the expedition of humphry clinker-第49部分

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Newcastle；　it　lies　mostly　in　a　bottom；　on　the　banks　of　the　Tyne；
and　makes　an　appearance　still　more　disagreeable　than　that　of
Durham；　but　it　is　rendered　populous　and　rich　by　industry　and
commerce；　and　the　country　lying　on　both　sides　the　river；　above
the　town；　yields　a　delightful　prospect　of　agriculture　and
plantation。　Morpeth　and　Alnwick　are　neat；　pretty　towns；　and　this
last　is　famous　for　the　castle　which　has　belonged　so　many　ages　to
the　noble　house　of　Piercy；　earls　of　Northumberland。　　It　is；
doubtless；　a　large　edifice；　containing　a　great　number　of
apartments；　and　stands　in　a　commanding　　situation；　but　the
strength　of　it　seems　to　have　consisted　not　so　much　in　its　site；
or　the　manner　in　which　it　is　fortified；　as　in　the　valour　of　its
defendants。

Our　adventures　since　we　left　Scarborough；　are　scarce　worth
reciting；　and　yet　I　must　make　you　acquainted　with　my　sister
Tabby's　progress　in　husband…hunting；　after　her　disappointments　at
Bath　and　London。　She　had　actually　begun　to　practise　upon　a
certain　adventurer；　who　was　in　fact　a　highwayman　by　profession；
but　he　had　been　used　to　snares　much　more　dangerous　than　any　she
could　lay；　and　escaped　accordingly。　Then　she　opened　her　batteries
upon　an　old　weather…beaten　Scotch　lieutenant；　called　Lismahago；
who　joined　us　at　Durham；　and　is；　I　think；　one　of　the　most
singular　personages　I　ever　encountered　　His　manner　is　as　harsh　as
his　countenance；　but　his　peculiar　turn　of　thinking；　and　his　pack
of　knowledge　made　up　of　the　remnants　of　rarities；　rendered　his
conversation　desirable；　in　spite　of　his　pedantry　and　ungracious
address。　I　have　often　met　with　a　crab…apple　in　a　hedge；　which　I
have　been　tempted　to　eat　for　its　flavour；　even　while　I　was
disgusted　by　its　austerity。　The　spirit　of　contradiction　is
naturally　so　strong　in　Lismahago；　that　I　believe　in　my　conscience
he　has　rummaged；　and　read；　and　studied　with　indefatigable
attention；　in　order　to　qualify　himself　to　refute　established
maxims；　and　thus　raise　trophies　for　the　gratification　of
polemical　pride。　　Such　is　the　asperity　of　his　self…conceit；　that
he　will　not　even　acquiesce　in　a　transient　compliment　made　to　his
own　individual　in　particular；　or　to　his　country　in　general。

When　I　observed；　that　he　must　have　read　a　vast　number　of　books　to
be　able　to　discourse　on　such　a　variety　of　subjects；　he　declared
he　had　read　little　or　nothing；　and　asked　how　he　should　find　books
among　the　woods　of　America；　where　he　had　spent　the　greatest　part
of　his　life。　My　nephew　remarking　that　the　Scots　in　general　were
famous　for　their　learning；　he　denied　the　imputation；　and　defied
him　to　prove　it　from　their　works　　'The　Scots　（said　he）　have　a
slight　tincture　of　letters；　with　which　they　make　a　parade　among
people　who　are　more　illiterate　than　themselves；　but　they　may　be
said　to　float　on　the　surface　of　science；　and　they　have　made　very
small　advances　in　the　useful　arts。'　'At　least　（cried　Tabby）；　all
the　world　allows　that　the　Scots　behaved　gloriously　in　fighting
and　conquering　the　savages　of　America。'　'I　can　assure　you；　madam；
you　have　been　misinformed　（replied　the　lieutenant）；　in　that
continent　the　Scots　did　nothing　more　than　their　duty；　nor　was
there　one　corps　in　his　majesty's　service　that　distinguished
itself　more　than　another。　　Those　who　affected　to　extol　the　Scots
for　superior　merit；　were　no　friends　to　that　nation。'

