The Expedition of Humphry Clinker

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THE EXPEDITION OF HUMPHRY CLINKER

by TOBIAS SMOLLETT

To Mr HENRY DAVIS, Bookseller, in London.

ABERGAVENNY, Aug. 4.

RESPECTED SIR,

I have received your esteemed favour of the 13th ultimo, whereby
it appeareth, that you have perused those same Letters, the which
were delivered unto you by my friend, the reverend Mr Hugo Behn;
and I am pleased to find you think they may be printed with a
good prospect of success; in as much as the objections you
mention, I humbly conceive, are such as may be redargued, if not
entirely removed -- And, first, in the first place, as touching
what prosecutions may arise from printing the private
correspondence of persons still living, give me leave, with all
due submission, to observe, that the Letters in question were not
written and sent under the seal of secrecy; that they have no
tendency to the mala fama, or prejudice of any person whatsoever;
but rather to the information and edification of mankind: so that
it becometh a sort of duty to promulgate them in usum publicum.
Besides, I have consulted Mr Davy Higgins, an eminent attorney of
this place, who, after due inspection and consideration,
declareth, That he doth not think the said Letters contain any
matter which will be held actionable in the eye of the law.
Finally, if you and I should come to a right understanding, I do
declare in verbo sacerdotis, that, in case of any such
prosecution, I will take the whole upon my own shoulders, even
quoad fine and imprisonment, though, I must confess, I should not
care to undergo flagellation: Tam ad turpitudinem, quam ad
amaritudinem poenoe spectans -- Secondly, concerning the personal
resentment of Mr Justice Lismahago, I may say, non flocci facio --
I would not willingly vilipend any Christian, if, peradventure,
he deserveth that epithet: albeit, I am much surprised that more
care is not taken to exclude from the commission all such vagrant
foreigners as may be justly suspected of disaffection to our
happy constitution, in church and state -- God forbid that I
should be so uncharitable, as to affirm, positively, that the
said Lismahago is no better than a Jesuit in disguise; but this I
will assert and maintain, totis viribus, that, from the day he
qualified, he has never been once seen intra templi parietes,
that is to say, within the parish church.

Thirdly, with respect to what passed at Mr Kendal's table, when
the said Lismahago was so brutal in his reprehensions, I must
inform you, my good Sir, that I was obliged to retire, not by
fear arising from his minatory reproaches, which, as I said
above, I value not of a rush; but from the sudden effect
produced, by a barbel's row, which I had eaten at dinner, not
knowing, that the said row is at certain seasons violently
cathartic, as Galen observeth in his chapter Peri ichtos.

Fourthly, and lastly, with reference to the manner in which I got
possession of these Letters, it is a circumstance that concerns
my own conscience only; sufficeth it to say, I have fully
satisfied the parties in whose custody they were; and, by this
time, I hope I have also satisfied you in such ways, that the
last hand may be put to our agreement, and the work proceed with
all convenient expedition; in which I hope I rest,

Respected Sir,
Your very humble servant,

JONATHAN DUSTWICH.

P.S. I propose, Deo volente, to have the pleasure of seeing you
in the great city, towards All-hallowtide, when I shall be glad
to treat with you concerning a parcel of MS. sermons, of a
certain clergyman deceased; a cake of the right leaven, for the
present taste of the public. Verbum sapienti, &c.

J.D.

