the expedition of humphry clinker-第97章

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lord　of　the　manor　is　no　other　than　Charles　Dennison；　our　fellow…rake
at　Oxford　　We　are　now　happily　housed　with　that　gentleman；
who　has　really　attained　to　that　pitch　of　rural　felicity；　at　which
I　have　been　aspiring　these　twenty　years　in　vain。　He　is　blessed
with　a　consort；　whose　disposition　is　suited　to　his　own　in　all
respects；　tender；　generous；　and　benevolent　　She；　moreover；
possesses　an　uncommon　share　of　understanding；　fortitude；　and
discretion；　and　is　admirably　qualified　to　be　his　companion；
confidant；　counsellor；　and　coadjutrix。　These　excellent　persons
have　an　only　son；　about　nineteen　years　of　age；　just　such　a　youth
as　they　could　have　wished　that　Heaven　would　bestow　to　fill　up　the
measure　of　their　enjoyment　　In　a　word；　they　know　no　other　allay
to　their　happiness；　but　their　apprehension　and　anxiety　about　the
life　and　concerns　of　this　beloved　object。

Our　old　friend；　who　had　the　misfortune　to　be　a　second　brother；
was　bred　to　the　law；　and　even　called　to　the　bar；　but　he　did　not
find　himself　qualified　to　shine　in　that　province；　and　had　very
little　inclination　for　his　profession　　He　disobliged　his　father；
by　marrying　for　love；　without　any　consideration　of　fortune；　so
that　he　had　little　or　nothing　to　depend　upon　for　some　years　but
his　practice；　which　afforded　him　a　bare　subsistence；　and　the
prospect　of　an　increasing　family；　began　to　give　him　disturbance
and　disquiet。　In　the　mean　time；　his　father　dying；　was　succeeded
by　his　elder　brother；　a　fox…hunter　and　a　sot；　who　neglected　his
affairs；　insulted　and　oppressed　his　servants；　and　in　a　few　years
had　well　nigh　ruined　the　estate；　when　he　was　happily　carried　off
by　a　fever；　the　immediate　consequence　of　a　debauch。　Charles；　with
the　approbation　of　his　wife；　immediately　determined　to　quit
business；　and　retire　into　the　country；　although　this　resolution
was　strenuously　and　zealously　opposed　by　every　individual；　whom
he　consulted　on　the　subject。　Those　who　had　tried　the　experiment；
assured　him　that　he　could　not　pretend　to　breathe　in　the　country
for　less　than　the　double　of　what　his　estate　produced；　that；　in
order　to　be　upon　the　footing　of　a　gentleman；　he　would　be　obliged
to　keep　horses；　hounds；　carriages；　with　a　suitable　number　of
servants；　and　maintain　an　elegant　table　for　the　entertainment　of
his　neighbours；　that　farming　was　a　mystery；　known　only　to　those
who　had　been　bred　up　to　it　from　the　cradle；　the　success　of　it
depending　not　only　upon　skill　and　industry；　but　also　upon　such
attention　and　oeconomy　as　no　gentleman　could　be　supposed　to　give
or　practise；　accordingly；　every　attempt　made　by　gentlemen
miscarried；　and　not　a　few　had　been　ruined　by　their　prosecution　of
agriculture　　Nay；　they　affirmed　that　he　would　find　it　cheaper　to
buy　hay　and　oats　for　his　cattle；　and　to　go　to　market　for　poultry；
eggs；　kitchen　herbs；　and　roots；　and　every　the　most　inconsiderable
article　of　house…keeping；　than　to　have　those　articles　produced　on
his　own　ground。

These　objections　did　not　deter　Mr　Dennison；　because　they　were
chiefly　founded　on　the　supposition；　that　he　would　be　obliged　to
lead　a　life　of　extravagance　and　dissipation；　which　he　and　his
consort　equally　detested；　despised；　and　determined　to　avoid　　The
objects　he　had　in　view；　were　health　of　body；　peace　of　mind；　and
the　private　satisfaction　of　domestic　quiet；　unallayed　by　actual
want；　and　uninterrupted　by　the　fears　of　indigence　　He　was　very
moderate　in　his　estimate　of　the　necessaries；　and　even　of　the
comforts　of　life　　He　required　nothing　but　wholesome　air；　pure
water；　agreeable　exercise；　plain　diet；　convenient　lodging；　and
decent　apparel。　He　reflected；　that　if　a　peasant　without
education；　or　any　great　share　of　natural　sagacity；　could　maintain
a　large　family；　and　even　become　opulent　upon　a　farm；　for　which　he
payed　an　annual　rent　of　two　or　three　hundred　pounds　to　the
landlord；　surely　he　himself　might　hope　for　some　success　from　his
industry；　having　no　rent　to　pay；　but；　on　the　contrary；　three　or
four　hundred　pounds　a　year　to　receive。　He　considered；　that　the
earth　was　an　indulgent　mother；　that　yielded　her　fruits　to　all　her
children　without　distinction。　He　had　studied　the　theory　of
agriculture　with　a　degree　of　eagerness　and　delight；　and　he　could
not　conceive　there　was　any　mystery　in　the　practice；　but　what　he
should　be　able　to　disclose　by　dint　of　care　and　application。　With
respect　to　houshold　expence；　he　entered　into　a　minute　detail　and
investigation；　by　which　he　perceived　the　assertions　of　his
friends　were　altogether　erroneous　　He　found　he　should　save　sixty
pounds　a　year　in　the　single　article　of　house…rent；　and　as　much
more　in　pocket…money　and　contingencies；　that　even　butcher's…meat
was　twenty　per　cent　cheaper　in　the　country　than　in　London；　but
that　poultry；　and　almost　every　other　circumstance　of　house…keeping；
might　be　had　for　less　than　one…half　of
what　they　cost　in　town；　besides；　a　considerable　saving　on　the
side　of　dress；　in　being　delivered　from　the　oppressive　imposition
of　ridiculous　modes；　invented　by　ignorance；　and　adopted　by　folly。

