journal of a voyage to lisbon-第19节

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folks。　　But　I　was　always　a　fool；　as　I　says　to　my　husband；　and

never　knows　which　side　my　bread　is　buttered　of。　　And　yet；　to　be

sure；　your　honor　shall　be　my　warning　not　to　be　bit　so　again。

Some　folks　knows　better　than　other　some　how　to　make　their　bills。

Candles！　why　yes；　to　be　sure；　why　should　not　travelers　pay　for

candles？　　I　am　sure　I　pays　for　my　candles；　and　the　chandler　pays

the　king's　majesty　for　them；　and　if　he　did　not　I　must；　so　as　it

comes　to　the　same　thing　in　the　end。　　To　be　sure　I　am　out　of

sixteens　at　present；　but　these　burn　as　white　and　as　clear；　though

not　quite　so　large。　　I　expects　my　chandler　here　soon；　or　I　would

send　to　Portsmouth；　if　your　honor　was　to　stay　any　time　longer。

But　when　folks　stays　only　for　a　wind；　you　knows　there　can　be　no

dependence　on　such！〃　　　Here　she　put　on　a　little　slyness　of

aspect；　and　seemed　willing　to　submit　to　interruption。　　I

interrupted　her　accordingly　by　throwing　down　half　a　guinea；　and

declared　I　had　no　more　English　money；　which　was　indeed　true；　and；

as　she　could　not　immediately　change　the　thirty…six　shilling

pieces；　it　put　a　final　end　to　the　dispute。　　Mrs。　Francis　soon

left　the　room；　and　we　soon　after　left　the　house；　nor　would　this

good　woman　see　us　or　wish　us　a　good　voyage。　　I　must　not；　however；

quit　this　place；　where　we　had　been　so　ill…treated；　without　doing

it　impartial　justice；　and　recording　what　may；　with　the　strictest

truth；　be　said　in　its　favor。



First；　then；　as　to　its　situation；　it　is；　I　think；　most

delightful；　and　in　the　most　pleasant　spot　in　the　whole　island。

It　is　true　it　wants　the　advantage　of　that　beautiful　river　which

leads　from　Newport　to　Cowes；　but　the　prospect　here　extending　to

the　sea；　and　taking　in　Portsmouth；　Spithead；　and　St。　Helen's；

would　be　more　than　a　recompense　for　the　loss　of　the　Thames

itself；　even　in　the　most　delightful　part　of　Berkshire　or

Buckinghamshire；　though　another　Denham；　or　another　Pope；　should

unite　in　celebrating　it。　　For　my　own　part；　I　confess　myself　so

entirely　fond　of　a　sea　prospect；　that　I　think　nothing　on　the　land

can　equal　it；　and　if　it　be　set　off　with　shipping；　I　desire　to

borrow　no　ornament　from　the　terra　firma。　　A　fleet　of　ships　is；　in

my　opinion；　the　noblest　object　which　the　art　of　man　hath　ever

produced；　and　far　beyond　the　power　of　those　architects　who　deal

in　brick；　in　stone；　or　in　marble。



When　the　late　Sir　Robert　Walpole；　one　of　the　best　of　men　and　of

ministers；　used　to　equip　us　a　yearly　fleet　at　Spithead；　his

enemies　of　taste　must　have　allowed　that　he；　at　least；　treated　the

nation　with　a　fine　sight　for　their　money。　　A　much　finer；　indeed；

than　the　same　expense　in　an　encampment　could　have　produced。　　For

what　indeed　is　the　best　idea　which　the　prospect　of　a　number　of

huts　can　furnish　to　the　mind；　but　of　a　number　of　men　forming

themselves　into　a　society　before　the　art　of　building　more

substantial　houses　was　known？　　This；　perhaps；　would　be　agreeable

enough；　but；　in　truth；　there　is　a　much　worse　idea　ready　to　step

in　before　it；　and　that　is　of　a　body　of　cut…throats；　the　supports

of　tyranny；　the　invaders　of　the　just　liberties　and　properties　of

mankind；　the　plunderers　of　the　industrious；　the　ravishers　of　the

chaste；　the　murderers　of　the　innocent；　and；　in　a　word；　the

destroyers　of　the　plenty；　the　peace；　and　the　safety；　of　their

fellow…creatures。



And　what；　it　may　be　said；　are　these　men…of…war　which　seem　so

delightful　an　object　to　our　eyes？　　Are　they　not　alike　the　support

of　tyranny　and　oppression　of　innocence；　carrying　with　them

desolation　and　ruin　wherever　their　masters　please　to　send　them？

This　is　indeed　too　true；　and　however　the　ship　of　war　may；　in　its

bulk　and　equipment；　exceed　the　honest　merchantman；　I　heartily

wish　there　was　no　necessity　for　it；　for；　though　I　must　own　the

superior　beauty　of　the　object　on　one　side；　I　am　more　pleased　with

the　superior　excellence　of　the　idea　which　I　can　raise　in　my　mind

on　the　other；　while　I　reflect　on　the　art　and　industry　of　mankind

engaged　in　the　daily　improvements　of　commerce　to　the　mutual

benefit　of　all　countries；　and　to　the　establishment　and　happiness

of　social　life。　　This　pleasant　village　is　situated　on　a　gentle

ascent　from　the　water；　whence　it　affords　that　charming　prospect　I

have　above　described。　　Its　soil　is　a　gravel；　which；　assisted　with

its　declivity；　preserves　it　always　so　dry　that　immediately　after

the　most　violent　rain　a　fine　lady　may　walk　without　wetting　her

silken　shoes。　　The　fertility　of　the　place　is　apparent　from　its

extraordinary　verdure；　and　it　is　so　shaded　with　large　and

flourishing　elms；　that　its　narrow　lanes　are　a　natural　grove　or

walk；　which；　in　the　regularity　of　its　plantation；　vies　with　the

power　of　art；　and　in　its　wanton　exuberancy　greatly　exceeds　it。



In　a　field　in　the　ascent　of　this　hill；　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile

from　the　sea；　stands　a　neat　little　chapel。　　It　is　very　small；　but

adequate　to　the　number　of　inhabitants；　for　the　parish　doth　not

seem　to　contain　above　thirty　houses。



At　about　two　miles　distant　from　this　parish　lives　that　polite　and

good　lady　to　whose　kindness　we　were　so　much　obliged。　　It　is

placed　on　a　hill　whose　bottom　is　washed　by　the　sea；　and　which

from　its　eminence　at　top；　commands　a　view　of　great　part　of　the

island　as　well　as　it　does　that　of　the　opposite　shore。　　This　house

was　formerly　built　by　one　Boyce；　who；　from　a　blacksmith　at

Gosport；　became　possessed；　by　great　success　in　smuggling；　of

forty　thousand　pound。　　With　part　of　this　he　purchased　an　estate

here；　and；　by　chance　probably；　fixed　on　this　spot　for　building　a

large　house。　　Perhaps　the　convenience　of　carrying　on　his

business；　to　which　it　is　so　well　adapted；　might　dictate　the

situation　to　him。　　We　can　hardly；　at　least；　attribute　it　to　the

same　taste　with　which　he　furnished　his　house；　or　at　least　his

library；　by　sending　an　order　to　a　bookseller　in　London　to　pack

him　up　five　hundred　pounds'　worth　of　his　handsomest　books。　　They

tell　here　several　almost　incredible　stories　of　the　ignorance；　the

folly；　and　the　pride；　which　this　poor　man　and　his　wife　discovered

during　the　short　continuance　of　his　prosperity；　for　he　did　not

long　escape　the　sharp　eyes　of　the　revenue　solicitors；　and　was；　by

extents　from　the　court　of　Exchequer；　soon　reduced　below　his

original　state　to　that　of　confinement　in　the　Fleet。　　All　his

effects　were　sold；　and　among　the　rest　his　books；　by　an　auction　at

Portsmouth；　for　a　very　small　price；　for　the　bookseller　was　now

discovered　to　have　been　perfectly　a　master　of　his　trade；　and；

relying　on　Mr。　Boyce's　finding　little　time　to　read；　had　sent　him

not　only　the　most　lasting　wares　of　his　shop；　but　duplicates　of

the　same；　under　different　titles。



His　estate　and　house　were　purchased　by　a　gentleman　of　these

parts；　whose　widow　now　enjoys　them；　and　who　hath　improved　them；

particularly　her　gardens；　with　so　elegant　a　taste；　that　the

painter　who　would　assist　his　imagination　in　the　composition　of　a

most　exquisite　landscape；　or　the　poet　who　would　describe　an　earthly

paradise；　could　nowhere　furnish　themselves　with　a　richer　pattern。



We　left　this　place　about　eleven　in　the　morning；　and　were　again

conveyed；　with　more　sunshine　than　wind；　aboard　our　ship。



Whence　our　captain　had　acquired　his　power　of　prophecy；　when　he

promised　us　and　himself　a　prosperous　wind；　I　will　not　determine；

it　is　sufficient　to　observe　that　he　was　a　false　prophet；　and　that

the　weathercocks　continued　to　point　as　before。　　He　would　not；

however；　so　easily　give　up　his　skill　in　prediction。　　He

persevered　in　asserting　that　the　wind　was　changed；　and；　having

weighed　his　anchor；　fell　down　that　afternoon　to　St。　　Helen's；

which　was　at　about　the　distance　of　five　miles；　and　whither　his

friend　the　tide；　in　defiance　of　the　wind；　which　was　most

manifestly　against　him；　softly　wafted　him　in　as　many　hours。



Here；　about　seven　in　the　evening；　before　which　time　we　could　not

procure　it；　we　sat　down　to　regale　ourselves　with　some　roasted

venison；　which　was　much　better　dressed　than　we　imagined　it　would

be；　and　an　excellent　cold　pasty　which　my　wife　had　made　at　Ryde；

and　which　we　had　reserved　uncut　to　eat　on　board　our　ship；　whither

we　all　cheerfully　exulted　in　being　returned　from　the　presence　of

Mrs。　Francis；　who；　by　the　exact　resemblance　she　bore　to　a　fury；

seemed　to　have　been　with　no　great　propriety　settled　in　paradise。



Friday；　July　24。As　we　passed　by　Spithead　on　the　preceding

evening　we　saw　the　two　regiments　of　soldiers　who　were　just

returned　from　Gibraltar　and　Minorca；　and　this　day　a　lieutenant

belonging　to　one　of　them；　who　was　the　captain's　nephew；　came　to

pay　a　visit　to　his　uncle。　　He　was　what　is　called　by　some　a　very

pretty　fellow；　indeed；　much　too　pretty　a　fellow　at　his　years；　for

he　was　turned　of　thirty…four；　though　his　address　and　conversation

would　have　become　him　more　before　he　had　reached　twenty。　　In　his

conversation；　it　is　true；　there　was　something　military　enough；　as

it　consisted　chiefly　of　oaths；　and　of　the　great　action