To the Revd. Mr JONATHAN DUSTWICH, at --

SIR,

I received yours in course of post, and shall be glad to treat
with you for the M.S. which I have delivered to your friend Mr
Behn; but can by no means comply with the terms proposed. Those
things are so uncertain -- Writing is all a lottery -- I have
been a loser by the works of the greatest men of the age -- I
could mention particulars, and name names; but don't choose it --
The taste of the town is so changeable. Then there have been so
many letters upon travels lately published -- What between
Smollett's, Sharp's, Derrick's, Thicknesse's, Baltimore's, and
Baretti's, together with Shandy's Sentimental Travels, the public
seems to be cloyed with that kind of entertainment --
Nevertheless, I will, if you please, run the risque of printing
and publishing, and you shall have half the profits of the
impression -- You need not take the trouble to bring up your
sermons on my account -- No body reads sermons but Methodists and
Dissenters -- Besides, for my own part, I am quite a stranger to
that sort of reading; and the two persons, whose judgment I
depended upon in those matters, are out of the way; one is gone
abroad, carpenter of a man of war; and the other, has been silly
enough to abscond, in order to avoid a prosecution for blasphemy
-- I'm a great loser by his going off -- He has left a manual of
devotion half finished on my hands, after having received money
for the whole copy -- He was the soundest divine, and had the
most orthodox pen of all my people; and I never knew his judgment
fail, but in flying from his bread and butter on this occasion.

By owning you was not put in bodily fear by Lismahago, you
preclude yourself from the benefit of a good plea, over and above
the advantage of binding him over. In the late war, I inserted in
my evening paper, a paragraph that came by the post, reflecting
upon the behaviour of a certain regiment in battle. An officer of
said regiment came to my shop, and, in the presence of my wife
and journeyman, threatened to cut off my ears -- As I exhibited
marks of bodily fear more ways than one, to the conviction of the
byestanders, I bound him over; my action lay, and I recovered. As
for flagellation, you have nothing to fear, and nothing to hope,
on that head -- There has been but one printer flogged at the
cart's tail these thirty years; that was Charles Watson; and he
assured me it was no more than a flea-bite. C-- S-- has been
threatened several times by the House of L--; but it came to
nothing. If an information should be moved for, and granted
against you, as the editor of those Letters, I hope you will have
honesty and wit enough to appear and take your trial -- If you
should be sentenced to the pillory, your fortune is made -- As
times go, that's a sure step to honour and preferment. I shall
think myself happy if I can lend you a lift; and am, very
sincerely,

Yours,

HENRY DAVIS.
LONDON, Aug. 10th.

Please my kind service to your neighbour, my cousin Madoc -- I
have sent an Almanack and Court-kalendar, directed for him at Mr
Sutton's, bookseller, in Gloucester, carriage paid, which he will
please to accept as a small token of my regard. My wife, who is
very fond of toasted cheese, presents her compliments to him, and
begs to know if there's any of that kind, which he was so good as
to send us last Christmas, to be sold in London.

H. D.

THE EXPEDITION OF HUMPHRY CLINKER

To Dr LEWIS.

DOCTOR,

The pills are good for nothing -- I might as well swallow
snowballs to cool my reins -- I have told you over and over how
hard I am to move; and at this time of day, I ought to know
something of my own constitution. Why will you be so positive?
Prithee send me another prescription -- I am as lame and as much
tortured in all my limbs as if I was broke upon the wheel:
indeed, I am equally distressed in mind and body -- As if I had
not plagues enough of my own, those children of my sister are
left me for a perpetual source of vexation -- what business have
people to get children to plague their neighbours? A ridiculous
incident that happened yesterday to my niece Liddy, has
disordered me in such a manner, that I expect to be laid up with
another fit of the gout -- perhaps, I may explain myself in my
next. I shall set out tomorrow morning for the Hot Well at
Bristol, where I am afraid I shall stay longer than I could wish.
On the receipt of this send Williams thither with my saddle-horse
and the demi pique. Tell Barns to thresh out the two old ricks,
and send the corn to market, and sell it off to the poor at a
shilling a bushel under market price. -- I have received a
snivelling letter from Griffin, offering to make a public
submission and pay costs. I want none of his submissions, neither
will I pocket any of his money. The fellow is a bad neighbour, and
I desire, to have nothing to do with him: but as he is purse-proud,
he shall pay for his insolence: let him give five pounds
to the poor of the parish, and I will withdraw my action; and in
the mean time you may tell Prig to stop proceedings. -- Let
Morgan's widow have the Alderney cow, and forty shillings to
clothe her children: but don't say a syllable of the matter to
any living soul -- I'll make her pay when she is able. I desire
you will lock up all my drawers, and keep the keys till meeting;
and be sure you take the iron chest with my papers into your own
custody -- Forgive all, this trouble from,

Dear Lewis,
Your affectionate
M. BRAMBLE
GLOUCESTER, April 2.

