the expedition of humphry clinker-第84章

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exposed　to　foreign　wars；　and　obliged　to　maintain　a　number　of
settlements　in　all　the　four　quarters　of　the　globe。　In　the　course
of　seven　years；　during　the　last　war；　Scotland　furnished　the
English　army　and　navy　with　seventy　thousand　men；　over　and　above
those　who　migrated　to　their　colonies；　or　mingled　with　them　at
home　in　the　civil　departments　of　life。　This　was　a　very
considerable　and　seasonable　supply　to　a　nation；　whose　people　had
been　for　many　years　decreasing　in　number；　and　whose　lands　and
manufactures　were　actually　suffering　for　want　of　hands。　I　need
not　remind　you　of　the　hackneyed　maxim；　that；　to　a　nation　in　such
circumstances；　a　supply　of　industrious　people　is　a　supply　of
wealth；　nor　repeat　an　observation；　which　is　now　received　as　an
eternal　truth；　even　among　the　English　themselves；　that　the　Scots
who　settle　in　South…Britain　are　remarkably　sober；　orderly；　and
industrious。'

I　allowed　the　truth　of　this　remark；　adding；　that　by　their
industry；　oeconomy；　and　circumspection；　many　of　them　in　England；
as　well　as　in　her　colonies；　amassed　large　fortunes；　with　which
they　returned　to　their　own　country；　and　this　was　so　much　lost　to
South…Britain。　　'Give　me　leave；　sir　（said　he）；　to　assure　you；
that　in　your　fact　you　are　mistaken；　and　in　your　deduction
erroneous。　Not　one　in　two　hundred　that　leave　Scotland　ever
returns　to　settle　in　his　own　country；　and　the　few　that　do　return；
carry　thither　nothing　that　can　possibly　diminish　the　stock　of
South…Britain；　for　none　of　their　treasure　stagnates　in　Scotland　
There　is　a　continual　circulation；　like　that　of　the　blood　in　the
human　body；　and　England　is　the　heart；　to　which　all　the　streams
which　it　distributes　are　refunded　and　returned：　nay；　in
consequence　of　that　luxury　which　our　connexion　with　England　hath
greatly　encouraged；　if　not　introduced；　all　the　produce　of　our
lands；　and　all　the　profits　of　our　trade；　are　engrossed　by　the
natives　of　South…Britain；　for　you　will　find　that　the　exchange
between　the　two　kingdoms　is　always　against
Scotland；　and　that　she　retains　neither　gold　nor　silver　sufficient
for　her　own　circulation。　　The　Scots；　not　content　with　their　own
manufactures　and　produce；　which　would　very　well　answer　all
necessary　occasions；　seem　to　vie　with　each　other　in　purchasing
superfluities　from　England；　such　as　broad…cloth；　velvets；　stuffs；
silks；　lace；　furs；　jewels；　furniture　of　all　sorts；　sugar；　rum；
tea；　chocolate　and　coffee；　in　a　word；　not　only　every　mode　of　the
most　extravagant　luxury；　but　even　many　articles　of　convenience；
which　they　might　find　as　good；　and　much　cheaper　in　their　own
country。　For　all　these　particulars；　I　conceive；　England　may　touch
about　one　million　sterling　a…year。　　I　don't　pretend　to　make　an
exact　calculation；　perhaps；　it　may　be　something　less；　and
perhaps；　a　great　deal　more。　The　annual　revenue　arising　from　all
the　private　estates　of　Scotland　cannot　fall　short　of　a　million
sterling；　and；　I　should　imagine；　their　trade　will　amount　to　as
much　more。　　I　know　the　linen　manufacture　alone　returns　near　half
a　million；　exclusive　of　the　home…consumption　of　that　article。　
If；　therefore；　North…Britain　pays　a　ballance　of　a　million
annually　to　England；　I　insist　upon　it；　that　country　is　more
valuable　to　her　in　the　way　of　commerce；　than　any　colony　in　her
possession；　over　and　above　the　other　advantages　which　I　have
specified：　therefore；　they　are　no　friends；　either　to　England　or
to　truth；　who　affect　to　depreciate　the　northern　part　of　the
united　kingdom。'

