the expedition of humphry clinker-第74章

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to　know　in　what　manner　he　accounted　for　this　strange　phenomenon；
and　he　said　there　were　three　ways　in　which　the　stones　might　be
serviceable。　They　might　possibly　restrain　an　excess　in　the
perspiration　of　the　earth；　analogous　to　colliquative　sweats；　by
which　the　human　body　is　sometimes　wasted　and　consumed。　They　might
act　as　so　many　fences　to　protect　the　tender　blade　from　the
piercing　winds　of　the　spring；　or；　by　multiplying　the　reflexion　of
the　sun；　they　might　increase　the　warmth；　so　as　to　mitigate　the
natural　chilness　of　the　soil　and　climate　　But；　surely　this
excessive　perspiration　might　be　more　effectually　checked　by
different　kinds　of　manure；　such　as　ashes；　lime；　chalk；　or　marl；
of　which　last　it　seems　there　are　many　pits　in　this　kingdom：　as
for　the　warmth；　it　would　be　much　more　equally　obtained　by
inclosures；　the　cultivation　would　require　less　labour；　and　the
ploughs；　harrows；　and　horses；　would　not　suffer　half　the　damage
which　they　now　sustain。

These　north…western　parts　are　by　no　means　fertile　in　corn。　The
ground　is　naturally　barren　and　moorish。　The　peasants　are　poorly
lodged；　meagre　in　their　looks；　mean　in　their　apparel；　and
remarkably　dirty。　This　last　reproach　they　might　easily　wash　off；
by　means　of　those　lakes；　rivers；　and　rivulets　of　pure　water；　with
which　they　are　so　liberally　supplied　by　nature。　Agriculture
cannot　be　expected　to　flourish　where　the　farms　are　small；　the
leases　short；　and　the　husbandman　begins　upon　a　rack　rent；　without
a　sufficient　stock　to　answer　the　purposes　of　improvement。　The
granaries　of　Scotland　are　the　banks　of　the　Tweed；　the　counties　of
East　and　Mid…Lothian；　the　Carse　of　Gowrie；　in　Perthshire；　equal
in　fertility　to　any　part　of　England；　and　some　tracts　in
Aberdeenshire　and　Murray；　where　I　am　told　the　harvest　is　more
early　than　in　Northumberland；　although　they　lie　above　two　degrees
farther　north。　I　have　a　strong　curiosity　to　visit　many　places
beyond　the　Forth　and　the　Tay；　such　as　Perth；　Dundee；　Montrose；
and　Aberdeen；　which　are　towns　equally　elegant　and　thriving；　but
the　season　is　too　far　advanced　to　admit　of　this　addition　to　my
original　plan。

I　am　so　far　happy　as　to　have　seen　Glasgow；　which；　to　the　best　of
my　recollection　and　judgment；　is　one　of　the　prettiest　towns　in
Europe；　and；　without　all　doubt；　it　is　one　of　the　most　flourishing
in　Great　Britain。　In　short；　it　is　a　perfect　bee…hive　in　point　of
industry。　It　stands　partly　on　a　gentle　declivity；　but　the
greatest　part　of　it　is　in　a　plain；　watered　by　the　river　Clyde。
The　streets　are　straight；　open；　airy；　and　well　paved；　and　the
houses　lofty　and　well　built　of　hewn　stone。　At　the　upper　end　of
the　town；　there　is　a　venerable　cathedral；　that　may　be　compared
with　York…minster　or　West…minster；　and；　about　the　middle　of　the
descent　from　this　to　the　Cross；　is　the　college；　a　respectable
pile　of　building；　with　all　manner　of　accommodation　for　the
professors　and　students；　including　an　elegant　library；　and　a
observatory　well　provided　with　astronomical　instruments。　The
number　of　inhabitants　is　said　to　amount　to　thirty　thousand；　and
marks　of　opulence　and　independency　appear　in　every　quarter　of
this　commercial　city；　which；　however；　is　not　without　its
inconveniences　and　defects。　The　water　of　their　public　pumps　is
generally　hard　and　brackish；　an　imperfection　the　loss　excusable；
as　the　river　Clyde　runs　by　their　doors；　in　the　lower　part　of　the
town；　and　there　are　rivulets　and　springs　above　the　cathedral；
sufficient　to　fill　a　large　reservoir　with　excellent　water；　which
might　be　thence　distributed　to　all　the　different　parts　of　the
city。　It　is　of　more　consequence　to　consult　the　health　of　the
inhabitants　in　this　article　than　to　employ　so　much　attention　in
beautifying　their　town　with　new　streets；　squares；　and　churches。
Another　defect；　not　so　easily　remedied；　is　the　shallowness　of　the
river；　which　will　not　float　vessels　of　any　burthen　within　ten　or
twelve　miles　of　the　city；　so　that　the　merchants　are　obliged　to
load　and　unload　their　ships　at　Greenock　and　Port…Glasgow；
situated　about　fourteen　miles　nearer　the　mouth　of　the　Frith；
where　it　is　about　two　miles　broad。