To Mrs GWYLLIM, house-keeper at Brambleton-hall.

MRS GWILLIM,

When this cums to hand, be sure to pack up in the trunk male
that stands in my closet; to be sent me in the Bristol waggon
without loss of time, the following articles, viz. my rose
collard neglejay with green robins, my yellow damask, and my
black velvets with the short hoop; my bloo quilted petticot, my
green mantel, my laced apron, my French commode, Macklin head and
lappets and the litel box with my jowls. Williams may bring over
my bum-daffee, and the viol with the easings of Dr Hill's
dockwater and Chowder's lacksitif. The poor creature has been
terribly stuprated ever since we left huom. Pray take particular
care of the house while the family is absent. Let there be a fire
constantly kept in my brother's chamber and mine. The maids,
having nothing to do, may be sat a spinning. I desire you'll clap
a pad-luck on the wind-seller, and let none of the men have excess to
the strong bear -- don't forget to have the gate shit every
evening be dark -- The gardnir and the hind may lie below in the
landry, to partake the house, with the blunderbuss and the great
dog; and hope you'll have a watchful eye over the maids. I know
that hussy Mary Jones, loves to be rumping with the men. Let me
know Alderney's calf be sould yet, and what he fought -- if the
ould goose be sitting; and if the cobler has cut Dicky, and how
pore anemil bore the operation. No more at present, but rests,

Yours,
TABITHA BRAMBLE
GLOSTAR, April 2.

TO Mrs MARY JONES, at Brambleton-hall.

DEAR MOLLY,

Heaving this importunity, I send, my love to you and Saul, being
in good health, and hoping to hear the same from you; and that
you and Saul will take my poor kitten to bed with you this cold
weather. We have been all in, a sad taking here at Glostar --
Miss Liddy had like to have run away with a player-man, and young
master and he would adone themselves a mischief; but the, squire
applied to the mare, and they were, bound over. -- Mistress bid
me not speak a word of the matter to any Christian soul -- no
more I shall; for, we servints should see all and say nothing --
But what was worse than all this, Chowder has, had the,
misfortune to be worried by a butcher's dog, and came home in a
terrible pickle -- Mistress was taken with the asterisks, but
they soon went off. The doctor was sent for to Chowder, and he
subscribed a repository which did him great service -- thank God
he's now in a fair way to do well -- pray take care of my box and
the pillyber and put them under your own bed; for, I do suppose
madam, Gwyllim will be a prying into my secrets, now my back is
turned. John Thomas is in good health, but sulky. The squire
gave away an ould coat to a poor man; and John says as, how 'tis
robbing him of his perquisites. -- I told him, by his agreement
he was to receive no vails; but he says as how there's a
difference betwixt vails and perquisites; and so there is for
sartain. We are all going to the Hot Well, where I shall drink
your health in a glass of water, being,

Dear Molly,
Your humble servant to command,
W. JENKINS
GLOSTAR, April 2nd.

To Sir WATKIN PHILLIPS, Bart. of Jesus college, Oxon.

