the expedition of humphry clinker-第65章

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up　four　pair　of　stairs；　in　the　High…street；　the　fourth　story
being；　in　this　city；　reckoned　more　genteel　than　the　first。　The
air　is；　in　all　probability；　the　better；　but　it　requires　good
lungs　to　breathe　it　at　this　distance　above　the　surface　of　the
earth。　　While　I　do　remain　above　it；　whether　higher　or　lower；
provided　I　breathe　at　all；


I　shall　ever　be；
Dear　Phillips；　yours；
J。　MELFORD
July　18。



To　Dr　LEWIS。

DEAR　LEWIS；

That　part　of　Scotland　contiguous　to　Berwick；　nature　seems　to　have
intended　as　a　barrier　between　two　hostile　nations。　It　is　a　brown
desert　of　considerable　extent；　that　produces　nothing　but　heath
and　fern；　and　what　rendered　it　the　more　dreary　when　we　passed；
there　was　a　thick　fog　that　hindered　us　from　seeing　above　twenty
yards　from　the　carriage　　My　sister　began　to　make　wry　faces；　and
use　her　smelling…bottle；　Liddy　looked　blank；　and　Mrs　Jenkins
dejected；　but　in　a　few　hours　these　clouds　were　dissipated；　the
sea　appeared　upon　our　right；　and　on　the　left　the　mountains
retired　a　little；　leaving　an　agreeable　plain　betwixt　them　and　the
beach；　but；　what　surprised　us　all；　this　plain；　to　the　extent　of
several　miles；　was　covered　with　as　fine　wheat　as　ever　I　saw　in
the　most　fertile　parts　of　South　Britain　　This　plentiful　crop　is
raised　in　the　open　field；　without　any　inclosure；　or　other　manure
than　the　alga　marina；　or　seaweed；　which　abounds　on　this　coast；　a
circumstance　which　shews　that　the　soil　and　climate　are
favourable；　but　that　agriculture　in　this　country　is　not　yet
brought　to　that　perfection　which　it　has　attained　in　England。
Inclosures　would　not　only　keep　the　grounds　warm；　and　the　several
fields　distinct；　but　would　also　protect　the　crop　from　the　high
winds；　which　are　so　frequent　in　this　part　of　the　island。

Dunbar　is　well　situated　for　trade；　and　has　a　curious　bason；　where
ships　of　small　burthen　may　be　perfectly　secure；　but　there　is
little　appearance　of　business　in　the　place　　From　thence；　all　the
way　to　Edinburgh；　there　is　a　continual　succession　of　fine　seats；
belonging　to　noblemen　and　gentlemen；　and　as　each　is　surrounded　by
its　own　parks　and　plantation；　they　produce　a　very　pleasing　effect
in　a　country　which　lies　otherwise　open　and　exposed。　At　Dunbar
there　is　a　noble　park；　with　a　lodge；　belonging　to　the　Duke　of
Roxburgh；　where　Oliver　Cromwell　had　his　head…quarters；　when
Lesley；　at　the　head　of　a　Scotch　army；　took　possession　of　the
mountains　in　the　neighbourhood；　and　hampered　him　in　such　a
manner；　that　he　would　have　been　obliged　to　embark　and　get　away　by
sea；　had　not　the　fanaticism　of　the　enemy　forfeited　the　advantage
which　they　had　obtained　by　their　general's　conduct　　Their
ministers；　by　exhortation；　prayer；　assurance；　and　prophecy；
instigated　them　to　go　down　and　slay　the　Philistines　in　Gilgal；
and　they　quitted　their　ground　accordingly；　notwithstanding　all
that　Lesley　could　do　to　restrain　the　madness　of　their　enthusiasm　
When　Oliver　saw　them　in　motion；　he　exclaimed；　'Praised　be　the
Lord；　he　hath　delivered　them　into　the　hands　of　his　servant！'　and
ordered　his　troops　to　sing　a　psalm　of　thanksgiving；　while　they
advanced　in　order　to　the　plain；　where　the　Scots　were　routed　with
great　slaughter。

In　the　neighbourhood　of　Haddington；　there　is　a　gentleman's　house；
in　the　building　of　which；　and　the　improvements　about　it；　he　is
said　to　have　expended　forty　thousand　pounds：　but　I　cannot　say　I
was　much　pleased　with　either　the　architecture　or　the　situation；
though　it　has　in　front　a　pastoral　stream；　the　banks　of　which　are
laid　out　in　a　very　agreeable　manner。　I　intended　to　pay　my
respects　to　Lord　Elibank；　whom　I　had　the　honour　to　know　at　London
many　years　ago。　He　lives　in　this　part　of　Lothian；　but　was　gone　to
the　North；　on　a　visit　　You　have　often　heard　me　mention　this
nobleman；　whom　I　have　long　revered　for　his　humanity　and　universal
intelligence；　over　and　above　the　entertainment　arising　from
originality　of　his　character　　At　Musselburgh；　however；　I　had　the
good…fortune　to　drink　tea　with　my　old　friend　Mr　Cardonel；　and　at
his　house　I　met　with　Dr　C；　the　parson　of　the　parish；　whose
humour　and　conversation　inflamed　me　with　a　desire　of　being　better
acquainted　with　his　person　　I　am　not　at　all　surprised　that　these
Scots　make　their　way　in　every　quarter　of　the　globe。

