the expedition of humphry clinker-第59部分

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laird　in　person；　the　laird's　brother；　the　laird's　brother's　son；
the　laird's　sister's　son；　the　laird's　father's　brother's　son；　and
all　their　foster　brothers；　who　are　counted　parcel　of　the　family：
but　we　were　attended　by　an　infinite　number　of　Gaelly's；　or　ragged
Highlanders　without　shoes　or　stockings。

The　following　articles　formed　our　morning's　repast：　one　kit　of
boiled　eggs；　a　second；　full　of　butter；　a　third　full　of　cream；　an
entire　cheese；　made　of　goat's　milk；　a　large　earthen　pot　full　of
honey；　the　best　part　of　a　ham；　a　cold　venison　pasty；　a　bushel　of
oat　meal；　made　in　thin　cakes　and　bannocks；　with　a　small　wheaten
loaf　in　the　middle　for　the　strangers；　a　large　stone　bottle　full
of　whisky；　another　of　brandy；　and　a　kilderkin　of　ale。　There　was
a　ladle　chained　to　the　cream　kit；　with　curious　wooden　bickers　to
be　filled　from　this　reservoir。　The　spirits　were　drank　out　of　a
silver　quaff；　and　the　ale　out　of　hems：　great　justice　was　done　to
the　collation　by　the　guest　in　general；　one　of　them　in　particular
ate　above　two　dozen　of　hard　eggs；　with　a　proportionable　quantity
of　bread；　butter；　and　honey；　nor　was　one　drop　of　liquor　left　upon
the　board。　Finally；　a　large　roll　of　tobacco　was　presented　by　way
of　desert；　and　every　individual　took　a　comfortable　quid；　to
prevent　the　bad　effects　of　the　morning　air。　We　had　a　fine　chace
over　the　mountains；　after　a　roebuck；　which　we　killed；　and　I　got
home　time　enough　to　drink　tea　with　Mrs　Campbell　and　our　'squire。
To…morrow　we　shall　set　out　on　our　return　for　Cameron。　We　propose
to　cross　the　Frith　of　Clyde；　and　take　the　towns　of　Greenock　and
Port…Glasgow　in　our　way。　This　circuit　being　finished；　we　shall
turn　our　faces　to　the　south；　and　follow　the　sun　with　augmented
velocity；　in　order　to　enjoy　the　rest　of　the　autumn　in　England；
where　Boreas　is　not　quite　so　biting　as　he　begins　already　to　be　on
the　tops　of　these　northern　hills。　But　our　progress　from　place　to
place　shall　continue　to　be　specified　in　these　detached　journals　of

Yours　always；
J。　MELFORD
ARGYLSHIRE；　Sept。　3。



To　Dr　LEWIS。

DEAR　DICK；

About　a　fortnight　is　now　elapsed；　since　we　left　the　capital　of
Scotland；　directing　our　course　towards　Stirling；　where　we　lay。　The
castle　of　this　place　is　such　another　as　that　of　Edinburgh；　and
affords　a　surprising　prospect　of　the　windings　of　the　river　Forth；
which　are　so　extraordinary；　that　the　distance　from　hence　to　Alloa
by　land；　is　but　forty　miles；　and　by　water　it　is　twenty…four。
Alloa　is　a　neat　thriving　town；　that　depends　in　a　great　measure　on
the　commerce　of　Glasgow；　the　merchants　of　which　send　hither
tobacco　and　other　articles；　to　be　deposited　in　warehouses　for
exportation　from　the　Frith　of　Forth。　In　our　way　hither　we　visited
a　flourishing　iron…work；　where；　instead　of　burning　wood；　they　use
coal；　which　they　have　the　art　of　clearing　in　such　a　manner　as
frees　it　from　the　sulphur；　that　would　otherwise　render　the　metal
too　brittle　for　working。　Excellent　coal　is　found　in　almost　every
part　of　Scotland。

