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the expedition of humphry clinker-第8部分

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frighted into a fit; from which she was no sooner recovered; than
Mrs Tabitha began a lecture upon patience; which her brother
interrupted with a most significant grin; 'True; sister; God
increase my patience and your discretion。 I wonder (added he)
what sort of sonata we are to expect from this overture; in which
the devil; that presides over horrid sounds; hath given us such
variations of discord  The trampling of porters; the creaking
and crashing of trunks; the snarling of curs; the scolding of
women; the squeaking and squalling of fiddles and hautboys out of
tune; the bouncing of the Irish baronet over…head; and the
bursting; belching; and brattling of the French…horns in the
passage (not to mention the harmonious peal that still thunders
from the Abbey steeple) succeeding one another without
interruption; like the different parts of the same concert; have
given me such an idea of what a poor invalid has to expect in
this temple; dedicated to Silence and Repose; that I shall
certainly shift my quarters to…morrow; and endeavour to
effectuate my retreat before Sir Ulic opens the ball with my lady
Mac Manus; a conjunction that bodes me no good。' This intimation
was by no means agreeable to Mrs Tabitha; whose ears were not
quite so delicate as those of her brother  She said it would be
great folly to move from such agreeable lodgings; the moment they
were comfortably settled。 She wondered he should be such an enemy
to music and mirth。 She heard no noise but of his own making: it
was impossible to manage a family in dumb…shew。 He might harp as
long as he pleased upon her scolding; but she never scolded;
except for his advantage; but he would never be satisfied; even
tho'f she should sweat blood and water in his service  I have a
great notion that our aunt; who is now declining into the most
desperate state of celibacy; had formed some design upon the
heart of Sir Ulic Mackilligut; which she feared might be
frustrated by our abrupt departure from these lodgings。 Her
brother; eyeing her askance; 'Pardon me; sister (said he) I
should be a savage; indeed; were I insensible of my own felicity;
in having such a mild; complaisant; good…humoured; and
considerate companion and housekeeper;
but as I have got a weak head; and my sense of hearing is
painfully acute; before I have recourse to plugs of wool and
cotton; I'll try whether I can't find another lodging; where I
shall have more quiet and less music。' He accordingly dispatched
his man upon this service; and next day he found a small house in
Milsham…street; which he hires by the week。 Here; at least; we
enjoy convenience and quiet within doors; as much as Tabby's
temper will allow; but the squire still complains of flying pains
in the stomach and head; for which he bathes and drinks the
waters。 He is not so bad; however; but that he goes in person to
the pump; the rooms; and the coffeehouses; where he picks up
continual food for ridicule and satire。 If I can glean any thing
for your amusement; either from his observation or my own; you
shall have it freely; though I am afraid it will poorly
compensate the trouble of reading these tedious
insipid letters of;

Dear Phillips;
Yours always;
J。 MELFORD


To Dr LEWIS。
BATH; April 23。
DEAR DOCTOR;

If I did not know that the exercise of your profession has
habituated you to the hearing of complaints; I should make a
conscience of troubling you with my correspondence; which may be
truly called the lamentations of Matthew Bramble。 Yet I cannot
help thinking I have some right to discharge the overflowings of
my spleen upon you; whose province it is to remove those
disorders that occasioned it; and let me tell you; it is no small
alleviation of my grievances; that I have a sensible friend; to
whom I can communicate my crusty humours; which; by retention;
would grow intolerably acrimonious。

