the expedition of humphry clinker-第80章

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executors。　He　now　presented　the　old　man　with　fifty　pounds　for　his
present　occasions；　over　and　above　bank　notes　for　one　hundred；
which　he　had　deposited　for　his　brother's　release。　　He　brought
along　with　him　a　deed　ready　executed；　by　which　he　settled　a
perpetuity　of　four…score　pounds　upon　his　parents；　to　be　inherited
by　their　other　two　sons　after　their　decease。　　He　promised　to
purchase　a　commission　for　his　youngest　brother；　to　take　the　other
as　his　own　partner　in　a　manufacture　which　he　intended　to　set　up；
to　give　employment　and　bread　to　the　industrious；　and　to　give　five
hundred　pounds；　by　way　of　dower；　to　his　sister；　who　had　married　a
farmer　in　low　circumstances。　Finally；　he　gave　fifty　pounds　to　the
poor　of　the　town　where　he　was　born；　and　feasted　all　the
inhabitants　without　exception。

My　uncle　was　so　charmed　with　the　character　of　captain　Brown；　that
he　drank　his　health　three　times　successively　at　dinner　　He　said；
he　was　proud　of　his　acquaintance；　that　he　was　an　honour　to　his
country；　and　had　in　some　measure　redeemed　human　nature　from　the
reproach　of　pride；　selfishness；　and　ingratitude。　　For　my　part；　I
was　as　much　pleased　with　the　modesty　as　with　the　filial　virtue　of
this　honest　soldier；　who　assumed　no　merit　from　his　success；　and
said　very　little　of　his　own　transactions；　though　the　answers　he
made　to　our　inquiries　were　equally　sensible　and　laconic；　Mrs
Tabitha　behaved　very　graciously　to　him　until　she　understood　that
he　was　going　to　make　a　tender　of　his　hand　to　a　person　of　low
estate；　who　had　been　his　sweet…heart　while　he　worked　as　a
journeyman　weaver。　　Our　aunt　was　no　sooner　made　acquainted　with
this　design；　than　she　starched　up　her　behaviour　with　a　double
proportion　of　reserve；　and　when　the　company　broke　up；　she
observed　with　a　toss　of　her　nose；　that　Brown　was　a　civil　fellow
enough；　considering　the　lowness　of　his　original；　but　that
Fortune；　though　she　had　mended　his　circumstances；　was　incapable
to　raise　his　ideas；　which　were　still　humble　and　plebeian。

On　the　day　that　succeeded　this　adventure；　we　went　some　miles　out
of　our　road　to　see　Drumlanrig；　a　seat　belonging　to　the　duke　of
Queensberry；　which　appears　like　a　magnificent　palace　erected　by
magic；　in　the　midst　of　a　wilderness。　　It　is　indeed　a　princely
mansion；　with　suitable　parks　and　plantations；　rendered　still　more
striking　by　the　nakedness　of　the　surrounding　country；　which　is
one　of　the　wildest　tracts　in　all　Scotland。　　This　wildness；
however；　is　different　from　that　of　the　Highlands；　for　here　the
mountains；　instead　of　heath；　are　covered　with　a　fine　green
swarth；　affording　pasture　to　innumerable　flocks　of　sheep。　But　the
fleeces　of　this　country；　called　Nithsdale；　are　not　comparable　to
the　wool　of　Galloway；　which　is　said　to　equal　that　of　Salisbury
plain。　Having　passed　the　night　at　the　castle　of　Drumlanrig；　by
invitation　from　the　duke　himself；　who　is　one　of　the　best　men　that
ever　breathed；　we　prosecuted　our　journey　to　Dumfries；　a　very
elegant　trading　town　near　the　borders　of　England；　where　we　found
plenty　of　good　provision　and　excellent　wine；　at　very　reasonable
prices；　and　the　accommodation　as　good　in　all　respects　as　in　any
part　of　South…Britain。　If　I　was　confined　to　Scotland　for　life；　I
would　chuse　Dumfries　as　the　place　of　my　residence。　Here　we　made
enquiries　about　captain　Lismahago；　of　whom　hearing　no　tidings；　we
proceeded　by　the　Solway　Frith；　to　Carlisle。　You　must　know；　that
the　Solway　sands；　upon　which　travellers　pass　at　low　water；　are
exceedingly　dangerous；　because；　as　the　tide　makes；　they　become
quick　in　different　places；　and　the　flood　rushes　in　so
impetuously；　that　the　passengers　are　often　overtaken　by　the　sea
and　perish。