The　people　of　Glasgow　have　a　noble　spirit　of　enterprise　　Mr
Moore；　a　surgeon；　to　whom　I　was　recommended　from　Edinburgh；
introduced　me　to　all　the　principal　merchants　of　the　place。　Here　I
became　acquainted　with　Mr　Cochran；　who　may　be　stiled　one　of　the
sages　of　this　kingdom。　He　was　first　magistrate　at　the　time　of　the
last　rebellion。　I　sat　as　member　when　he　was　examined　in　the　house
of　commons；　upon　which　occasion　Mr　P　observed　he　had　never
heard　such　a　sensible　evidence　given　at　that　bar。　I　was　also
introduced　to　Dr　John　Gordon；　a　patriot　of　a　truly　Roman　spirit；
who　is　the　father　of　the　linen　manufacture　in　this　place；　and　was
the　great　promoter　of　the　city　workhouse；　infirmary；　and　other
works　of　public　utility。　Had　he　lived　in　ancient　Rome；　he　would
have　been　honoured　with　a　statue　at　the　public　expence。　I
moreover　conversed　with　one　Mr　Gssfd；　whom　I　take　to　be　one
of　the　greatest　merchants　in　Europe。　In　the　last　war；　he　is　said
to　have　had　at　one　time　five　and　twenty　ships　with　their　cargoes；
his　own　property；　and　to　have　traded　for　above　half　a　million
sterling　a…year。　The　last　war　was　a　fortunate　period　for　the
commerce　of　Glasgow　　The　merchants；　considering　that　their　ships
bound　for　America；　launching　out　at　once　into　the　Atlantic　by　the
north　of　Ireland；　pursued　a　track　very　little　frequented　by
privateers；　resolved　to　insure　one　another；　and　saved　a　very
considerable　sum　by　this　resolution；　as　few　or　none　of　their
ships　were　taken　　You　must　know　I　have　a　sort　of　national
attachment　to　this　part　of　Scotland　　The　great　church　dedicated
to　St　Mongah；　the　river　Clyde；　and　other　particulars　that　smack
of　our　Welch　language　and　customs；　contribute　to　flatter　me　with
the　notion；　that　these　people　are　the　descendants　of　the　Britons；
who　once　possessed　this　country。　Without　all　question；　this　was　a
Cumbrian　kingdom：　its　capital　was　Dumbarton　（a　corruption　of
Dunbritton）　which　still　exists　as　a　royal　borough；　at　the　influx
of　the　Clyde　and　Leven；　ten　miles　below　Glasgow。　The　same
neighbourhood　gave　birth　to　St　Patrick；　the　apostle　of　Ireland；
at　a　place　where　there　is　still　a　church　and　village；　which
retain　his　name。　Hard　by　are　some　vestiges　of　the　famous　Roman
wall；　built　in　the　reign　of　Antonine；　from　the　Clyde　to　the
Forth；　and　fortified　with　castles；　to　restrain　the　incursions　of
the　Scots　or　Caledonians；　who　inhabited　the　West…Highlands。　In　a
line　parallel　to　this　wall；　the　merchants　of　Glasgow　have
determined　to　make　a　navigable　canal　betwixt　the　two　Firths　which
will　be　of　incredible　advantage　to　their　commerce；　in
transporting　merchandize　from　one　side　of　the　island　to　the
other。

From　Glasgow　we　travelled　along　the　Clyde；　which　is　a　delightful
stream；　adorned　on　both　sides　with　villas；　towns；　and　villages。
Here　is　no　want　of　groves；　and　meadows；　and　corn…fields
interspersed；　but　on　this　side　of　Glasgow；　there　is　little　other
grain　than　oats　and　barley；　the　first　are　much　better；　the　last
much　worse；　than　those　of　the　same　species　in　England。　I　wonder；
there　is　so　little　rye；　which　is　a　grain　that　will　thrive　in
almost　any　soil；　and　it　is　still　more　surprising；　that　the
cultivation　of　potatoes　should　be　so　much　neglected　in　the
Highlands；　where　the　poor　people　have　not　meal　enough　to　supply
them　with　bread　through　the　winter。　On　the　other　side　of　the
river　are　the　towns　of　Paisley　and　Renfrew。　The　first；　from　an
inconsiderable　village；　is　become　one　of　the　most　flourishing
places　of　the　kingdom；　enriched　by　the　linen；　cambrick；　flowered
lawn；　and　silk　manufactures。　It　was　formerly　noted　for　a　rich
monastery　of　the　monks　of　Clugny；　who　wrote　the　famous　Scoti…Chronicon；
called　The　Black　Book　of　Paisley。　The　old　abbey　still
remains；　converted　into　a　dwelling…house；　belonging　to　the　earl
of　Dundonald。　Renfrew　is　a　pretty　town；　on　the　banks　of　Clyde；
capital　of　the　shire；　which　was　heretofore　the　patrimony　of　the
Stuart　family；　and　gave　the　title　of　baron　to　the　king's　eldest
son；　which　is　still　assumed　by　the　prince　of　Wales。

The　Clyde　we　left　a　little　on　our　left…hand　at　Dunbritton；　where