You must know; I find nothing but disappointment at Bath; which
is so altered; that I can scarce believe it is the same place
that I frequented about thirty years ago。 Methinks I hear you
say; 'Altered it is; without all doubt: but then it is altered
for the better; a truth which; perhaps; you would own without
hesitation; if you yourself was not altered for the worse。' The
reflection may; for aught I know; be just。 The inconveniences
which I overlooked in the high…day of health; will naturally
strike with exaggerated impression on the irritable nerves of an
invalid; surprised by premature old age; and shattered with long…suffering 
But; I believe; you will not deny; that this place;
which Nature and Providence seem to have intended as a resource
from distemper and disquiet; is become the very centre of racket
and dissipation。 Instead of that peace; tranquillity; and case;
so necessary to those who labour under bad health; weak nerves;
and irregular spirits; here we have nothing but noise; tumult;
and hurry; with the fatigue and slavery of maintaining a
ceremonial; more stiff; formal; and oppressive; than the
etiquette of a German elector。 A national hospital it may be; but
one would imagine that none but lunatics are admitted; and truly;
I will give you leave to call me so; if I stay much longer at
Bath。  But I shall take another opportunity to explain my
sentiments at greater length on this subject  I was impatient
to see the boasted improvements in architecture; for which the
upper parts of the town have been so much celebrated and t'other
day I made a circuit of all the new buildings。 The Square; though
irregular; is; on the whole; pretty well laid out; spacious;
open; and airy; and; in my opinion; by far the most wholesome and
agreeable situation in Bath; especially the upper side of it; but
the avenues to it are mean; dirty; dangerous; and indirect。 Its
communication with the Baths; is through the yard of an inn;
where the poor trembling valetudinarian is carried in a chair;
betwixt the heels of a double row of horses; wincing under the
curry…combs of grooms and postilions; over and above the hazard
of being obstructed; or overturned by the carriages which are
continually making their exit or their entrance  I suppose
after some chairmen shall have been maimed; and a few lives lost
by those accidents; the corporation will think; in earnest; about
providing a more safe and commodious passage。 The Circus is a
pretty bauble; contrived for shew; and looks like Vespasian's
amphitheatre turned outside in。 If we consider it in point of
magnificence; the great number of small doors belonging to the
separate houses; the inconsiderable height of the different
orders; the affected ornaments of the architrave; which are both
childish and misplaced; and the areas projecting into the street;
surrounded with iron rails; destroy a good part of its effect
upon the eye; and; perhaps; we shall find it still more
defective; if we view it in the light of convenience。 The figure
of each separate dwelling…house; being the segment of a circle;
must spoil the symmetry of the rooms; by contracting them towards
the street windows; and leaving a larger sweep in the space
behind。 If; instead of the areas and iron rails; which seem to be
of very little use; there had been a corridore with arcades all
round; as in Covent…garden; the appearance of the whole would
have been more magnificent and striking; those arcades would have
afforded an agreeable covered walk; and sheltered the poor
chairmen and their carriages from the rain; which is here almost
perpetual。 At present; the chairs stand soaking in the open
street; from morning to night; till they become so many boxes of
wet leather; for the benefit of the gouty and rheumatic; who are
transported in them from place to place。 Indeed this is a
shocking inconvenience that extends over the whole city; and; I
am persuaded; it produces infinite mischief to the delicate and
infirm; even the close chairs; contrived for the sick; by
standing in the open air; have their frize linings impregnated
like so many spunges; with the moisture of the atmosphere; and
those cases of cold vapour must give a charming check to the
perspiration of a patient; piping hot from the Bath; with all his
pores wide open。

But; to return to the Circus; it is inconvenient from its
situation; at so great a distance from all the markets; baths;
and places of public entertainment。 The only entrance to it;
through Gay…street; is so difficult; steep; and slippery; that in
wet weather; it must be exceedingly dangerous; both for those
that ride in carriages; and those that walk a…foot; and when the
street is covered with snow; as it was for fifteen days
successively this very winter; I don't see how any individual
could go either up or down; without the most imminent hazard of
broken bones。 In blowing weather; I am told; most of the houses
in this hill are smothered with smoke; forced down the chimneys;
by the gusts of wind reverberated from the hill behind; which (I
apprehend likewise) must render the atmosphere here more humid
and unwholesome than it is in the square below; for the clouds;
formed by the constant evaporation from the baths and rivers in
the bottom; will; in their ascent this way; be first attracted
and detained by the hill that rises close behind the Circus; and
load the air with a perpetual succession of vapours: this point;
however; may be easily ascertained by means of an hygrometer; or
a paper of salt of tartar exposed to the action of the
atmosphere。 The same artist who planned the Circus; has likewise
projected a Crescent; when that is finished; we shall probably
have a Star; and those who are living thirty years hence; may;
perhaps; see all the signs of the Zodiac exhibited in
architecture at Bath。 These; however fantastical; are still
designs that denote some ingenuity and knowledge in the
architect; but the rage of building has laid hold on such a
number of adventurers; that one sees new houses starting up in
every out…let and every corner of Bath; contrived without
judgment; executed without solidity; and stuck together with so
little regard to plan and propriety; that the different lines of
the new rows and buildings interfere with; and intersect one
another in every different angle of 

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