I　must　own；　I　was　at　first　a　little　nettled　to　find　myself
schooled　in　so　many　particulars。　　Though　I　did　not　receive　all
his　assertions　as　gospel；　I　was　not　prepared　to　refute　them；　and
I　cannot　help　now　acquiescing　in　his　remarks　so　far　as　to
think；　that　the　contempt　for　Scotland；　which　prevails　too　much　on
this　side　the　Tweed；　is　founded　on　prejudice　and　error。　　After
some　recollection；　'Well；　captain　（said　I）；　you　have　argued
stoutly　for　the　importance　of　your　own　country：　for　my　part；　I
have　such　a　regard　for　our　fellow…subjects　of　North…Britain；　that
I　shall　be　glad　to　see　the　day；　when　your　peasants　can　afford　to
give　all　their　oats　to　their　cattle；　hogs；　and　poultry；　and
indulge　themselves　with　good　wheaten　loaves；　instead　of　such
poor；　unpalatable；　and　inflammatory　diet。'　Here　again　I　brought
my　self　into　a　premunire　with　the　disputative　Caledonian。　He　said
he　hoped　he　should　never　see　the　common　people　lifted　out　of　that
sphere　for　which　they　were　intended　by　nature　and　the　course　of
things；　that　they　might　have　some　reason　to　complain　of　their
bread；　if　it　were　mixed；　like　that　of　Norway；　with　saw　dust　and
fish…bones；　but　that　oatmeal　was；　he　apprehended；　as　nourishing
and　salutary　as　wheat…flour；　and　the　Scots　in　general　thought　it
at　least　as　savoury。　　He　affirmed；　that　a　mouse；　which；　in　the
article　of　self…preservation；　might　be　supposed　to　act　from
infallible　instinct；　would　always　prefer　oats　to　wheat；　as
appeared　from　experience；　for；　in　a　place　where　there　was　a
parcel　of　each；　that　animal　has　never　begun　to　feed　upon　the
latter　till　all　the　oats　were　consumed：　for　their　nutritive
quality；　he　appealed　to　the　hale；　robust　constitutions　of　the
people　who　lived　chiefly　upon　oatmeal；　and；　instead　of　being
inflammatory；　he　asserted；　that　it　was　a　cooling　sub…acid；
balsamic　and　mucilaginous；　insomuch；　that　in　all　inflammatory
distempers；　recourse　was　had　to　water…gruel；　and　flummery　made　of
oatmeal。

'At　least　（said　I）；　give　me　leave　to　wish　them　such　a　degree　of
commerce　as　may　enable　them　to　follow　their　own　inclinations。'　
'Heaven　forbid！　（cried　this　philosopher）。　Woe　be　to　that　nation；
where　the　multitude　is　at　liberty　to　follow　their　own
inclinations！　Commerce　is　undoubtedly　a　blessing；　while
restrained　within　its　proper　channels；　but　a　glut　of　wealth
brings　along　with　it　a　glut　of　evils：　it　brings　false　taste；
false　appetite；　false　wants；　profusion；　venality；　contempt　of
order；　engendering　a　spirit　of　licentiousness；　insolence；　and
faction；　that　keeps　the　community　in　continual　ferment；　and　in
time　destroys　all　the　distinctions　of　civil　society；　so　that
universal　anarchy　and　uproar　must　ensue。　Will　any　sensible　man
affirm；　that　the　national　advantages　of　opulence　are　to　be　sought
on　these　terms？'　'No；　sure；　but　I　am　one　of　those　who　think；
that；　by　proper　regulations；　commerce　may　produce　every　national
benefit；　without　the　allay　of　such　concomitant　evils。'

So　much　for　the　dogmata　of　my　friend　Lismahago；　whom　I　describe
the　more　circumstantially；　as　I　firmly　believe　he　will　set　up　his
rest　in　Monmouthshire。　Yesterday；　while　I　was　alone　with　him　he
asked；　in　some　confusion；　if　I　should　have　any　objection　to　the
success　of　a　gentleman　and　a　soldier；　provided　he　should　be　so
fortunate　as　to　engage　my　sister's　affection。　I　answered　without
hesitation；　that　my　sister　was　old　enough　to　judge　for
herself；　and　that　I　should　be　very　far　from　disapproving　any
resolution　she　might　take　in　his　favour。　　His　eyes　sparkled　at
this　declaration。　He　declared；　he　should　think　himself　the
happiest　man　on　earth　to　be　connected　with　my　family；　and　that　he
should　never　be　weary　of　giving　me　proofs　of　his　gratitude　and
attachment。　I　suppose　Tabby　and　he　are　already　agreed；　in　which
case；　we　shall　have　a　wedding　at　Brambleton…hall；　and　you　shall
give　away　the　bride。　　It　is　the　least　thing　you　can　do；　by　way
of　atonement　for　your　former　cruelty　to　that　poor　love…sick
maiden；　who　has　been　so　long　a　thorn　in　the　side　of


Yours；
MATT。　BRAMBLE
Sept。　20。

We　have　been　at　Buxton；　but；　as　I　did　not　much　relish　either　the
company　or　the　accommodations；　and　had　no　occasion　for　the　water；
we　stayed　but　two　nights　in　the　place。




To　Sir　WATKIN　PHILLIPS；　Bart。　of　Jesus　college；　Oxon。

DEAR　WAT；

Adventures　begin　to　thicken　as　we　advance　to　the　southward。
Lismahago　has　now　professed　himself　the　admirer　of　our　aunt；　and
carries　on　his　addresses　under　the　sanction　of　her　brother's
approbation；　so　that　we　shall　certainly　have　a　wedding　by
Christmas。　I　should　be　glad　you　was　present　at　the　nuptials；　to
help　me　throw　the　stocking；　and　perform　other　ceremonies　peculiar
to　that　occasion。　　I　am　sure　it　will　be　productive　of　some