journal of a voyage to lisbon-第10节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



distaste　and　aversion；　instead　of　pleasure。　　With　some　of　these

situations；　such　as　Barnes；　Mortlake；　etc。；　even　the　shore　of

Essex　might　contend；　not　upon　very　unequal　terms；　but　on　the

Kentish　borders　there　are　many　spots　to　be　chosen　by　the　builder

which　might　justly　claim　the　preference　over　almost　the　very

finest　of　those　in　Middlesex　and　Surrey。



How　shall　we　account　for　this　depravity　in　taste？　for　surely

there　are　none　so　very　mean　and　contemptible　as　to　bring　the

pleasure　of　seeing　a　number　of　little　wherries；　gliding　along

after　one　another；　in　competition　with　what　we　enjoy　in　viewing　a

succession　of　ships；　with　all　their　sails　expanded　to　the　winds；

bounding　over　the　waves　before　us。



And　here　I　cannot　pass　by　another　observation　on　the　deplorable

want　of　taste　in　our　enjoyments；　which　we　show　by　almost　totally

neglecting　the　pursuit　of　what　seems　to　me　the　highest　degree　of

amusement；　this　is；　the　sailing　ourselves　in　little　vessels　of

our　own；　contrived　only　for　our　ease　and　accommodation；　to　which

such　situations　of　our　villas　as　I　have　recommended　would　be　so

convenient；　and　even　necessary。



This　amusement；　I　confess；　if　enjoyed　in　any　perfection；　would　be

of　the　expensive　kind；　but　such　expense　would　not　exceed　the

reach　of　a　moderate　fortune；　and　would　fall　very　short　of　the

prices　which　are　daily　paid　for　pleasures　of　a　far　inferior　rate。



The　truth；　I　believe；　is；　that　sailing　in　the　manner　I　have　just

mentioned　is　a　pleasure　rather　unknown；　or　unthought　of；　than

rejected　by　those　who　have　experienced　it；　unless；　perhaps；　the

apprehension　of　danger　or　seasickness　may　be　supposed；　by　the

timorous　and　delicate；　to　make　too　large　deductionsinsisting

that　all　their　enjoyments　shall　come　to　them　pure　and　unmixed；

and　being　ever　ready　to　cry　out；



Nocet　empta　dolore　voluptas。



This；　however；　was　my　present　case；　for　the　ease　and　lightness

which　I　felt　from　my　tapping；　the　gayety　of　the　morning；　the

pleasant　sailing　with　wind　and　tide；　and　the　many　agreeable

objects　with　which　I　was　constantly　entertained　during　the　whole

way；　were　all　suppressed　and　overcome　by　the　single　consideration

of　my　wife's　pain；　which　continued　incessantly　to　torment　her

till　we　came　to　an　anchor；　when　I　dispatched　a　messenger　in　great

haste　for　the　best　reputed　operator　in　Gravesend。　　A　surgeon　of

some　eminence　now　appeared；　who　did　not　decline　tooth…drawing；

though　he　certainly　would　have　been　offended　with　the　appellation

of　tooth…drawer　no　less　than　his　brethren；　the　members　of　that

venerable　body；　would　be　with　that　of　barber；　since　the　late

separation　between　those　long…united　companies；　by　which；　if　the

surgeons　have　gained　much；　the　barbers　are　supposed　to　have　lost

very　little。　　This　able　and　careful　person　（for　so　I　sincerely

believe　he　is）　after　examining　the　guilty　tooth；　declared　that　it

was　such　a　rotten　shell；　and　so　placed　at　the　very　remotest　end

of　the　upper　jaw；　where　it　was　in　a　manner　covered　and　secured　by

a　large　fine　firm　tooth；　that　he　despaired　of　his　power　of

drawing　it。



He　said；　indeed；　more　to　my　wife；　and　used　more　rhetoric　to

dissuade　her　from　having　it　drawn；　than　is　generally　employed　to

persuade　young　ladies　to　prefer　a　pain　of　three　moments　to　one　of

three　months'　continuance；　especially　if　those　young　ladies

happen　to　be　past　forty　and　fifty　years　of　age；　when；　by

submitting　to　support　a　racking　torment；　the　only　good

circumstance　attending　which　is；　it　is　so　short　that　scarce　one

in　a　thousand　can　cry　out　〃I　feel　it；〃　they　are　to　do　a　violence

to　their　charms；　and　lose　one　of　those　beautiful　holders　with

which　alone　Sir　Courtly　Nice　declares　a　lady　can　ever　lay　hold　of

his　heart。　　He　said　at　last　so　much；　and　seemed　to　reason　so

justly；　that　I　came　over　to　his　side；　and　assisted　him　in

prevailing　on　my　wife　（for　it　was　no　easy　matter）　to　resolve　on

keeping　her　tooth　a　little　longer；　and　to　apply　palliatives　only

for　relief。　　These　were　opium　applied　to　the　tooth；　and　blisters

behind　the　ears。



Whilst　we　were　at　dinner　this　day　in　the　cabin；　on　a　sudden　the

window　on　one　side　was　beat　into　the　room　with　a　crash　as　if　a

twenty…pounder　had　been　discharged　among　us。　　We　were　all　alarmed

at　the　suddenness　of　the　accident；　for　which；　however；　we　were

soon　able　to　account；　for　the　sash；　which　was　shivered　all　to

pieces；　was　pursued　into　the　middle　of　the　cabin　by　the　bowsprit