The　soil　of　this　district　produces　scarce　any　other　grain　but
oats；　lid　barley；　perhaps　because　it　is　poorly　cultivated；　and
almost　altogether　uninclosed。　The　few　inclosures　they　have
consist　of　paultry　walls　of　loose　stones　gathered　from　the
fields；　which　indeed　they　cover；　as　if　they　had　been　scattered　on
purpose。　When　I　expressed　my　surprize　that　the　peasants　did　not
disencumber　their　grounds　of　these　stones；　a　gentleman；　well
acquainted　with　the　theory　as　well　as　practice　of　farming；
assured　me　that　the　stones；　far　from　being　prejudicial；　were
serviceable　to　the　crop。　This　philosopher　had　ordered　a　field　of
his　own　to　be　cleared；　manured　and　sown　with　barley；　and　the
produce　was　more　scanty　than　before。　He　caused　the　stones　to　be
replaced；　and　next　year　the　crop　was　as　good　as　ever。　The　stones
were　removed　a　second　time；　and　the　harvest　failed；　they　were
again　brought　back；　and　the　ground　retrieved　its　fertility。　The
same　experiment　has　been　tried　in　different　parts　of　Scotland
with　the　same　successAstonished　at　this　information；　I　desired
to　know　in　what　manner　he　accounted　for　this　strange　phenomenon；
and　he　said　there　were　three　ways　in　which　the　stones　might　be
serviceable。　They　might　possibly　restrain　an　excess　in　the
perspiration　of　the　earth；　analogous　to　colliquative　sweats；　by
which　the　human　body　is　sometimes　wasted　and　consumed。　They　might
act　as　so　many　fences　to　protect　the　tender　blade　from　the
piercing　winds　of　the　spring；　or；　by　multiplying　the　reflexion　of
the　sun；　they　might　increase　the　warmth；　so　as　to　mitigate　the
natural　chilness　of　the　soil　and　climate　　But；　surely　this
excessive　perspiration　might　be　more　effectually　checked　by
different　kinds　of　manure；　such　as　ashes；　lime；　chalk；　or　marl；
of　which　last　it　seems　there　are　many　pits　in　this　kingdom：　as
for　the　warmth；　it　would　be　much　more　equally　obtained　by
inclosures；　the　cultivation　would　require　less　labour；　and　the
ploughs；　harrows；　and　horses；　would　not　suffer　half　the　damage
which　they　now　sustain。

These　north…western　parts　are　by　no　means　fertile　in　corn。　The
ground　is　naturally　barren　and　moorish。　The　peasants　are　poorly
lodged；　meagre　in　their　looks；　mean　in　their　apparel；　and
remarkably　dirty。　This　last　reproach　they　might　easily　wash　off；
by　means　of　those　lakes；　rivers；　and　rivulets　of　pure　water；　with
which　they　are　so　liberally　supplied　by　nature。　Agriculture
cannot　be　expected　to　flourish　where　the　farms　are　small；　the
leases　short；　and　the　husbandman　begins　upon　a　rack　rent；　without
a　sufficient　stock　to　answer　the　purposes　of　improvement。　The
granaries　of　Scotland　are　the　banks　of　the　Tweed；　the　counties　of
East　and　Mid…Lothian；　the　Carse　of　Gowrie；　in　Perthshire；　equal
in　fertility　to　any　part　of　England；　and　some　tracts　in
Aberdeenshire　and　Murray；　where　I　am　told　the　harvest　is　more
early　than　in　Northumberland；　although　they　lie　above　two　degrees
farther　north。　I　have　a　strong　curiosity　to　visit　many　places
beyond　the　Forth　and　the　Tay；　such　as　Perth；　Dundee；　Montrose；
and　Aberdeen；　which　are　towns　equally　elegant　and　thriving；　but
the　season　is　too　far　advanced　to　admit　of　this　addition　to　my
original　plan。