As　to　the　danger　of　vying　with　the　rich　in　pomp　and　equipage；　it
never　gave　him　the　least　disturbance。　He　was　now　turned　of　forty；
and；　having　lived　half　that　time　in　the　busy　scenes　of　life；　was
well　skilled　in　the　science　of　mankind。　There　cannot　be　in　nature
a　more　contemptible　figure　than　that　of　a　man；　who；　with　five
hundred　a　year；　presumes　to　rival　in　expence　a　neighbour　who
possesses　five　times　that　income　　His　ostentation；　far　from
concealing；　serves　only　to　discover　his　indigence；　and　render　his
vanity　the　more　shocking；　for　it　attracts　the　eyes　of　censure；
and　excites　the　spirit　of　inquiry。　There　is　not　a　family　in　the
county　nor　a　servant　in　his　own　house；　nor　a　farmer　in　the
parish；　but　what　knows　the　utmost　farthing　that　his　lands
produce；　and　all　these　behold　him　with　scorn　or　compassion。　I　am
surprised　that　these　reflections　do　not　occur　to　persons　in　this
unhappy　dilemma；　and　produce　a　salutary　effect；　but　the　truth　is；
of　all　the　passions　incident　to　human　nature；　vanity　is　that
which　most　effectually　perverts　the　faculties　of　the
understanding；　nay；　it　sometimes　becomes　so　incredibly　depraved；
as　to　aspire　at　infamy；　and　find　pleasure　in　bearing　the　stigmas
of　reproach。

I　have　now　given　you　a　sketch　of　the　character　and　situation　of
Mr　Dennison；　when　he　came　down　to　take　possession　of　this　estate；
but　as　the　messenger；　who　carries　the　letters　to　the　next　town；
is　just　setting　off；　I　shall　reserve　what　further　I　have　to　say
on　this　subject；　till　the　next　post；　when　you　shall　certainly
hear　from


Yours　always；
MATT。　BRAMBLE
Oct。　8。



To　Dr　LEWIS。

Once　more；　dear　doctor；　I　resume　the　pen　for　your　amusement。　It
was　on　the　morning　after　our　arrival　that；　walking　out　with　my
friend；　Mr　Dennison；　I　could　not　help　breaking　forth　into　the
warmest　expressions　of　applause　at　the　beauty　of　the　scene；　which
is　really　inchanting；　and　I　signified；　in　particular；　how　much　I
was　pleased　with　the　disposition　of　some　detached　groves；　that
afforded　at　once　shelter　and　ornament　to　his　habitation。

'When　I　took　possession　of　these　lands；　about　two　and　twenty
years　ago　（said　he）；　there　was　not　a　tree　standing　within　a　mile
of　the　house；　except　those　of　an　old　neglected　orchard；　which
produced　nothing　but　leaves　and　moss。　　It　was　in　the　gloomy　month
of　November；　when　I　arrived；　and　found　the　house　in　such　a
condition；　that　it　might　have　been　justly　stiled　the　tower　of
desolation。　　The　court…yard　was　covered　with　nettles　and　docks　；
and　the　garden　exhibited　such　a　rank　plantation　of　weeds　as　I　had
never　seen　before；　　the　window…shutters　were　falling　in　pieces；　
the　sashes　broken；　　and　owls　and　jack…daws　had　taken　possession
of　the　chimnies。　　The　prospect　within　was　still　more　dreary　　All
was　dark；　and　damp；　and　dirty　beyond　description；　　the　rain
penetrated　in　several　parts　of　the　roof；　　in　some　apartments　the
very　floors　had　given　way；　　the　hangings　were　parted　from　the
walls；　and　shaking　in　mouldy　remnants；　the　glasses　were　dropping
out　of　their　frames；　　the　family…pictures　were　covered　with　dust。
and　all　the　chairs　and　tables　worm…eaten　and　crazy。　　There　was
not　a　bed　in　the　house　that　could　be　u