the expedition of humphry clinker-第89节

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other　with　her　tears；　and　the　good　old　lady　pressed　them　both　in
their　turns　to　her　breast。　　The　lovers　were　too　much　affected　to
get　rid　of　their　embarrassment　for　one　day；　but　the　scene　was
much　enlivened　by　the　arrival　of　Jack　Wilson；　who　brought；　as
usual；　some　game　of　his　own　killing　　His　honest　countenance　was　a
good　letter　of　recommendation。　I　received　him　like　a　dear　friend
after　a　long　separation；　and　I　could　not　help　wondering　to　see
him　shake　Jery　by　the　hand　as　an　old　acquaintance　　They　had；
indeed；　been　acquainted　some　days；　in　consequence　of　a　diverting
incident；　which　I　shall　explain　at　meeting。　That　same　night　a
consultation　was　held　upon　the　concerns　of　the　lovers；　when　the
match　was　formally　agreed　to；　and　all　the　marriage　articles　were
settled　without　the　least　dispute。　　My　nephew　and　I　promised　to
make　Liddy's　fortune　five　thousand　pounds。　Mr　Dennison　declared；
he　would　make　over　one　half　of　his　estate　immediately　to　his　son；
and　that　his　daughter…in…law　should　be　secured　in　a　jointure　of
four　hundred　　Tabby　proposed；　that；　considering　their　youth；　they
should　undergo　one　year　at　least；　of　probation　before　the
indissoluble　knot　should　be　tied；　but　the　young　gentleman　being
very　impatient　and　importunate；　and　the　scheme　implying　that　the
young　couple　should　live　in　the　house；　under　the　wings　of　his
parents；　we　resolved　to　make　them　happy　without　further　delay。

As　the　law　requires　that　the　parties　should　be　some　weeks
resident　in　the　parish；　we　shall　stay　here　till　the　ceremony　is
performed。　　Mr　Lismahago　requests　that　he　may　take　the　benefit　of
the　same　occasion；　so　that　next　Sunday　the　banns　will　be
published　for　all　four　together。　　I　doubt　I　shall　not　be　able　to
pass　my　Christmas　with　you　at　Brambleton…hall。　　Indeed；　I　am　so
agreeably　situated　in　this　place；　that　I　have　no　desire　to　shift
my　quarters；　and　I　foresee；　that　when　the　day　of　separation
comes；　there　will　be　abundance　of　sorrow　on　all　sides。　　In　the
mean　time；　we　must　make　the　most　of　those　blessings　which　Heaven
bestows。　　Considering　how　you　are　tethered　by　your　profession；　I
cannot　hope　to　see　you　so　far　from　home；　yet　the　distance　does
not　exceed　a　summer…day's　journey；　and　Charles　Dennison；　who
desires　to　be　remembered　to　you；　would　be　rejoiced　to　see　his　old
compotator；　but　as　I　am　now　stationary；　I　expect　regular　answers
to　the　epistles　of

Yours　invariably；
MATT。　BRAMBLE
Oct。　11。




To　Sir　WATKIN　PHILLIPS；　Bart。　at　Oxon。

DEAR　WAT；

Every　day　is　now　big　with　incident　and　discovery　　Young　Mr
Dennison　proves　to　be　no　other　than　that　identical　person　whom　I
have　execrated　so　long；　under　the　name　of　Wilson　　He　had　eloped
from　college　at　Cambridge；　to　avoid　a　match　that　he　detested；　and
acted　in　different　parts　of　the　country　as　a　stroller；　until　the
lady　in　question　made　choice　of　a　husband　for　herself；　then　he
returned　to　his　father；　and　disclosed　his　passion　for　Liddy；
which　met　with　the　approbation　of　his　parents；　though　the　father
little　imagined　that　Mr　Bramble　was　his　old　companion　Matthew
Loyd。　The　young　gentleman；　being　impowered　to　make　honourable
proposals　to　my　uncle　and　me；　had　been　in　search　of　us　all　over
England；　without　effect；　and　he　it　was　whom　I　had　seen　pass　on
horseback　by　the　window　of　the　inn；　where　I　stood　with　my　sister；
but　he　little　dreamed　that　we　were　in　the　house　　As　for　the　real
Mr　Wilson；　whom　I　called　forth　to　combat；　by　mistake；　he　is　the
neighbour　and　intimate　friend　of　old　Mr　Dennison；　and　this
connexion　had　suggested　to　the　son　the　idea　of　taking　that　name
while　he　remained　in　obscurity。

You　may　easily　conceive　what　pleasure　I　must　have　felt　on
discovering　that　the　honour　of　our　family　was　in　no　danger　from
the　conduct　of　a　sister　whom　I　love　with　uncommon　affection；
that；　instead　of　debasing　her　sentiments　and　views　to　a　wretched
stroller；　she　had　really　captivated　the　heart　of　a　gentleman；　her
equal　in　rank　and　superior　in　fortune；　and　that；　as　his　parents
approved　of　his　attachment；　I　was　on　the　eve　of　acquiring　a
brother…in…law　so　worthy　of　my　friendship　and　esteem。　George
Dennison　is；　without　all　question；　one　of　the　most　accomplished
young　fellows　in　England。　His　person　is　at　once　elegant　and
manly；　and　his　understanding　highly　cultivated。　Tho'　his　spirit
is　lofty；　his　heart　is　kind；　and　his　manner　so　engaging；　as　to
command　veneration　and　love；　even　from　malice　and　indifference。
When　I　weigh　my　own　character　with　his；　I　am　ashamed　to　find
myself　so　light　in　the　balance；　but　the　comparison　excites　no
envy　　I　propose　him　as　a　model　for　imitation　　I　have　endeavoured
to　recommend　myself　to　his　friendship；　and　hope　I　have　already
found　a　place　in　his　affection。　I　am；　however；　mortified　to
reflect　what　flagrant　injustice　we　every　day　commit；　and　what
absurd　judgment　we　form；　in　viewing　objects　through　the
falsifying　mediums　of　prejudice　and　passion。　Had　you　asked　me　a
few　days　ago；　the　picture　of　Wilson　the　player；　I　should　have
drawn　a　portrait　very　unlike　the　real　person　and　character　of
George　Dennison。　Without　all　doubt；　the　greatest　advantage
acquired　in　travelling　and　perusing　mankind　in　the　original；　is
that　of　dispelling　those　shameful　clouds　that　darken　the
faculties　of　the　mind；　preventing　it　from　judging　with　candour
and　precision。

