the expedition of humphry clinker-第67部分

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trade；　and　a　greater　quantity　of　money　circulating　since　the
union；　than　before。　'I　may　safely　admit　these　premises　（answered
the　lieutenant）；　without　subscribing　to　your　inference。　The
difference　you　mention；　I　should　take　to　be　the　natural　progress
of　improvement　　Since　that　period；　other　nations；　such　as　the
Swedes；　the　Danes；　and　in　particular　the　French；　have　greatly
increased　in　commerce；　without　any　such　cause　assigned。　Before
the　union；　there　was　a　remarkable　spirit　of　trade　among　the
Scots；　as　appeared　in　the　case　of　their　Darien　company；　in　which
they　had　embarked　no　less　than　four　hundred　thousand　pounds
sterling；　and　in　the　flourishing　state　of　the　maritime　towns　in
Fife；　and　on　the　eastern　coast；　enriched　by　their　trade　with
France；　which　failed　in　consequence　of　the　union。　The　only　solid
commercial　advantage　reaped　from　that　measure；　was　the　privilege
of　trading　to　the　English　plantations；　yet；　excepting　Glasgow　and
Dumfries；　I　don't　know　any　other　Scotch　towns　concerned　in　that
traffick。　In　other　respects；　I　conceive　the　Scots　were　losers　by
the　union。　　They　lost　the　independency　of　their　state；　the
greatest　prop　of　national　spirit；　they　lost　their　parliament；　and
their　courts　of　justice　were　subjected　to　the　revision　and
supremacy　of　an　English　tribunal。'

'Softly；　captain　（cried　I）；　you　cannot　be　said　to　have　lost　your
own　parliament；　while　you　are　represented　in　that　of　Great…Britain。'
'True　（said　he；　with　a　sarcastic　grin）；　in　debates　of
national　competition；　the　sixteen　peers　and　forty…five　commoners
of　Scotland；　must　make　a　formidable　figure　in　the　scale；　against
the　whole　English　legislature。'　'Be　that　as　it　may　（I　observed）
while　I　had　the　honour　to　sit　in　the　lower　house；　the　Scotch
members　had　always　the　majority　on　their　side。'　'I　understand
you；　Sir　（said　he）；　they　generally　side　with　the　majority；　so　much
the　worse　for　their　constituents。　But　even　this　evil　is　not　the
worst　they　have　sustained　by　the　union。　Their　trade　has　been　saddled
with　grievous　impositions；　and　every　article　of　living　severely
taxed；　to　pay　the　interest　of　enormous　debts；　contracted　by　the
English；　in　support　of　measures　and　connections　in　which　the
Scots　had　no　interest　nor　concern。'　I　begged　he　would　at　least
allow；　that　by　the　union　the　Scots　were　admitted　to　all　the
privileges　and　immunities　of　English　subjects；　by　which　means
multitudes　of　them　were　provided　for　in　the　army　and　navy；　and
got　fortunes　in　different　parts　of　England；　and　its　dominions。
'All　these　（said　he）　become　English　subjects　to　all　intents　and
purposes；　and　are　in　a　great　measure　lost　to　their　mother…country。
The　spirit　of　rambling　and　adventure　has　been　always
peculiar　to　the　natives　of　Scotland。　If　they　had　not　met　with
encouragement　in　England；　they　would　have　served　and　settled；　as
formerly；　in　other　countries；　such　as　Muscovy；　Sweden；　Denmark；
Poland；　Germany；　France；　Piedmont；　and　Italy；　in　all　which
nations　their　descendants　continue　to　flourish　even　at　this　day。'

By　this　time　my　patience　began　to　fail　and　I　exclaimed；　'For
God's　sake；　what　has　England　got　by　this　union　which；　you　say；
has　been　so　productive　of　misfortune　to　the　Scots。'　'　Great　and
manifold　are　the　advantages　which　England　derives　from　the　union
（said　Lismahago；　in　a　solemn　tone）。　First　and　foremost；　the
settlement　of　the　protestant　succession；　a　point　which　the
English　ministry　drove　with　such　eagerness；　that　no　stone　was
left　unturned；　to　cajole　and　bribe　a　few　leading　men；　to　cram　the
union　down　the　throats　of　the　Scottish　nation；　who　were
surprisingly　averse　to　the　expedient。　They　gained　by　it　a
considerable　addition　of　territory；　extending　their　dominion　to
the　sea　on　all　sides　of　the　island；　thereby　shutting　up　all　back…doors
against　the　enterprizes　of　their　enemies。　They　got　an
accession　of　above　a　million　of　useful　subjects；　constituting　a
never…failing　nursery　of　seamen；　soldiers；　labourers；　and
mechanics；　a　most　valuable　acquisition　to　a　trading　country；
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　t