the expedition of humphry clinker-第75章

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son；　which　is　still　assumed　by　the　prince　of　Wales。

The　Clyde　we　left　a　little　on　our　left…hand　at　Dunbritton；　where
it　widens　into　an　aestuary　or　frith；　being　augmented　by　the
influx　of　the　Leven。　On　this　spot　stands　the　castle　formerly
called　Alcluyd；　washed；　by　these　two　rivers　on　all　sides；　except
a　narrow　isthmus；　which　at　every　spring…tide　is　overflowed。　The
whole　is　a　great　curiosity；　from　the　quality　and　form　of　the
rock；　as　well　as　from　the　nature　of　its　situation　　We　now　crossed
the　water　of　Leven；　which；　though　nothing　near　so　considerable　as
the　Clyde；　is　much　more　transparent；　pastoral；　and　delightful。
This　charming　stream　is　the　outlet　of　Lough…Lomond；　and　through　a
tract　of　four　miles　pursues　its　winding　course；　murmuring　over　a
bed　of　pebbles；　till　it　joins　the　Frith　at　Dunbritton。　A　very
little　above　its　source；　on　the　lake；　stands　the　house　of
Cameron；　belonging　to　Mr　Smollett；　so　embosomed　in　an　oak　wood；
that　we　did　not　see　it　till　we　were　within　fifty　yards　of　the
door。　I　have　seen　the　Lago　di　Garda；　Albano；　De　Vico；　Bolsena；
and　Geneva；　and；　upon　my　honour；　I　prefer　Lough…Lomond　to　them
all；　a　preference　which　is　certainly　owing　to　the　verdant　islands
that　seem　to　float　upon　its　surface；　affording　the　most
inchanting　objects　of　repose　to　the　excursive　view。　Nor　are　the
banks　destitute　of　beauties；　which　even　partake　of　the　sublime。
On　this　side　they　display　a　sweet　variety　of　woodland；　cornfield；
and　pasture；　with　several　agreeable　villas　emerging　as　it　were
out　of　the　lake；　till；　at　some　distance；　the　prospect　terminates
in　huge　mountains　covered　with　heath；　which　being　in　the　bloom；
affords　a　very　rich　covering　of　purple。　Every　thing　here　is
romantic　beyond　imagination。　This　country　is　justly　stiled　the
Arcadia　of　Scotland；　and　I　don't　doubt　but　it　may　vie　with
Arcadia　in　every　thing　but　climate。　　I　am　sure　it　excels　it　in
verdure；　wood；　and　water。　　What　say　you　to　a　natural　bason　of
pure　water；　near　thirty　miles　long；　and　in　some　places　seven
miles　broad；　and　in　many　above　a　hundred　fathom　deep；　having　four
and　twenty　habitable　islands；　some　of　them　stocked　with　deer；　and
all　of　them　covered　with　wood；　containing　immense　quantities　of
delicious　fish；　salmon；　pike；　trout；　perch；　flounders；　eels；　and
powans；　the　last　a　delicate　kind　of　fresh…water　herring　peculiar
to　this　lake；　and　finally　communicating　with　the　sea；　by　sending
off　the　Leven；　through　which　all　those　species　（except　the　powan）
make　their　exit　and　entrance　occasionally？

Inclosed　I　send　you　the　copy　of　a　little　ode　to　this　river；　by　Dr
Smollett；　who　was　born　on　the　banks　of　it；　within　two　miles　of
the　place　where　I　am　now　writing。　　It　is　at　least　picturesque　and
accurately　descriptive；　if　it　has　no　other　merit。　　There　is　an
idea　of　truth　in　an　agreeable　landscape　taken　from　nature；　which
pleases　me　more　than　the　gayest　fiction　which　the　most　luxuriant
fancy　can　display。

I　have　other　remarks　to　make；　but　as　my　paper　is　full；　I　must
reserve　them　till　the　next　occasion。　I　shall　only　observe　at
present；　that　I　am　determined　to　penetrate　at　least　forty　miles
into　the　Highlands；　which　now　appear　like　a　vast　fantastic　vision
in　the　clouds；　inviting　the　approach　of

Yours　always；
MATT。　BRAMBLE
CAMERON；　Aug。　28。

ODE　TO　LEVEN…WATER

On　Leven's　banks；　while　free　to　rove；
And　tune　the　rural　pipe　to　love；
I　envied　not　the　happiest　swain
That　ever　trod　th'　Arcadian　plain。

Pure　stream！　in　whose　transparent　wave
My　youthful　limbs　I　wont　to　lave；
No　torrents　stain　thy　limpid　source；
No　rocks　impede　thy　dimpling　course；
That　sweetly　warbles　o'er　its　bed；
With　white；　round；　polish'd　pebbles　spread；
While；　lightly　pois'd；　the　scaly　brood
In　myriads　cleave　thy　crystal　flood；
The　springing　trout　in　speckled　pride；
The　salmon；　monarch　of　the　tide；
The　ruthless　pike；　intent　on　war；
The　silver　eel；　and　motled　par。*

Devolving　from　thy　parent　lake；
A　charming　maze　thy　waters　make；
By　bow'rs　of　birch；　and　groves　of　pine；
And　hedges　flow'r'd　with　eglantine。