The　real　Wilson　is　a　great　original；　and　the　best　tempered；
companionable　man　I　ever　knew　　I　question　if　ever　he　was　angry　or
low…spirited　in　his　life。　He　makes　no　pretensions　to　letters；　but
he　is　an　adept　in　every　thing　else　that　can　be　either　useful　or
entertaining。　Among　other　qualifications；　he　is　a　complete
sportsman；　and　counted　the　best　shot　in　the　county。　He　and
Dennison；　and　Lismahago　and　I；　attended　by　Clinker；　went　a…shooting
yesterday；　and　made　a　great　havock　among　the　partridges　
To…morrow　we　shall　take　the　field　against　the　woodcocks　and
snipes。　In　the　evening　we　dance　and　sing；　or　play　at　commerce；
loo；　and　quadrille。

Mr　Dennison　is　an　elegant　poet；　and　has　written　some　detached
pieces　on　the　subject　of　his　passion　for　Liddy；　which　must　be
very　flattering　to　the　vanity　of　a　young　woman　　Perhaps　he　is　one
of　the　greatest　theatrical　geniuses　that　ever　appeared。　He
sometimes　entertains　us　with　reciting　favourite　speeches　from　our
best　plays。　We　are　resolved　to　convert　the　great　hall　into　a
theatre；　and　get　up　the　Beaux　Stratagem　without　delay　　I　think　I
shall　make　no　contemptible　figure　in　the　character　of　Scrub；　and
Lismahago　will　be　very　great　in　Captain　Gibbet。　Wilson　undertakes
to　entertain　the　country　people　with　Harlequin　Skeleton；　for
which　he　has　got　a　jacket　ready　painted　with　his　own　hand。

Our　society　is　really　enchanting。　Even　the　severity　of　Lismahago
relaxes；　and　the　vinegar　of　Mrs　Tabby　is　remarkably　dulcified；
ever　since　it　was　agreed　that　she　should　take　precedency　of　her
niece　in　being　first　noosed：　for；　you　must　know；　the　day　is　fixed
for　Liddy's　marriage；　and　the　banns　for　both　couples　have　been
already　once　published　in　the　parish　church。　The　Captain
earnestly　begged　that　one　trouble　might　serve　for　all；　and
Tabitha　assented　with　a　vile　affectation　of　reluctance。　Her
inamorato；　who　came　hither　very　slenderly　equipt；　has　sent　for
his　baggage　to　London；　which；　in　all　probability；　will　not　arrive
in　time　for　the　wedding；　but　it　is　of　no　great　consequence；　as
every　thing　is　to　be　transacted　with　the　utmost　privacy　
Meanwhile；　directions　are　given　for　making　out　the　contracts　of
marriage；　which　are　very　favourable　for　both　females；　Liddy　will
be　secured　in　a　good　jointure；　and　her　aunt　will　remain　mistress
of　her　own　fortune；　except　one　half　of　the　interest；　which　her
husband　shall　have　a　right　to　enjoy　for　his　natural　life：　I　think
this　is　as　little　in　conscience　as　can　be　done　for　a　man　who
yokes　with　such　a　partner　for　life。

These　expectants　seem　to　be　so　happy；　that　if　Mr　Dennison　had　an
agreeable　daughter；　I　believe　I　should　be　for　making　the　third
couple　in　this　country　dance。　The　humour　seems　to　be　infectious；
for　Clinker；　alias　Loyd；　has　a　month's　mind　to　play　the　fool；　in
the　same　fashion；　with　Mrs　Winifred　Jenkins。　He　has　even　sounded
me　on　the　subject；　but　I　have　given　him　no　encouragement　to
prosecute　this　scheme　　I　told　him　I　thought　he　might　do　better；
as　there　was　no　engagement　nor　promise　subsisting；　that　I　did　not
know　what　designs　my　uncle　might　have　formed　for　his　advantage；
but　I　was　of　opinion；　that　he　should　not；　at　present；　run　the
risque　of　disobliging　him　by　any　premature　application　of　this
nature　　Honest　Humphry　protested　he　would　suffer　death　sooner
than　do　or　say　any　thing　that　should　give　offence　to　the　'squire：
but　he
owned　he　had　a　kindness　for　the　young　woman；　and　had　reason　to
think　she　looked　upon　him　with　a　favourable　eye；　that　he
considered　this　mutual　manifestation　of　good　will；　as　an
engagement　understood；　which　ought　to　be　binding　to　the
conscience　of　an　honest　man；　and　he　hoped　the　'squire　and　I　would
be　of　the　same　opinion；　when　we　should　be　at　leisure　to　bestow
any　thought　about　the　matter　　I　believe　he　is　in　the　right；　and
we　shall　find　time　to　take　his　case　into　consideration　　You　see
we　are　fixed　for　some　weeks　at　least；　and　as　you　have　h