Though　he　himself　made　free　with　his　countrymen；　he　would　not
suffer　any　other　person　to　glance　a　sarcasm　at　them　with
impunity。　One　of　the　company　chancing　to　mention　lord　B's
inglorious　peace；　the　lieutenant　immediately　took　up　the　cudgels
in　his　lordship's　favour；　and　argued　very　strenuously　to　prove
that　it　was　the　most　honourable　and　advantageous　peace　that
England　had　ever　made　since　the　foundation　of　the　monarchy。　　Nay；
between　friends；　he　offered　such　reasons　on　this　subject；　that　I
was　really　confounded；　if　not　convinced。　　He　would　not　allow　that
the　Scots　abounded　above　their　proportion　in　the　army　and　navy　of
Great…Britain；　or　that　the　English　had　any　reason　to　say　his
countrymen　had　met　with　extraordinary　encouragement　in　the
service。　'When　a　South　and　North…Briton　（said　he）　are　competitors
for　a　place　or　commission；　which　is　in　the　disposal　of　an　English
minister　or　an　English　general；　it　would　be　absurd　to　suppose
that　the　preference　will　not　be　given　to　the　native　of　England；
who　has　so　many　advantages　over　his　rival。　　First　and　foremost；
he　has　in　his　favour　that　laudable　partiality；　which；　Mr　Addison
says；　never　fails　to　cleave　to　the　heart　of　an　Englishman；　secondly；
he　has　more　powerful　connexions；　and　a　greater　share　of　parliamentary
interest；　by　which　those　contests　are　generally　decided；　and
lastly；　he　has　a　greater　command　of　money　to　smooth　the　way　to
his　success。　For　my　own　part　（said　he）；　I　know　no　Scotch　officer；
who　has　risen　in　the　army　above　the　rank　of　a　subaltern；　without
purchasing　every　degree　of　preferment　either　with　money　or
recruits；　but　I　know　many　gentlemen　of　that　country；　who；　for
want　of　money　and　interest；　have　grown　grey　in　the　rank　of
lieutenants；　whereas　very　few　instances　of　this　ill…fortune　are
to　be　found　among　the　natives　of　South…Britain。　　Not　that　I　would
insinuate　that　my　countrymen　have　the　least　reason　to　complain。
Preferment　in　the　service；　like　success　in　any　other　branch　of
traffic；　will　naturally　favour　those　who　have　the　greatest　stock
of　cash　and　credit；　merit　and　capacity　being　supposed　equal　on
all　sides。'