In　crossing　these　treacherous　Syrtes　with　a　guide；　we　perceived　a
drowned　horse；　which　Humphry　Clinker；　after　due　inspection；
declared　to　be　the　very　identical　beast　which　Mr　Lismahago　rode
when　he　parted　with　us　at　Feltonbridge　in　Northumberland。　This
information；　which　seemed　to　intimate　that　our　friend　the
lieutenant　had　shared　the　fate　of　his　horse；　affected　us　all；　and
above　all　our　aunt　Tabitha；　who　shed　salt　tears；　and　obliged
Clinker　to　pull　a　few　hairs　out　of　the　dead　horse's　tail；　to　be
worn　in　a　ring　as　a　remembrance　of　his　master：　but　her　grief　and
ours　was　not　of　long　duration；　for　one　of　the　first　persons　we
saw　in　Carlisle；　was　the　lieutenant　in　propria　persona；
bargaining　with　a　horse…dealer　for　another　steed；　in　the　yard　of
the　inn　where　we　alighted。　　Mrs　Bramble　was　the　first　that
perceived　him；　and　screamed　as　if　she　had　seen　a　ghost；　and；
truly；　at　a　proper　time　and　place；　he　might　very　well　have　passed
for　an　inhabitant　of　another　world；　for　he　was　more　meagre　and
grim　than　before。　　We　received　him　the　more　cordially　for　having
supposed　he　had　been　drowned；　and　he　was　not　deficient　in
expressions　of　satisfaction　at　this　meeting。　He　told　us；　he　had
enquired　for　us　at　Dumfries；　and　been　informed　by　a　travelling
merchant　from　Glasgow；　that　we　had　resolved　to　return　by　the　way
of　Coldstream。　He　said；　that　in　passing　the　sands　without　a
guide；　his　horse　had　knocked　up；　and　he　himself　must　have
perished；　if　he　had　not　been　providentially　relieved　by　a　return
post…chaise。　　He　moreover　gave　us　to　understand；　that　his　scheme
of　settling　in　his　own　country　having　miscarried；　he　was　so　far
on　his　way　to　London；　with　a　view　to　embark　for　North…America；
where　he　intended　to　pass　the　rest　of　his　days　among　his　old
friends　the　Miamis；　and　amuse　himself　in　finishing　the　education
of　the　son　he　had　by　his　beloved　Squinkinacoosta。

This　project　was　by　no　means　agreeable　to　our　good　aunt；　who
expatiated　upon　the　fatigues　and　dangers　that　would　attend　such　a
long　voyage　by　sea；　and　afterwards　such　a　tedious　journey　by
land　　She　enlarged　particularly　on　the　risque　he　would　run；　with
respect　to　the　concerns　of　his　precious　soul；　among　savages　who
had　not　yet　received　the　glad　tidings　of　salvation；　and　she
hinted　that　his　abandoning　Great…Britain　might；　perhaps；　prove
fatal　to　the　inclinations　of　some　deserving　person；　whom　he　was
qualified　to　make　happy　for　life。　My　uncle；　who　is　really　a　Don
Quixote　in　generosity；　understanding　that　Lismahago's　real　reason
for　leaving　Scotland　was　the　impossibility　of　subsisting　in　it
with　any　decency　upon　the　wretched　provision　of　a　subaltern's
half…pay；　began　to　be　warmly　interested　on　the　side　of
compassion。　　He　thought　it　very　hard；　that　a　gentleman　who　had
served　his　country　with　honour；　should　be　driven　by　necessity　to
spend　his　old　age；　among　the　refuse　of　mankind；　in　such　a　remote
part　of　the　world。　　He　discoursed　with　me　upon　the　subject；
observing；　that　he　would　willingly　offer　the　lieutenant　an　asylum
at　Brambleton…hall；　if　he　did　not　foresee　that　his　singularities
and　humour　of　contradiction　would　render　him　an　intolerable
housemate；　though　his　conversation　at　some　times　might　be　both
instructive　and　entertaining：　but；　as　there　seemed　to　be
something　particular　in　his　attention　to　Mrs　Tabitha；　he　and　I
agreed　in　opinion；　that　this　intercourse　should　be　encouraged　and
improved；　if　possible；　into　a　matrimonial　union；　in　which　case
there　would　be　a　comfortable　provision　for　both；　and　they　might
be　settled　in　a　house　of　their　own；　so　that　Mr　Bramble　should
have　no　more　of　their　company　than　he　desired。

In　pursuance　of　this　design；　Lismahago　has　been　invited　to　pass
the　winter　at　Brambleton…hall；　as　it　will　be　time　enough　to
execute　his　American　project　in　the　spring。　　He　has　taken　time　to
consider　of　this　proposal；　mean　while；　he　will　keep　us　company　as
far　as　we　travel　in　the　road　to　Bristol；　where　he　has　hopes　of
getting　a　passage　for　America。　I　make　no　doubt　but　that　he　will
postpone　his　voyage；　and　prosecute　his　addresses　to　a　happy
consummation；　and　sure；　if　it　produces　any　fruit；　it　must　be　of　a
very　peculiar　flavour。　As　the　weather　continues　favourable；　I
believe；　we　shall　take　the　Peak　of　Derbyshire　and　Buxton　Wells　in
our　way。　　At　any　rate；　from　the　first　place　where　we　make　any
stay；　you　shall　hear　again　from

Yours　always；
J。　MELFORD
CARLISLE；　Sep。　12。



To　Dr　LEWIS。

DEAR　DOCTOR；

The　peasantry　of　Scotland　are　certainly　on　a　poor　footing　all
over　the　kingdom；　and　ye