the expedition of humphry clinker-第69章

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ball　began　in　another　apartment：　at　midnight　we　went　to　supper；
but　it　was　broad　day　before　I　found　the　way　to　my　lodgings；　and；
no　doubt；　his　Lordship　had　a　swinging　bill　to　discharge。

In　short；　I　have　lived　so　riotously　for　some　weeks；　that　my　uncle
begins　to　be　alarmed　on　the　score　of　my　constitution；　and　very
seriously　observes；　'that　all　his　own　infirmities　are　owing　to
such　excesses　indulged　in　his　youth　　Mrs　Tabitha　says　it　would　be
more　to　the　advantage　of　my　soul　as　well　as　body；　if；　instead　of
frequenting　these　scenes　of　debauchery；　I　would　accompany　Mr
Moffat　and　her　to　hear　a　sermon　of　the　reverend　Mr　M'Corkindale。　
Clinker　often　exhorts　me；　with　a　groan；　to　take　care　of　my
precious　health；　and　even　Archy　M'Alpine；　when　he　happens　to　be
overtaken　（which　is　oftener　the　case　than　I　could　wish）；　reads　me
a　long　lecture　upon　temperance　and　sobriety；　and　is　so　very　wise
and　sententious；　that；　if　I　could　provide　him　with　a　professor's
chair；　I　would　willingly　give　up　the　benefit　of　his　amonitions
and　service　together；　for　I　was　tutor…sick　at　alma　mater。

I　am　not；　however；　so　much　engrossed　by　the　gaieties　of
Edinburgh；　but　that　I　find　time　to　make　parties　in　the　family
way。　We　have　not　only　seen　all　the　villas　and　villages　within　ten
miles　of　the　capital；　but　we　have　also　crossed　the　Firth；　which
is　an　arm　of　the　sea　seven　miles　broad；　that　divides　Lothian　from
the　shire；　or；　as　the　Scots　call　it；　the　kingdom　of　Fife。　There
is　a　number　of　large　open　sea…boats　that　ply　on　this　passage
from　Leith　to　Kinghorn；　which　is　a　borough　on　the　other　side。
In　one　of　these　our　whole　family　embarked　three　days　ago；　excepting
my　sister；　who；　being　exceedingly　fearful　of　the　water；　was　left
to　the　care　of　Mrs　Mitchelson。　We　had　an　easy　and　quick　passage
into　Fife；　where　we　visited　a　number　of　poor　towns　on　the　sea…side；
including　St　Andrew's；　which　is　the　skeleton　of　a　venerable　city；
but　we　were　much　better　pleased　with　some　noble　and　elegant　seats
and　castles；　of　which　there　is　a　great　number　in　that　part　of
Scotland。　Yesterday　we　took　boat　again　on　our　return　to　Leith；
with　fair　wind　and　agreeable　weather；　but　we　had　not　advanced
half…way　when　the；　sky　was　suddenly　overcast；　and　the　wind
changing；　blew　directly　in　our　teeth　so　that　we　were　obliged　to
turn；　or　tack　the　rest　of　the　way。　In　a　word；　the　gale　increased
to　a　storm　of　wind　and　rain；　attended　with　such　a　fog；　that　we
could　not　see　the　town　of　Leith；　to　which　we　were　bound；　nor　even
the　castle　of　Edinburgh；　notwithstanding　its　high　situation。　It
is　not　to　be　doubted　but　that　we　were　all　alarmed　on　this
occasion。　And　at　the　same　time；　most　of　the　passengers　were
seized　with　a　nausea　that　produced　violent　retchings。　My　aunt
desired　her　brother　to　order　the　boatmen；　to　put　back　to
Kinghorn；　and　this　expedient　he　actually　proposed；　but　they
assured　him　there　was　no　danger。　Mrs　Tabitha　finding　them
obstinate；　began　to　scold；　and　insisted　upon　my　uncle's　exerting
his　authority　as　a　justice　of　the　peace。　Sick　and　peevish　as　he
was；　he　could　not　help　laughing　at　this　wise　proposal；　telling
her；　that　his　commission　did　not　extend　so　far；　and；　if　it　did；
he　should　let　the　people　take　their　own　way；　for　he　thought　it
would　be　great　presumption　in　him　to　direct　them　in　the　exercise
of　their　own　profession。　Mrs　Winifred　Jenkins　made　a　general
clearance　with　the　assistance　of　Mr　Humphry　Clinker；　who　joined
her　both　in　prayer　and　ejaculation。　　As　he　took　it　for　granted
that　we　should　not　be　long　in　this　world；　he　offered　some
spiritual　consolation　to　Mrs　Tabitha；　who　rejected　it　with　great
disgust；　bidding　him　keep　his　sermons　for　those　who　had　leisure
to　hear　such　nonsense。　　My　uncle　sat；　collected　in　himself；
without　speaking；　my　man　Archy　had　recourse　to　a　brandy…bottle；
with　which　he　made　so　free；　that　I　imagined　he　had　sworn　to　die
of　drinking　any　thing　rather　than　sea…water：　but　the　brandy　had
no　more　effect　upon　him　in　the　way　of　intoxication；　than　if　it
had　been　sea…water　in　good　earnest。　　As　for　myself；　I　was　too
much　engrossed　by　the　sickness　at　my　stomach；　to　think　of　any
thing　else。　Meanwhile　the　sea　swelled　mountains　high；　the　boat
pitched　with　such　violence；　as　if　it　had　been　going　to　pieces；
the　cordage　rattled；　the　wind　roared；　the　lightning　flashed；　the
thunder　bellowed；　and　the　rain　descended　in　a　deluge　　Every　time
the　vessel　was　put　about；　we　ship'd　a　sea　that　drenched　us　all　to
the　skin。　　When；　by　dint　of　turning；　we　thought　to　have　cleared
the　pier　head；　we　were　driven　to　leeward；　and　then　the　boatmen
themselves　began　to　fear　that　the　tide　would　fail　before　we
should　fetch　up　our　lee…way：　the　next　trip；　however；　brought　us
into　smooth　water；　and　we　were　safely　landed　on　the　quay；　about
one　o'clock　in　the　afternoon。　　'To　be　sure　（cried　Tabby；　when　she
found　herself　on　terra　firma）；　we　must　all　have　perished；　if　we
had　not　been　the　particular　care　of　Providence。'　'Yes　（replied　my
uncle）；　but　I　am　much　of　the　honest　highlander's　mind　　after　he
had　made　such　a　passage　as　this：　his　friend　told　him　he　was　much
indebted　to　Providence；　　〃Certainly　（said　Donald）；　but；　by　my
saul；　mon；　I'se　ne'er　trouble　Providence　again；　so　long　as　the
brig　of　Stirling　stands。〃'　　You　must　know　the　brig；　or　bridge　of
Stirling；　stands　above　twenty　miles　up　the　river　Forth；　of　which
this　is　the　outlet　　I　don't　find　that　our　'squire　has　suffered　in
his　health　from　this　adventure；　but　poor　Liddy　is　in　a　peaking
way　　I'm　afraid　this　unfortunate　girl　is　uneasy　in　her　mind；　and
this　apprehension　distracts　me；　for　she　is　really　an　amiable
creature。

