the expedition of humphry clinker-第33章

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was　preached　in　the　Tabernacle；　and　I　pray　of　all　love；　you　will
mind　your　vriting　and　your　spilling；　for；　craving　your　pardon；
Molly；　it　made　me　suet　to　disseyffer　your　last　scrabble；　which
was　delivered　by　the　hind　at　Bath　　0；　voman！　voman！　if　thou
had'st　but　the　least　consumption　of　what　pleasure　we　scullers
have；　when　we　can　cunster　the　crabbidst　buck　off　hand；　and　spell
the　ethnitch　vords　without　lucking　at　the　primmer。　As　for　Mr
Klinker；　he　is　qualified　to　be　a　clerk　to　a　parish　　But　I'll　say
no　more　　Remember　me　to　Saul　　poor　sole！　it　goes　to　my　hart　to
think　she　don't　yet　know　her　letters　　But　all　in　God's　good　time
　　It　shall　go　hard；　but　I　will　bring　her　the　A　B　C　in　gingerbread；
and　that；　you　nose；　will　be　learning　to　her　taste。

Mistress　says；　we　are　going　a　long　gurney　to　the　North；　but　go
where　we　will；　I　shall　ever　be；

Dear　Mary　Jones；
Yours　with　true　infection
WIN。　JENKINS
LONDON；　June　3。




To　Sir　WATKIN　PHILLIPS；　of　Jesus　college；　Oxon。

DEAR　WAT；

I　mentioned　in　my　last；　my　uncle's　design　of　going　to　the　duke　of
N's　levee；　which　design　has　been　executed　accordingly。　His
grace　has　been　so　long　accustomed　to　this　kind　of　homage；　that
though　the　place　he　now　fills　does　not　imply　the　tenth　part　of
the　influence；　which　he　exerted　in　his　former　office；　he　has
given　his　friends　to　understand；　that　they　cannot　oblige　him　in
any　thing　more；　than　in　contributing　to　support　the　shadow　of
that　power；　which　he　no　longer　retains　in　substance；　and
therefore　he　has　still　public　days；　on　which　they　appear　at　his
levee。

My　uncle　and　I　went　thither　with　Mr　Barton；　who；　being　one　of　the
duke's　adherents；　undertook　to　be　our　introducer　　The　room　was
pretty　well　filled　with　people；　in　a　great　variety　of　dress；　but
there　was　no　more　than　one　gown　and　cassock；　though　I　was　told
his　grace　had；　while　he　was　minister；　preferred　almost　every
individual　that　now　filled　the　bench　of　bishops　in　the　house　of
lords；　but　in　all　probability；　the　gratitude　of　the　clergy　is
like　their　charity；　which　shuns　the　light　　Mr　Barton　was
immediately　accosted　by　a　person　well　stricken　in　years；　tall；
and　raw…boned；　with　a　hook…nose；　and　an　arch　leer；　that
indicated；　at　least；　as　much　cunning　as　sagacity。　Our　conductor
saluted　him；　by　the　name　of　captain　C；　and　afterwards　informed
us　he　was　a　man　of　shrewd　parts；　whom　the　government　occasionally
employed　in　secret　services。　But　I　have　had　the　history　of　him
more　at　large；　from　another　quarter。　He　had　been；　many　years　ago；
concerned　in　fraudulent　practices；　as　a　merchant；　in　France；　and
being　convicted　of　some　of　them；　was　sent　to　the　gallies；　from
whence　he　was　delivered　by　the　interest　of　the　late　duke　of
Ormond；　to　whom　he　had　recommended　himself　in　letter；　as　his
name…sake　and　relation　　He　was　in　the　sequel；　employed　by　our
ministry　as　a　spy；　and　in　the　war　of　1740；　traversed　all　Spain；
as　well　as　France；　in　the　disguise　of　a　capuchin；　at　the　extreme
hazard　of　his　life；　in　as　much　as　the　court　of　Madrid　had
actually　got　scent　of　him；　and　given　orders　to　apprehend　him　at
St　Sebastian's；　from　whence　he　had　fortunately　retired　but　a　few
hours　before　the　order　arrived。　This　and　other　hair…breadth
'scapes　he　pleaded　so　effectually　as　a　merit　with　the　English
ministry；　that　they　allowed　him　a　comfortable　pension；　which　he
now　enjoys　in　his　old　age　　He　has　still　access　to　all　the
ministers；　and　is　said　to　be　consulted　by　them　on　many　subjects；
as　a　man　of　uncommon　understanding　and　great　experience　　He　is；
in　fact；　a　fellow　of　some　parts；　and　invincible　assurance；　and；
in　his　discourse；　he　assumes　such　an　air　of　self…sufficiency；　as
may　very　well　impose　upon　some　of　the　shallow　politicians；　who
now　labour　at　the　helm　of　administration。　But；　if　he　is　not
belied；　this　is　not　the　only　imposture　of　which　he　is　guilty　
They　say；　he　is　at　bottom　not　only　a　Roman…catholic；　but　really　a
priest；　and　while　he　pretends　to　disclose　to　our　state…pilots　all
the　springs　that　move　the　cabinet　of　Versailles；　he　is　actually
picking　up　intelligence　for　the　service　of　the　French　minister。　Be
that　as　it　may；　captain　C　entered　into　conversation　with　us　in
the　most　familiar　manner；　and　treated　the　duke's　character
without　any　ceremony　　'This　wiseacre　（said　he）　is　still　a…bed；
and；　I　think；　the　best　thing　he　can　do；　is　to　sleep　on　till
Christmas；　for；　when　he　gets　up；　he　does　nothing　but　expose　his
own　folly。　　Since　Grenville　was　turned　out；　there　has　been　no
minister　in　this　nation　worth　the　meal　that　whitened　his　peri…wig
　They　are　so　ignorant；　they　scarce　know　a　crab　from　a
cauliflower；　and　then　they　are　such　dunces；　that　there's　no
making　them　comprehend　the　plainest　proposition　　In　the　beginning
of　the　war；　this　poor　half…witted　creature　told　me；　in　a　great
fright；　that　thirty　thousand　French　had　marched　from　Acadie　to
Cape　Breton　　〃Where　did　they　find　transports？　（said　I）〃
〃Transports　（cried　he）　I　tell　you　they　marched　by　land〃　　〃By　land
to　the　island　of　Cape　Breton？〃　〃What！　is　Cape　Breton　an　island？〃
〃Certainly。〃　〃Ha！　are　you　sure　of　that？〃　When　I　pointed　it　out　in
the　map；　he　examined　it　earnestly　with　his　spectacles；　then；
taking　me　in　his　arms；　〃My　dear　C！　（cried　he）　you　always　bring
us　good　news　　Egad！　I'll　go　directly；　and　tell　the　king　that　Cape
Breton　is　an　island。〃'