DEAR PHILLIPS,

As I have nothing more at heart than to convince you I am
incapable of forgetting, or neglecting the friendship I made at
college, now begin that correspondence by letters, which you and
I agreed, at parting, to cultivate. I begin it sooner than I
intended, that you may have it in your power to refute any idle
reports which may be circulated to my prejudice at Oxford,
touching a foolish quarrel, in which I have been involved on
account of my sister, who had been some time settled here in a
boarding-school. When I came hither with my uncle and aunt (who
are our guardians) to fetch her away, I found her a fine tall
girl, of seventeen, with an agreeable person; but remarkably
simple, and quite ignorant of the world. This disposition, and
want of experience, had exposed her to the addresses of a person
-- I know not what to call him, who had seen her at a play; and,
with a confidence and dexterity peculiar to himself, found means
to be recommended to her acquaintance. It was by the greatest
accident I intercepted one of his letters; as it was my duty to
stifle this correspondence in its birth, I made it my business to
find him out, and tell him very freely my sentiments of the
matter. The spark did not like the stile I used, and behaved with
abundance of mettle. Though his rank in life (which, by the bye,
I am ashamed to declare) did not entitle him to much deference;
yet as his behaviour was remarkably spirited, I admitted him to
the privilege of a gentleman, and something might have happened,
had not we been prevented. -- In short, the business took air, I
know not how, and made abundance of noise -- recourse was had to
justice -- I was obliged to give my word and honour, &c. and
to-morrow morning we set out for Bristol Wells, where I expect to
hear from you by the return of the post. -- I have got into a
family of originals, whom I may one day attempt to describe for
your amusement. My aunt, Mrs Tabitha Bramble, is a maiden of
forty-five, exceedingly starched, vain, and ridiculous. -- My
uncle is an odd kind of humorist, always on the fret, and so
unpleasant in his manner, that rather than be obliged to keep him
company, I'd resign all claim to the inheritance of his estate.
Indeed his being tortured by the gout may have soured his temper,
and, perhaps, I may like him better on further acquaintance;
certain it is, all his servants and neighbours in the country are
fond of him, even to a degree of enthusiasm, the reason of which
I cannot as yet comprehend. Remember me to Griffy Price, Gwyn,
Mansel, Basset, and all the rest of my old Cambrian companions. --
Salute the bedmaker in my name -- give my service to the cook,
and pray take care of poor Ponto, for the sake of his old master,
who is, and ever will be,

Dear Phillips,
Your affectionate friend,
and humble servant,
JER. MELFORD
GLOUCESTER, April 2.

To Mrs JERMYN at her house in Gloucester.

DEAR MADAM,

Having no mother of my own, I hope you will give me leave to
disburden my poor heart to you, who have always acted the part of
a kind parent to me, ever since I was put under your care.
Indeed, and indeed, my worthy governess may believe me, when I
assure her, that I never harboured a thought that was otherwise
than virtuous; and, if God will give me grace, I shall never
behave so as to cast a reflection on the care you have taken in
my education. I confess I have given just cause of offence by my
want of prudence and experience. I ought not to have listened to
what the young man said; and it was my duty to have told you all
that passed, but I was ashamed to mention it; and then he behaved
so modest and respectful, and seemed to be so melancholy and
timorous, that I could not find in my heart to do any thing that
should make him miserable and desperate. As for familiarities, I
do declare, I never once allowed him the favour of a: salute; and
as to the few letters that passed between us, they are all in my
uncle's hands, and I hope they contain nothing contrary to
innocence and honour. -- I am still persuaded that he is not what
he appears to be: but time will discover -- mean while I will
endeavour to forget a connexion, which is so displeasing to my
family. I have cried without ceasing, and have not tasted any
thing but tea, since I was hurried away from you; nor did I once
close my eyes for three nights running. -- My aunt continues to
chide me severely when we are by ourselves; but I hope to soften
her in time, by humility and submission. -- My uncle, who was so
dreadfully passionate in the beginning, has been moved by my
tears and distress; and is now all tenderness and compassion; and
my brother is reconciled to me on my promise to break off all
correspondence with that unfortunate youth; but, notwithstanding
all their indulgence, I shall have no peace of mind till I know
my dear and ever honoured governess has forgiven her poor,
disconsolate, forlorn,

Affectionate humble servant,
till death,
LYDIA MELFORD
CLIFTON, April 6.

To Miss LAETITIA WILLIS, at Gloucester.