We　shall　set　out　to…morrow　or　next　day　for　Stirling　and　Glasgow；
and　we　propose　to　penetrate　a　little　way　into　the　Highlands；
before　we　turn　our　course　to　the　southward　　In　the　mean　time；
commend　me　to　all　our　friends　round　Carfax；　and　believe　me　to　be；
ever　yours；

EDINBURGH；　Aug。　8。
J。　MELFORD



To　Dr　LEWIS。

I　should　be　very　ungrateful；　dear　Lewis；　if　I　did　not　find　myself
disposed　to　think　and　speak　favourably　of　this　people；　among　whom
I　have　met　with　more　kindness；　hospitality；　and　rational
entertainment；　in　a　few　weeks；　than　ever　I　received　in　any　other
country　during　the　whole　course　of　my　life。　　Perhaps；　the
gratitude　excited　by　these　benefits　may　interfere　with　the
impartiality　of　my　remarks；　for　a　man　is　as　apt　to　be
prepossessed　by　particular　favours　as　to　be　prejudiced　by　private
motives　of　disgust。　If　I　am　partial；　there　is；　at　least；　some
merit　in　my　conversion　from　illiberal　prejudices　which　had　grown
up　with　my　constitution。

The　first　impressions　which　an　Englishman　receives　in　this
country；　will　not　contribute　to　the　removal　of　his　prejudices；
because　he　refers　every　thing　he　sees　to　a　comparison　with　the
same　articles　in　his　own　country；　and　this　comparison　is
unfavourable　to　Scotland　in　all　its　exteriors；　such　as　the　face
of　the　country　in　respect　to　cultivation；　the　appearance　of　the
bulk　of　the　people；　and　the　language　of　conversation　in　general。　
I　am　not　so　far　convinced　by　Mr　Lismahago's　arguments；　but　that
I　think　the　Scots　would　do　well；　for　their　own　sakes；　to　adopt
the　English　idioms　and　pronunciation；　those　of　them　especially；
who　are　resolved　to　push　their　fortunes　in　South…Britain　　I　know；
by　experience；　how　easily　an　Englishman　is　influenced　by　the　ear；
and　how　apt　he　is　to　laugh；　when　he　hears　his　own　language　spoken
with　a　foreign　or　provincial　accent　　I　have　known　a　member　of　the
house　of　commons　speak　with　great　energy　and　precision；　without
being　able　to　engage　attention；　because　his　observations　were
made　in　the　Scotch　dialect；　which　（no　offence　to　lieutenant
Lismahago）　certainly　gives　a　clownish　air　even　to　sentiments　of
the　greatest　dignity　and　decorum。　　I　have　declared　my　opinion　on
this　head　to　some　of　the　most　sensible　men　of　this　country；
observing；　at　the　same　time；　that　if　they　would　employ　a　few
natives　of　England　to　teach　the　pronunciation　of　our　vernacular
tongue；　in　twenty　years　there　would　be　no　difference；　in　point　of
dialect；　between　the　youth　of　Edinburgh　and　of　London。

The　civil　regulations　of　this　kingdom　and　metropolis　are　taken
from　very　different　models　from　tho