the expedition of humphry clinker-第67章

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alas；　I　was　no　more　than　a　tiro　among　a　troop　of　veterans；　who
had　compassion　upon　my　youth　and　conveyed　me　home　in　the　morning
by　what　means　I　know　not　　Quin　was　mistaken；　however；　as　to　the
head…ake；　the　claret　was　too　good　to　treat　me　so　roughly。

While　Mr　Bramble　holds　conferences　with　the　graver　literati　of
the　place；　and　our　females　are　entertained　at　visits　by　the
Scotch　ladies；　who　are　the　best　and　kindest　creatures　upon　earth；
I　pass　my　time　among　the　bucks　of　Edinburgh；　who；　with　a　great
share　of　spirit　and　vivacity；　have　a　certain　shrewdness　and　self…
command　that　is　not　often　found　among　their　neighbours；　in　the
high…day　of　youth　and　exultation　　Not　a　hint　escapes　a　Scotchman
that　can　be　interpreted　into　offence　by　any　individual　in　the
company；　and　national　reflections　are　never　heard　　In　this
particular；　I　must　own；　we　are　both　unjust　and　ungrateful　to　the
Scots；　for；　as　far　as　I　am　able　to　judge；　they　have　a　real　esteem
for　the　natives　of　South…Britain；　and　never　mention　our　country；
but　with　expressions　of　regard　　Nevertheless；　they　are　far　from
being　servile　imitators　of　our　modes　and　fashionable　vices。　All
their　customs　and　regulations　of　public　and　private　oeconomy；　of
business　and　diversion；　are　in　their　own　stile。　This　remarkably
predominates　in　their　looks；　their　dress　and　manner；　their　music；
and　even　their　cookery。　Our　'squire　declares；　that　he　knows　not
another　people　upon　earth；　so　strongly　marked　with　a　national
character　　Now　we　are　upon　the　article　of　cookery；　I　must　own；
some　of　their　dishes　are　savoury；　and　even　delicate；　but　I　am　not
yet　Scotchman　enough　to　relish　their　singed　sheep's…head　and
haggice；　which　were　provided　at　our　request；　one　day　at　Mr
Mitchelson's；　where　we　dined　　The　first　put　me　in　mind　of　the
history　of　Congo；　in　which　I　had　read　of　negroes'　heads　sold
publickly　in　the　markets；　the　last；　being　a　mess　of　minced
lights；　livers；　suet；　oat…meal；　onions；　and　pepper；　inclosed　in　a
sheep's　stomach；　had　a　very　sudden　effect　upon　mine；　and　the
delicate　Mrs　Tabby　changed　colour；　when　the　cause　of　our　disgust
was　instantaneously　removed　at　the　nod　of　our　entertainer。　The
Scots；　in　general；　are　attached　to　this　composition；　with　a　sort
of　national　fondness；　as　well　as　to　their　oat…meal　bread；　which
is　presented　at　every　table；　in　thin　triangular　cakes；　baked　upon
a　plate　of　iron；　called　a　girdle；　and　these；　many　of　the　natives；
even　in　the　higher　ranks　of　life；　prefer　to　wheaten…bread；　which
they　have　here　in　perfection　　You　know　we　used　to　vex　poor　Murray
of　Baliol　college；　by　asking；　if　there　was　really　no　fruit　but
turnips　in　Scotland？　　Sure　enough；　I　have　seen　turnips　make　their
appearance；　not　as　a　desert；　but　by　way　of　hors　d'oeuvres；　or
whets；　as　radishes　are　served　betwixt　more　substantial　dishes　in
France　and　Italy；　but　it　must　be　observed；　that　the　turnips　of
this　country　are　as　much　superior　in　sweetness；　delicacy；　and
flavour；　to　those　in　England；　as　a　musk…melon　is　to　the　stock　of
a　common　cabbage。　They　are　small　and　conical；　of　a　yellowish
colour；　with　a　very　thin　skin　and；　over　and　above　their　agreeable
taste；　are　valuable　for　their　antiscorbutic　quality　　As　to　the
fruit　now　in　season；　such　as　cherries；　gooseberries；　and
currants；　there　is　no　want　of　them　at　Edinburgh；　and　in　the
gardens　of　some　gentlemen；　who　live　in　the　neighbourhood；　there
is　now　a　very　favourable　appearance　of　apricots；　peaches；
nectarines；　and　even　grapes：　nay；　I　have　seen　a　very　fine　shew　of
pineapples　within　a　few　miles　of　this　metropolis。　Indeed；　we　have
no　reason　to　be　surprised　at　these　particulars；　when　we　consider
how　little　difference　there　is；　in　fact；　betwixt　this　climate　and
that　of　London。

All　the　remarkable　places　in　the　city　and　its　avenues；　for　ten
miles　around；　we　have　visited；　much　to　our　satisfaction。　In　the
Castle　are　some　royal　apartments；　where　the　sovereign
occasionally　resided；　and　here　are　carefully　preserved　the
regalia　of　the　kingdom；　consisting　of　a　crown；　said　to　be　of
great　value；　a　sceptre；　and　a　sword　of　state；　adorned　with
jewels　　Of　these　symbols　of　sovereignty；　the　people　are
exceedingly　jealous　　A　report　being　spread　during　the　sitting　of
the　union…parliament；　that　they　were　removed　to　London；　such　a
tumult　arose；　that　the　lord　commissioner　would　have　been　torn　to
pieces；　if　he　had　not　produced　them　for　the　satisfaction　of　the
populace。