MY DEAREST LETTY,

I am in such a fright, lest this should not come safe to hand by
the conveyance of Jarvis the carrier, that I beg you will write
me, on the receipt of it, directing to me, under cover, to Mrs
Winifred Jenkins, my aunt's maid, who is a good girl, and has
been so kind to me in my affliction, that I have made her my
confidant; as for Jarvis, he was very shy of taking charge of my
letter and the little parcel, because his sister Sally had like
to have lost her place on my account: indeed I cannot blame the
man for his caution; but I have made it worth his while. -- My
dear companion and bed-fellow, it is a grievous addition to my
other misfortunes, that I am deprived of your agreeable company
and conversation, at a time when I need so much the comfort of
your good humour and good sense; but, I hope, the friendship we
contracted at boarding-school, will last for life -- I doubt not
but on my side it will daily increase and improve, as I gain
experience, and learn to know the value of a true friend. O, my
dear Letty! what shall I say about poor Mr Wilson? I have
promised to break off all correspondence, and, if possible, to
forget him: but, alas! I begin to perceive that will not be in my
power. As it is by no means proper that the picture should remain
in my hands, lest it should be the occasion of more mischief, I
have sent it to you by this opportunity, begging you will either
keep it safe till better times, or return it to Mr Wilson
himself, who, I suppose, will make it his business to see you at
the usual place. If he should be low-spirited at my sending back
his picture, you may tell him I have no occasion for a picture,
while the original continues engraved on my -- But no; I would not
have you tell him that neither; because there must be an end of
our correspondence -- I wish he may forget me, for the sake of
his own peace; and yet if he should, he must be a barbarous --
But it is impossible -- poor Wilson cannot be false and
inconstant: I beseech him not to write to me, nor attempt to see
me for some time; for, considering the resentment and passionate
temper of my brother Jery, such an attempt might be attended with
consequences which would make us all miserable for life -- let us
trust to time and the chapter of accidents; or rather to that
Providence which will not fail, sooner or later, to reward those
that walk in the paths of honour and virtue. I would offer my
love to the young ladies; but it is not fit that any of them
should know you have received this letter. -- If we go to Bath, I
shall send you my simple remarks upon that famous center of
polite amusement, and every other place we may chance to visit;
and I flatter myself that my dear Miss Willis will be punctual in
answering the letters of her affectionate,

LYDIA MELFORD
CLIFTON, April 6.

To Dr LEWIS.