He　seemed　disposed　to　entertain　us　with　more　anecdotes　of　this
nature；　at　the　expense　of　his　grace；　when　he　was　interrupted　by
the　arrival　of　the　Algerine　ambassador；　a　venerable　Turk；　with　a
long　white　beard；　attended　by　his　dragoman；　or　interpreter；　and
another　officer　of　his　household；　who　had　got　no　stockings　to　his
legs　　Captain　C　immediately　spoke　with　an　air　of　authority　to　a
servant　in　waiting；　bidding　him　go　and　tell　the　duke　to　rise；　as
there　was　a　great　deal　of　company　come；　and；　among　others；　the
ambassador　from　Algiers。　Then；　turning　to　us；　'This　poor　Turk
（said　he）　notwithstanding　his　grey　beard；　is　a　green…horn　　He　has
been　several　years　resident　in　London；　and　still　is　ignorant　of
our
political　revolutions。　This　visit　is　intended　for　the　prime
minister　of　England；　but　you'll　see　how　this　wise　duke　will
receive　it　as　a　mark　of　attachment　to　his　own　person'　　Certain　it
is；　the　duke　seemed　eager　to　acknowledge　the　compliment　　A　door
opened；　he　suddenly　bolted　out；　with　a　shaving…cloth　under　his
chin；　his　face　frothed　up　to　the　eyes　with　soap　lather；　and
running　up　to　the　ambassador；　grinned　hideous　in　his　face　　'My
dear　Mahomet！　（said　he）　God　love　your　long　beard；　I　hope　the　dey
will　make　you　a　horsetail　at　the　next　promotion；　ha；　ha；　ha！　Have
but　a　moment's　patience；　and　I'll　send　to　you　in　a　twinkling；'　
So　saying；　he　retired　into　his　den；　leaving　the　Turk　in　some
confusion。　After　a　short　pause；　however；　he　said　something　to　his
interpreter；　the　meaning　of　which　I　had　great　curiosity　to　know；
as　he　turned　up　his　eyes　while　he　spoke；　expressing　astonishment；
mixed　with　devotion。　We　were　gratified　by　means　of　the
communicative　captain　C；　who　conversed　with　the　dragoman；　as　an
old　acquaintance。　Ibrahim；　the　ambassador；　who　had　mistaken　his
grace　for　the　minister's　fool；　was　no　sooner　undeceived　by　the
interpreter；　than　he　exclaimed　to　this　effect　'Holy　prophet！　I
don't　wonder　that　this　nation　prospers；　seeing　it　is　governed　by
the　counsel　of　ideots；　a　series　of　men；　whom　all　good　mussulmen
revere　as　the　organs　of　immediate　inspiration！'　Ibrahim　was
favoured　with　a　particular　audience　of　short　duration；　after
which　the　duke　conducted　him　to　the　door；　and　then　returned　to
diffuse　his　gracious　looks　among　the　crowd　of　his　worshippers。

As　Mr　Barton　advanced　to　present　me　to　his　grace；　it　was　my
fortune　to　attract　his　notice；　before　I　was　announced　　He
forthwith　met　me　more　than　half　way；　and；　seizing　me　by　the　hand；
'My　dear　Sir　Francis！　（cried　he）　this　is　so　kind　　I　vow　to　God！　I
am　so　obliged　　Such　attention　to　a　poor　broken　minister。　Well　
Pray　when　does　your　excellency　set　sail？　　For　God's　sake　have　a
care　of　your　health；　and　cat　stewed　prunes　in　the　passage。　Next　to
your　own　precious　health；　pray；　my　dear　excellency；　take　care　of
the　Five　Nations　　Our　good　friends　the　Five　Nations。　　The
Toryrories；　th