The Expedition of Humphry ClinkerSmollett, T. (Tobias)
General
The Expedition of Humphry Clinker
Smollett, T. (Tobias)
Epistolary fiction; Great Britain -- Fiction; Travelers -- Fiction
There are many causes that contribute to the daily increase of this
enormous mass; but they may be all resolved into the grand source of
luxury and corruption--About five and twenty years ago, very few, even
of the most opulent citizens of London, kept any equipage, or even any
servants in livery. Their tables produced nothing but plain boiled and
roasted, with a bottle of port and a tankard of beer. At present, every
trader in any degree of credit, every broker and attorney, maintains a
couple of footmen, a coachman, and postilion. He has his town-house,
and his country-house, his coach, and his post-chaise. His wife and
daughters appear in the richest stuffs, bespangled with diamonds. They
frequent the court, the opera, the theatre, and the masquerade. They
hold assemblies at their own houses: they make sumptuous entertainments,
and treat with the richest wines of Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Champagne.
The substantial tradesman, who wont to pass his evenings at the
ale-house for fourpence half-penny, now spends three shillings at the
tavern, while his wife keeps card-tables at home; she must likewise have
fine clothes, her chaise, or pad, with country lodgings, and go three
times a week to public diversions. Every clerk, apprentice, and even
waiter of tavern or coffeehouse, maintains a gelding by himself, or
in partnership, and assumes the air and apparel of a petit maitre--The
gayest places of public entertainment are filled with fashionable
figures; which, upon inquiry, will be found to be journeymen taylors,
serving-men, and abigails, disguised like their betters.
In short, there is no distinction or subordination left--The different
departments of life are jumbled together--The hod-carrier, the low
mechanic, the tapster, the publican, the shopkeeper, the pettifogger,
the citizen, and courtier, all tread upon the kibes of one another:
actuated by the demons of profligacy and licentiousness, they are
seen every where rambling, riding, rolling, rushing, justling, mixing,
bouncing, cracking, and crashing in one vile ferment of stupidity
and corruption--All is tumult and hurry; one would imagine they were
impelled by some disorder of the brain, that will not suffer them to
be at rest. The foot-passengers run along as if they were pursued by
bailiffs. The porters and chairmen trot with their burthens. People, who
keep their own equipages, drive through the streets at full speed. Even
citizens, physicians, and apothecaries, glide in their chariots like
lightening. The hackney-coachmen make their horses smoke, and the
pavement shakes under them; and I have actually seen a waggon pass
through Piccadilly at the hand-gallop. In a word, the whole nation seems
to be running out of their wits.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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