of　a　little　ship　called　a　cod…smack；　the　master　of　which　made　us

amends　for　running　（carelessly　at　best）　against　us；　and　injuring

the　ship；　in　the　sea…way；　that　is　to　say；　by　damning　us　all　to

hell；　and　uttering　several　pious　wishes　that　it　had　done　us　much

more　mischief。　　All　which　were　answered　in　their　own　kind　and

phrase　by　our　men；　between　whom　and　the　other　crew　a　dialogue　of

oaths　and　scurrility　was　carried　on　as　long　as　they　continued　in

each　other's　hearing。



It　is　difficult；　I　think；　to　assign　a　satisfactory　reason　why

sailors　in　general　should；　of　all　others；　think　themselves

entirely　discharged　from　the　common　bands　of　humanity；　and　should

seem　to　glory　in　the　language　and　behavior　of　savages！　They　see

more　of　the　world；　and　have；　most　of　them；　a　more　erudite

education　than　is　the　portion　of　landmen　of　their　degree。　　Nor　do

I　believe　that　in　any　country　they　visit　（Holland　itself　not

excepted）　they　can　ever　find　a　parallel　to　what　daily　passes　on

the　river　Thames。　　Is　it　that　they　think　true　courage　（for　they

are　the　bravest　fellows　upon　earth）　inconsistent　with　all　the

gentleness　of　a　humane　carriage；　and　that　the　contempt　of　civil

order　springs　up　in　minds　but　little　cultivated；　at　the　same　time

and　from　the　same　principles　with　the　contempt　of　danger　and

death？　Is　it？　in　short；　it　is　so；　and　how　it　comes　to　be　so　I

leave　to　form　a　question　in　the　Robin　Hood　Society；　or　to　he

propounded　for　solution　among　the　enigmas　in　the　Woman's　Almanac

for　the　next　year。



Monday；　July　1。This　day　Mr。　Welch　took　his　leave　of　me　after

dinner；　as　did　a　young　lady　of　her　sister；　who　was　proceeding

with　my　wife　to　Lisbon。　　They　both　set　out　together　in　a

post…chaise　for　London。　　Soon　after　their　departure　our　cabin；

where　my　wife　and　I　were　sitting　together；　was　visited　by　two

ruffians；　whose　appearance　greatly　corresponded　with　that　of　the

sheriffs；　or　rather　the　knight…marshal's　bailiffs。　　One　of

these　especially；　who　seemed　to　affect　a　more　than　ordinary

degree　of　rudeness　and　insolence；　came　in　without　any　kind　of

ceremony；　with　a　broad　gold　lace　on　his　hat；　which　was　cocked

with　much　military　fierceness　on　his　head。　　An　inkhorn　at　his

buttonhole　and　some　papers　in　his　hand　sufficiently　assured　me

what　he　was；　and　I　asked　him　if　he　and　his　companion　were　not

custom…house　officers：　　he　answered　with　sufficient　dignity　that

they　were；　as　an　information　which　he　seemed　to　conclude　would

strike　the　hearer　with　awe；　and　suppress　all　further　inquiry；

but；　on　the　contrary；　I　proceeded　to　ask　of　what　rank　he　was　in

the　custom…house；　and；　receiving　an　answer　from　his　companion；　as

I　remember；　that　the　gentleman　was　a　riding　surveyor；　I　replied

that　he　might　be　a　riding　surveyor；　but　could　be　no　gentleman；

for　that　none　who　had　any　title　to　that　denomination　would　break

into　the　presence　of　a　lady　without　an　apology　or　even　moving　his

hat。　　He　then　took　his　covering　from　his　head　and　laid　it　on　the

table；　saying；　he　asked　pardon；　and　blamed　the　mate；　who　should；

he　said；　have　informed　him　if　any　persons　of　distinction　were

below。　　I　told　him　he　might　guess　by　our　appearance　（which；

perhaps；　was　rather　more　than　could　be　said　with　the　strictest

adherence　to　truth）　that　he　was　before　a　gentleman　and　lady；

which　should　teach　him　to　be　very　civil　in　his　behavior；　though

we　should　not　happen　to　be　of　that　number　whom　the　world　calls

people　of　fashion　and　distinction。　　However；　I　said；　that　as　he

seemed　sensible　of　his　error；　and　had　asked　pardon；　the　lady

would　permit　him　to　put　his　hat　on　again　if　he　chose　it。　　This　he

refused　with　some　degree　of　surliness；　and　failed　not　to　convince

me　that；　if　I　should　condescend　to　become　more　gentle；　he　would

soon　grow　more　rude。　　I　now　renewed　a　reflection；　which　I　have

often　seen　occasion　to　make；　that　there　is　nothing　so　incongruous

in　nature　as　any　kind　of　power　with　lowness　of　mind　and　of

ability；　and　that　there　is　nothing　more　deplorable　than　the　want

of　truth　in　the　whimsical　notion　of　Plato；　who　tells　us　that

〃Saturn；　well　knowing　the　state　of　human　affairs；　gave　us　kings

and　rulers；　not　of　human　but　divine　original；　for；　as　we　make　not

shepherds　of　sheep；　nor　oxherds　of　oxen；　nor　goatherds　of　goats；

but　place　some　of　our　own　kind　over　all　as　being　better　and

fitter　to　govern　them；　in　the　same　manner　were　demons　by　the

divine　love　set　over　us　as　a　race　of　beings　of　a　superior　order

to　men；　and　who；　with　great　ease　to　themselves；　might　regulate

our　affairs　and