The Expedition of Humphry ClinkerSmollett, T. (Tobias)
General
The Expedition of Humphry Clinker
Smollett, T. (Tobias)
Epistolary fiction; Great Britain -- Fiction; Travelers -- Fiction
We entered Scotland by a frightful moor of sixteen miles, which promises
very little for the interior parts of the kingdom; but the prospect
mended as we advanced. Passing through Dunbar, which is a neat little
town, situated on the sea-side, we lay at a country inn, where our
entertainment far exceeded our expectation; but for this we cannot give
the Scots credit, as the landlord is a native of England. Yesterday we
dined at Haddington, which has been a place of some consideration, but
is now gone to decay; and in the evening arrived at this metropolis, of
which I can say very little. It is very romantic, from its situation
on the declivity of a hill, having a fortified castle at the top, and a
royal palace at the bottom. The first thing that strikes the nose of
a stranger, shall be nameless; but what first strikes the eye, is the
unconscionable height of the houses, which generally rise to five, six,
seven, and eight stories, and, in some places (as I am assured),
to twelve. This manner of building, attended with numberless
inconveniences, must have been originally owing to want of room. Certain
it is, the town seems to be full of people: but their looks, their
language, and their customs, are so different from ours, that I can
hardly believe myself in Great-Britain.
The inn at which we put up (if it may be so called) was so filthy and
disagreeable in all respects, that my uncle began to fret, and his
gouty symptoms to recur--Recollecting, however, that he had a letter
of recommendation to one Mr Mitchelson, a lawyer, he sent it by his
servant, with a compliment, importing that we would wait upon him next
day in person; but that gentleman visited us immediately, and insisted
upon our going to his own house, until he could provide lodgings for our
accommodation. We gladly accepted, of his invitation, and repaired to
his house, where we were treated with equal elegance and hospitality, to
the utter confusion of our aunt, whose prejudices, though beginning to
give way, were not yet entirely removed. To-day, by the assistance
of our friend, we are settled in convenient lodgings, up four pair
of stairs, in the High-street, the fourth story being, in this city,
reckoned more genteel than the first. The air is, in all probability,
the better; but it requires good lungs to breathe it at this distance
above the surface of the earth.--While I do remain above it, whether
higher or lower, provided I breathe at all,
I shall ever be, Dear Phillips, yours, J. MELFORD July 18.
To Dr LEWIS.
DEAR LEWIS,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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