I　am　so　far　happy　as　to　have　seen　Glasgow；　which；　to　the　best　of
my　recollection　and　judgment；　is　one　of　the　prettiest　towns　in
Europe；　and；　without　all　doubt；　it　is　one　of　the　most　flourishing
in　Great　Britain。　In　short；　it　is　a　perfect　bee…hive　in　point　of
industry。　It　stands　partly　on　a　gentle　declivity；　but　the
greatest　part　of　it　is　in　a　plain；　watered　by　the　river　Clyde。
The　streets　are　straight；　open；　airy；　and　well　paved；　and　the
houses　lofty　and　well　built　of　hewn　stone。　At　the　upper　end　of
the　town；　there　is　a　venerable　cathedral；　that　may　be　compared
with　York…minster　or　West…minster；　and；　about　the　middle　of　the
descent　from　this　to　the　Cross；　is　the　college；　a　respectable
pile　of　building；　with　all　manner　of　accommodation　for　the
professors　and　students；　including　an　elegant　library；　and　a
observatory　well　provided　with　astronomical　instruments。　The
number　of　inhabitants　is　said　to　amount　to　thirty　thousand；　and
marks　of　opulence　and　independency　appear　in　every　quarter　of
this　commercial　city；　which；　however；　is　not　without　its
inconveniences　and　defects。　The　water　of　their　public　pumps　is
generally　hard　and　brackish；　an　imperfection　the　loss　excusable；
as　the　river　Clyde　runs　by　their　doors；　in　the　lower　part　of　the
town；　and　there　are　rivulets　and　springs　above　the　cathedral；
sufficient　to　fill　a　large　reservoir　with　excellent　water；　which
might　be　thence　distributed　to　all　the　different　parts　of　the
city。　It　is　of　more　consequence　to　consult　the　health　of　the
inhabitants　in　this　article　than　to　employ　so　much　attention　in
beautifying　their　town　with　new　streets；　squares；　and　churches。
Another　defect；　not　so　easily　remedied；　is　the　shallowness　of　the
river；　which　will　not　float　vessels　of　any　burthen　within　ten　or
twelve　miles　of　the　city；　so　that　the　merchants　are　obliged　to
load　and　unload　their　ships　at　Greenock　and　Port…Glasgow；
situated　about　fourteen　miles　nearer　the　mouth　of　the　Frith；
where　it　is　about　two　miles　broad。

The　people　of　Glasgow　have　a　noble　spirit　of　enterprise　　Mr
Moore；　a　surgeon；　to　whom　I　was　recommended　from　Edinburgh；
introduced　me　to　all　the　principal　merchants　of　the　place。　Here　I
became　acquainted　with　Mr　Cochran；　who　may　be　stiled　one　of　the
sages　of　this　kingdom。　He　was　first　magistrate　at　the　time　of　the
last　rebellion。　I　sat　as　member　when　he　was　examined　in　the　house
of　commons；　upon　which　occasion　Mr　P　observed　he　had　never
heard　such　a　sensible　evidence　given　at　that　bar。　I　was　also
introduced　to　Dr　John　Gordon；　a　patriot　of　a　truly　Roman　spirit；
who　is　the　father　of　the　linen　manufacture　in　this　place；　and　was
the　great　promoter　of　the　city　workhouse；　infirmary；　and　other
works　of　public　utility。　Had　he　lived　in　ancient　Rome；　he　would
have　been　honoured　with　a　statue　at　the　public　expence。　I
moreover　conversed　with　one　Mr　Gssfd；　whom　I　take　to　be　one
of　the　greatest　merchants　in　Europe。　In　the　last　war；　he　is　said
to　have　had　at　one　time　five　and　twenty　ships　with　their　cargoes；
his　own　property；　and　to　have　traded　for　above　half　a　million
sterling　a…year。　The　last　war　was　a　fortunate　period　for　the
commerce　of　Glasgow　　The　merchants；　considering　that　their　ships
bound　for　America；　launching　out　at　once　into　the　Atlantic　by　the
north　of　Ireland；　pursued　a　track　very　little　frequented　by
privateers；　resolved　to　insure　one　another；　and　saved　a　very
considerable　sum　by　this　resolution；　as　few　or　none　of　their
ships　were　taken　　You　must　know　I　have　a　sort　of　national
attachment　to　this　part　of　Scotland　　The　great　church　dedicated
to　St　Mongah；　the　river　Clyde；　and　other　particulars　that　smack
of　our　Welch　language　and　customs；　contribute　to　flatter　me　with
the　notion；　that　these　people　are　the　descendants　of　the　Britons；
who　once　possessed　this　country。　Without　all　question；　this　was　a
Cumbrian　kingdom：　its　capital　was　Dumbarton　（a　corruption　of
Dunbritton）　which　still　exists　as　a　royal　borough；　at　the　influx
of　the　Clyde　and　Leven；　ten　miles　below　Glasgow。　The　same
neighbourhood　gave　birth　to　St　Patri