Still　on　thy　banks　so　gayly　green；
May　num'rous　herds　and　flocks　be　seen；
And　lasses　chanting　o'er　the　pail；
And　shepherds　piping　in　the　dale；
And　ancient　faith　that　knows　no　guile；
And　industry　imbrown'd　with　toil；
And　hearts　resolv'd；　and　hands　prepar'd；
The　blessings　they　enjoy　to　guard。

*　The　par　is　a　small　fish；　not　unlike　the　smelt；　which　it　rivals
in　delicacy　and　flavour。



To　Dr　LEWIS。

DEAR　DOCTOR；

If　I　was　disposed　to　be　critical；　I　should　say　this　house　of
Cameron　is　too　near　the　lake；　which　approaches；　on　one　side；　to
within　six　or　seven　yards　of　the　window。　It　might　have　been
placed　in　a　higher　site；　which　would　have　afforded　a　more
extensive　prospect　and　a　drier　atmosphere；　but　this　imperfection
is　not　chargeable　on　the　present　proprietor；　who　purchased　it
ready　built；　rather　than　be　at　the　trouble　of　repairing　his　own
family…house　of　Bonhill；　which　stands　two　miles　from　hence　on　the
Leven；　so　surrounded　with　plantation；　that　it　used　to　be　known　by
the　name　of　the　Mavis　（or　thrush）　Nest。　Above　that　house　is　a
romantic　glen　or　clift　of　a　mountain；　covered　with　hanging　woods
having　at　bottom　a　stream　of　fine　water　that　forms　a　number　of
cascades　in　its　descent　to　join　the　Leven；　so　that　the　scene　is
quite　enchanting。　A　captain　of　a　man　of　war；　who　had　made　the
circuit　of　the　globe　with　Mr　Anson；　being　conducted　to　this　glen；
exclaimed；　'Juan　Fernandez；　by　God！'

Indeed；　this　country　would　be　a　perfect　paradise；　if　it　was　not；
like　Wales；　cursed　with　a　weeping　climate；　owing　to　the　same
cause　in　both；　the　neighbourhood　of　high　mountains；　and　a
westerly　situation；　exposed　to　the　vapours　of　the　Atlantic　ocean。
This　air；　however；　notwithstanding　its　humidity；　is　so　healthy；
that　the　natives　are　scarce　ever　visited　by　any　other　disease
than　the　smallpox；　and　certain　cutaneous　evils；　which　are　the
effects　of　dirty　living；　the　great　and　general　reproach　of　the
commonalty　of　this　kingdom。　Here　are　a　great　many　living
monuments　of　longaevity；　and　among　the　rest　a　person；　whom　I
treat　with　singular　respect；　as　a　venerable　druid；　who　has　lived
near　ninety　years；　without　pain　or　sickness；　among　oaks　of　his
own　planting。　　He　was　once　proprietor　of　these　lands；　but　being
of　a　projecting　spirit；　some　of　his　schemes　miscarried；　and　he
was　obliged　to　part　with　his　possession；　which　hath　shifted　hands
two　or　three　times　since　that　period；　but　every　succeeding
proprietor　hath　done　every　thing　in　his　power；　to　make　his　old
age　easy　and　comfortable。　He　has　a　sufficiency　to　procure　the
necessaries　of　life；　and　he　and　his　old　woman　reside　in　a　small
convenient　farm…house；　having　a　little　garden　which　he　cultivates
with　his　own　hands。　This　ancient　couple　live　in　great　health；
peace；　and　harmony；　and；　knowing　no　wants；　enjoy　the　perfection
of　content。　Mr　Smollet　calls　him　the　admiral；　because　he　insists
upon　steering　his　pleasure…boat　upon　the　lake；　and　he　spends　most
of　his　time　in　ranging　through　the　woods；　which　he　declares　he
enjoys　as　much　as　if　they　were　still　his　own　property　　I　asked
him　the　other　day；　if　he　was　never　sick；　and　he　answered；　Yes；
he　had　a　slight　fever　the　year　before　the　union。　If　he　was　not
deaf；　I　should　take　much　pleasure　in　his　conversation；　for　he　is
very　intelligent；　and　his　memory　is　surprisingly　retentive　　These
are　the　happy　effects　of　temperance；　exercise；　and　good　nature　
Notwithstanding　all　his　innocence；　however；　he　was　the　cause　of
great　perturbation　to　my　man　Clinker；　whose　natural　superstition
has　been　much　injured；　by　the　histories　of　witches；　fairies；
ghosts；　and　goblins；　which　he　has　heard　in　this　country　　On　the
evening　after　our　arrival；　Humphry　strolled　into　the　wood；　in　the
course　of　his　meditation；　and　all　at　once　the　admiral　stood
before　him；　under　the　shadow　of　a　spreading　oak。　Though　the
fellow　is　far　from　being　timorous　in　cases　that　are　not　supposed
preternatural；　he　could　not　stand　the　sight　of　this　apparition；
but　ran　into　the　kitchen；　with　his　hair　standing　on　end；　staring
wildly；　and　deprived　of　utterance。　Mrs　Jenkins；　seeing　him　in
this　condition；　screamed　aloud；　'Lord　have　mercy　upon　us；　he　has
seen　something