The　palace　of　Holyrood…house　is　an　elegant　piece　of　architecture；
but　sunk　in　an　obscure；　and；　as　I　take　it；　unwholesome　bottom；
where　one　would　imagine　it　had　been　placed　on　purpose　to　be
concealed。　The　apartments　are　lofty；　but　unfurnished；　and　as　for
the　pictures　of　the　Scottish　kings；　from　Fergus　I。　to　king
William；　they　are　paultry　daubings；　mostly　by　the　same　hand；
painted　either　from　the　imagination；　or　porters　hired　to　sit　for
the　purpose。　All　the　diversions　of　London　we　enjoy　at　Edinburgh；
in　a　small　compass。　Here　is　a　well　conducted　concert；　in　which
several　gentlemen　perform　on　different　instruments　　The　Scots　are
all　musicians　　Every　man　you　meet　plays　on　the　flute；　the　violin；
or　violoncello；　and　there　is　one　nobleman；　whose　compositions　are
universally　admired　　Our　company　of　actors　is　very　tolerable；　and
a　subscription　is　now　on　foot　for　building　a　new　theatre；　but
their　assemblies　please　me　above　all　other　public　exhibitions。

We　have　been　at　the　hunters'　ball；　where　I　was　really　astonished
to　see　such　a　number　of　fine　women　　The　English；　who　have　never
crossed　the　Tweed；　imagine　erroneously；　that　the　Scotch　ladies
are　not　remarkable　for　personal　attractions；　but；　I　can　declare
with　a　safe　conscience；　I　never　saw　so　many　handsome　females
together；　as　were　assembled　on　this　occasion。　At　the　Leith　races；
the　best　company　comes　hither　from　the　remoter　provinces；　so
that；　I　suppose；　we　had　all　the　beauty　of　the　kingdom
concentrated　as　it　were　into　one　focus；　which　was；　indeed；　so
vehement；　that　my　heart　could　hardly　resist　its　power。　Between
friends；　it　has　sustained　some　damage　from　the　bright　eyes　of　the
charming　miss　R＇ento＇n；　whom　I　had　the　honour　to　dance　with　at
the　ball　　The　countess　of　Melville　attracted　all　eyes；　and　the
admiration　of　all　present　　She　was　accompanied　by　the　agreeable
miss　Grieve；　who　made　many　conquests；　nor　did　my　sister　Liddy
pass　unnoticed　in　the　assembly　　She　is　become　a　toast　at
Edinburgh；　by　the　name　of　the　Fair　Cambrian；　and　has　already　been
the　occasion　of　much　wine…shed；　but　the　poor　girl　met　with　an
accident　at　the　ball；　which　has　given　us　great　disturbance。

A　young　gentleman；　the　express　image　of　that　rascal　Wilson；　went
up　to　ask　her　to　dance　a　minuet；　and　his　sudden　appearance
shocked　her　so　much；　that　she　fainted　away　　I　call　Wilson　a
rascal；　because；　if　he　had　been　really　a　gentleman；　with
honourable　intentions；　he　would　have；　ere　now；　appeared　in　his
own　character　　I　must　own；　my　blood　boils　with　indignation　when　I
think　of　that　fellow's　presumption；　and　Heaven　confound　me　if　I
don't　　But　I　won't　be　so　womanish　as　to　rail　　Time　will；　perhaps；
furnish　occasion　　Thank　God；　the　cause　of　Liddy's　disorder
remains　a　secret。　The　lady　directress　of　the　ball；　thinking　she
was　overcome　by　the　heat　of　the　place；　had　her　conveyed　to
another　room；　where　she　soon　recovered　so　well；　as　to　return　and
join　in　the　country　dances；　in　which　the　Scotch　lasses　acquit
themselves　with　such　spirit　and　agility；　as　put　their　partners　to
the　height　of　their　mettle。　I　believe　our　aunt；　Mrs　Tabitha；　had
entertained　hopes　of　being　able　to　do　some　execution　among　the
cavaliers　at　this　assembly。　She　had　been　several　days　in
consultation　with　milliners　and　mantua…makers；　preparing　for　the
occasion；　at　which　she　made　her　appearance　in　a　full　suit　of
damask；　so　thick　and　heavy；　that　the　sight　of　it　alone；　at　this
season　of　the　year；　was　sufficient　to　draw　drops　of　sweat　from
any　man　of　ordinary　imagination　　She　danced　one　minuet　with　our
friend　Mr　Mitchelson；　who　favoured　her　so　far；　in　the　spirit　of
hospitality　and　politeness；　and　she　was　called　out　a　second　time
by　the　young　laird　of　Ballymawhawple；　who；　coming　in　by　accident；
could　not　readily　find　any　other　partner；　but　as　the　first　wa