This　place　is　but　four　miles　from　Edinburgh；　towards　which　we
proceeded　along　the　sea…shore；　upon　a　firm　bottom　of　smooth　sand；
which　the　tide　had　left　uncovered　in　its　retreat　　Edinburgh；　from
this　avenue；　is　not　seen　to　much　advantage　　We　had　only　an
imperfect　view　of　the　Castle　and　upper　parts　of　the　town；　which
varied　incessantly　according　to　the　inflexions　of　the　road；　and
exhibited　the　appearance　of　detached　spires　and　turrets；
belonging　to　some　magnificent　edifice　in　ruins。　The　palace　of
Holyrood　house　stands　on　the　left；　as　you　enter　the　Canon…gate　
This　is　a　street　continued　from　hence　to　the　gate　called　Nether
Bow；　which　is　now　taken　away；　so　that　there　is　no　interruption
for　a　long　mile；　from　the　bottom　to　the　top　of　the　hill　on　which
the　castle　stands　in　a　most　imperial　situation　　Considering　its
fine　pavement；　its　width；　and　the　lofty　houses　on　each　side；　this
would　be　undoubtedly　one　of　the　noblest　streets　in　Europe；　if　an
ugly　mass　of　mean　buildings；　called　the　Lucken…Booths；　had　not
thrust　itself；　by　what　accident　I　know　not；　into　the　middle　of
the　way；　like　Middle…Row　in　Holborn。　The　city　stands　upon　two
hills；　and　the　bottom　between　them；　and；　with　all　its　defects；
may　very　well　pass　for　the　capital　of　a　moderate　kingdom。　　It　is
full　of　people；　and　continually　resounds　with　the　noise　of
coaches　and　other　carriages；　for　luxury　as　well　as　commerce。　As
far　as　I　can　perceive；　here　is　no　want　of　provisions　　The　beef
and　mutton　are　as　delicate　here　as　in　Wales；　the　sea　affords
plenty　of　good　fish；　the　bread　is　remarkably　fine；　and　the　water
is　excellent；　though　I'm　afraid　not　in　sufficient　quantity　to
answer　all　the　purposes　of　cleanliness　and　convenience；　articles
in　which；　it　must　be　allowed；　our　fellow…subjects　are　a　little
defective　　The　water　is　brought　in　leaden　pipes　from　a　mountain
in　the　neighbourhood；　to　a　cistern　on　the　Castle…hill；　from
whence　it　is　distributed　to　public　conduits　in　different　parts　of
the　city。　From　these　it　is　carried　in　barrels；　on　the　backs　of
male　and　female　porters；　up　two；　three；　four；　five；　six；　seven；
and　eight　pairs　of　stairs；　for　the　use　of　particular　families　
Every　story　is　a　complete　house；　occupied　by　a　separate　family；
and　the　stair　being　common　to　them　all；　is　generally　left　in　a
very　filthy　condition；　a　man　must　tread　with　great　circumspection
to　get　safe　housed　with　unpolluted　shoes　　Nothing　can　form　a
stronger　contrast；　than　the　difference　betwixt　the　outside　and
inside　of　the　door；　for　the　good…women　of　this　metropolis　are
remarkably　nice　in　the　ornaments　and　propriety　of　their
apartments；　as　if　they　were　resolved　to　transfer　the　imputation
from　the　individual　to　the　public。　You　are　no　stranger　to　their
method　of　discharging　all　their　impurities　from　their　windows；　at
a　certain　hour　of　the　night；　as　the　custom　is　in　Spain；　Portugal；
and　some　parts　of　France　and　Italy　　A　practice　to　which　I　can　by
no　means　be　reconciled；　for　notwithstanding　all　the　care　that　is
taken　by　their　scavengers　to　remove　this　nuisance　every　morning
by　break　of　day；　enough　still　remains　to　offend　the　eyes；　as　well
as　other　organs　of　those　whom　use　has　not　hardened　against　all
delicacy　of　sensation。

The　inhabitants　seem　insensible　to　these　impressions；　and　are　apt
to　imagine　the　disgust　that　we　avow　is　little　better　than
affectation；　but　they　ought　to　have　some　compassion　for
strangers；　who　have　not　been　used　to　this　kind　of　sufferance；　and
consider；　whether　it　may　not　be　worth　while　to　take　some　pains　to
vindicate　themselves　from　the　reproach　that；　on　this　account；
they　bear　among　their　neighbours。　As　to　the　surprising　height　of
their　houses；　it　is　absurd　in　many　respects；　but　in　one
particular　light　I　cannot　view　it　without　horror；　that　is；　the
dreadful　situation　of　all　the　families　above；　in　case　the　common
staircase　should　be　rendered　impassable　by　a　fire　in　the　lower
stories　　In　order　to　prevent　the　shocking　conseq