But　the　most　hardy　of　all　this　original's　positions　were　these：
That　commerce　would；　sooner　or　later；　prove　the　ruin　of　every
nation；　where　it　flourishes　to　any　extent　　that　the　parliament
was　the　rotten　part　of　the　British　constitution　　that　the　liberty
of　the　press　was　a　national　evil　　and　that　the　boasted
institution　of　juries；　as　managed　in　England；　was　productive　of
shameful　perjury　and　flagrant　injustice。　He　observed；　that
traffick　was　an　enemy　to　all　the　liberal　passions　of　the　soul；
founded　on　the　thirst　of　lucre；　a　sordid　disposition　to　take
advantage　of　the　necessities　of　our　fellow　creatures。　　He
affirmed；　the　nature　of　commerce　was　such；　that　it　could　not　be
fixed　or　perpetuated；　but；　having　flowed　to　a　certain　height；
would　immediately　begin　to　ebb；　and　so　continue　till　the
channels　should　be　left　almost　dry；　but　there　was　no　instance　of
the　tide's　rising　a　second　time　to　any　considerable　influx　in　the
same　nation。　Mean　while　the　sudden　affluence　occasioned　by　trade；
forced　open　all　the　sluices　of　luxury　and　overflowed　the　land
with　every　species　of　profligacy　and　corruption；　a　total　pravity
of　manners　would　ensue；　and　this　must　be　attended　with　bankruptcy
and　ruin。　He　observed　of　the　parliament；　that　the　practice　of
buying　boroughs；　and　canvassing　for　votes；　was　an　avowed　system
of　venality；　already　established　on　the　ruins　of　principle；
integrity；　faith；　and　good　order；　in　consequence　of　which　the
elected　and　the　elector；　and；　in　short；　the　whole　body　of　the
people；　were　equally　and　universally　contaminated　and　corrupted。
He　affirmed；　that　of　a　parliament　thus　constituted；　the　crown
would　always　have　influence　enough　to　secure　a　great　majority　in
its　dependence；　from　the　great　number　of　posts；　places；　and
pensions　it　had　to　bestow；　that　such　a　parliament　would　（as　it
had　already　done）　lengthen　the　term　of　its　sitting　and　authority；
whenever　the　prince　should　think　it　for　his　interest　to　continue
the　representatives；　for；　without　doubt；　they　had　the　same　right
to　protect　their　authority　ad　infinitum；　as　they　had　to　extend　it
from　three　to　seven　years。　　With　a　parliament；　therefore；
dependent　upon　the　crown；　devoted　to　the　prince；　and　supported　by
a　standing　army；　garbled　and　modelled　for　the　purpose；　any　king
of　England　may；　and　probably　some　ambitious　sovereign　will；
totally　overthrow　all　the　bulwarks　of　the　constitution；　for　it　is
not　to　be　supposed　that　a　prince　of　high　spirit　will　tamely
submit　to　be　thwarted　in　all　his　measures；　abused　and　insulted　by
a　populace　of　unbridled　ferocity；　when　he　has　it　in　his　power　to
crush　all　opposition　under　his　feet　with　the　concurrence　of　the
legislature。　He　said；　he　should　always　consider　the　liberty　of
the　press　as　a　national　evil；　while　it　enabled　the　vilest　reptile
to　soil　the　lustre　of　the　most　shining　merit；　and　furnished　the
most　infamous　incendiary　with　the　means　of　disturbing　the　peace
and　destroying　the　good　order　of　the　community。　He　owned；
however；　that　under　due　restrictions；　it　would　be　a　valuable
privilege；　but　affirmed；　that　at　present　there　was　no　law　in
England　sufficient　to　restrain　it　within　proper　bounds。

With　respect　to　juries；　he　expressed　himself　to　this　effect：　
juries　are　generally　composed　of　illiterate　plebeians；　apt　to　be
mistaken；　easily　misled；　and　open　to　sinister　influence；　for　if
either　of　the　parties　to　be　tried；　can　gain　over　one　of　the
twelve　jurors；　he　has　secured　the　verdict　in　his　favour；　the
juryman　thus　brought　over　will；　in　despight　of　all　evidence　and
conviction；　generally　hold　out　till　his　fellows　are　fatigued；　and
harassed；　and　starved　into　concurrence；　in　which　case　the　verdict
is　unjust；　and　the　jurors　are　all　perjured：　but　cases　will　often
occur；　when　the　jurors　are　really　divided　in　opinion；　and　each
side　is　convinced　in　opposition　to　the　other；　but　no　verdict　will
be　received；　unless　they　are　unanimous；　and　they　are　all　bound；
not　only　in　conscience；　but　by　oath；　to　judge　and　declare
according　to　their　conviction。　　What　then　will　be　the
consequence？　　They　must　either　starve　in　company；　or　one　side
must　sacrifice　their　conscience　to　their　convenience；　and　join　in
a　verdict　which　they　believe　to　be　false。　This　absurdity　is
avoided　in　Sweden；　where　a　bare　majority　is　sufficient；　and　in
Scotland；　where　two　thirds　of　the　jury　are　required　to　concur　in
the　verdict。

You　must　not　imagine　that　all　these　deductions　were　made　on　his
part；　without　contradictions　on　mine。　　No　　the　truth　is；　I　found
myself　piqued　in　point　of　honour；　at　his　pretending　to　be　so　much
wiser　than　his　neighbours。　　I　questioned　all　his　assertions；
started　innumerable　objections；　argued　and　wrangled　with　uncommon
perseverance；　and　grew　very　warm；　and　even　violent；　in　the
debate。