartment；
by　the　steps　which　had　been　shifted　for　that　purpose；　and　puts　on
his　clothes　at　his　leisure；　while　the　carriage　is　drawn　back
again　upon　the　dry　land；　so　that　he　has　nothing　further　to　do；
but　to　open　the　door；　and　come　down　as　he　went　up　　Should　he　be
so　weak　or　ill　as　to　require　a　servant　to　put　off　and　on　his
clothes；　there　is　room　enough　in　the　apartment　for　half　a　dozen
people。　The　guides　who　attend　the　ladies　in　the　water；　are　of
their　own　sex；　and　they　and　the　female　bathers　have　a　dress　of
flannel　for　the　sea；　nay；　they　are　provided　with　other
conveniences　for　the　support　of　decorum。　A　certain　number　of　the
machines　are　fitted　with　tilts；　that　project　from　the　sea…ward
ends　of　them；　so　as　to　screen　the　bathers　from　the　view　of　all
persons　whatsoever　　The　beach　is　admirably　adapted　for　this
practice；　the　descent　being　gently　gradual；　and　the　sand　soft　as
velvet；　but　then　the　machines　can　be　used　only　at　a　certain　time
of　the　tide；　which　varies　every　day；　so　that　sometimes　the
bathers　are　obliged　to　rise　very　early　in　the　morning　　For　my
part；　I　love　swimming　as　an　exercise；　and　can　enjoy　it　at　all
times　of　the　tide；　without　the　formality　of　an　apparatus　　You　and
I　have　often　plunged　together　into　the　Isis；　but　the　sea　is　a
much　more　noble　bath；　for　health　as　well　as　pleasure。　You　cannot
conceive　what　a　flow　of　spirits　it　gives；　and　how　it　braces　every
sinew　of　the　human　frame。　Were　I　to　enumerate　half　the　diseases
which　are　every　day　cured　by　sea…bathing；　you　might　justly　say
you　had　received　a　treatise；　inste