DEAR LEWIS,

I have followed your directions with some success, and might have
been upon my legs by this time, had the weather permitted me to
use my saddle-horse. I rode out upon the Downs last Tuesday, in
the forenoon, when the sky, as far as the visible horizon, was
without a cloud; but before I had gone a full mile, I was
overtaken instantaneously by a storm of rain that wet me to the
skin in three minutes -- whence it came the devil knows; but it
has laid me up (I suppose) for one fortnight. It makes me sick to
hear people talk of the fine air upon Clifton-downs: How can the
air be either agreeable or salutary, where the demon of vapours
descends in a perpetual drizzle? My confinement is the more
intolerable, as I am surrounded with domestic vexations. My niece
has had a dangerous fit of illness, occasioned by that cursed
incident at Gloucester, which I mentioned in my last. -- She is a
poor good-natured simpleton, as soft as butter, and as easily
melted -- not that she's a
fool -- the girl's parts are not despicable, and her education
has not been neglected; that is to say, she can write and spell,
and speak French, and play upon the harpsichord; then she dances
finely, has a good figure, and is very well inclined; but, she's
deficient in spirit, and so susceptible -- and so tender
forsooth! -- truly, she has got a languishing eye, and reads
romances. -- Then there's her brother, 'squire Jery, a pert
jackanapes, full of college-petulance and self-conceit; proud as
a German count, and as hot and hasty as a Welch mountaineer. As
for that fantastical animal, my sister Tabby, you are no stranger
to her qualifications -- I vow to God, she is sometimes so
intolerable, that I almost think she's the devil incarnate come
to torment me for my sins; and yet I am conscious of no sins that
ought to entail such family-plagues upon me -- why the devil
should not I shake off these torments at once? I an't married to
Tabby, thank Heaven! nor did I beget the other two: let them
choose another guardian: for my part I an't in a condition to
take care of myself; much less to superintend the conduct of
giddy-headed boys and girls. You earnestly desire to know the
particulars of our adventure at Gloucester, which are briefly
these, and I hope they will go no further: -- Liddy had been so
long copped up in a boarding-school, which, next to a nunnery, is
the worst kind of seminary that ever was contrived for young
women, that she became as inflammable as touch-wood; and going to
a play in holiday-time, --'sdeath, I'm ashamed to tell you! she
fell in love with one of the actors -- a handsome young fellow
that goes by the name of Wilson. The rascal soon perceived the
impression he had made, and managed matters so as to see her at a
house where she went to drink tea with her governess. -- This was
the beginning of a correspondence, which they kept up by means of
a jade of a milliner, who made and dressed caps for the girls at
the boarding-school. When we arrived at Gloucester, Liddy came to
stay at lodgings with her aunt, and Wilson bribed the maid to
deliver a letter into her own hands; but it seems Jery had
already acquired so much credit with the maid (by what means he
best knows) that she carried the letter to him, and so the whole
plot was discovered. The rash boy, without saying a word of the
matter to me, went immediately in search of Wilson; and, I
suppose, treated him with insolence enough. The theatrical hero
was too far gone in romance to brook such usage: he replied in
blank verse, and a formal challenge ensued. They agreed to meet
early next morning and decide the dispute with sword and pistol.
I heard nothing at all of the affair, till Mr Morley came to my
bed-side in the morning, and told me he was afraid my nephew was
going to fight, as he had been overheard talking very loud and
vehement with Wilson at the young man's lodgings the night
before, and afterwards went and bought powder and ball at a shop
in the neighbourhood. I got up immediately, and upon inquiry
found he was just going out. I begged Morley to knock up the
mayor, that he might interpose as a magistrate, and in the mean
time I hobbled after the squire, whom I saw at a distance walking
at a great pace towards the city gate -- in spite of all my
efforts, I could not come up till our two combatants had taken
their ground, and were priming their pistols. An old house
luckily screened me from their view; so that I rushed upon them
at once, before I was perceived. They were both confounded, and
attempted to make their escape different ways; but Morley coming
up with constables, at that instant, took Wilson into custody,
and Jery followed him quietly to the mayor's house. All this time
I was ignorant of what had passed the preceding day; and neither
of the parties would discover a tittle of the matter. The mayor
observed that it was great presumption in Wilson, who was a
stroller, to proceed to such extremities with a gentleman of
family and fortune; and threatened to commit him on the vagrant
act. -- The young fellow bustled up with great spirit, declaring
he was a gentleman, and would be treated as such; but he refused
to explain himself further. The master of the company being sent
for, and examined, touching the said Wilson, said the young man
had engaged with him at Birmingham about six months ago; but
never would take his salary; that he had behaved so well in his
private character, as to acquire the respect and good-will of all
his acquaintance, and that the public owned his merit as an actor
was altogether extraordinary. -- After all, I fancy, he will turn
out to be a run-away prentice from London. -- The manager offered
to bail him for any sum, provided he would give his word and
honour that he would keep the peace; but the young gentleman was
on his high ropes, and would by no means lay himself under any
restrictions: on the other hand, Hopeful was equally
obstinate; till at length the mayor declared, that if they both
refused to be bound over, he would immediately commit Wilson as a
vagrant to hard labour. I own I was much pleased with Jery's
behaviour on this occasion: he said, that rather than Mr Wilson
should be treated in such an ignominious manner, he would give
his word and honour to prosecute the affair no further while they
remained at Gloucester -- Wilson thanked him for his generous
manner of proceeding, and was discharged. On our return to our
lodgings, my nephew explained the whole mystery; and I own I was
exceedingly incensed -- Liddy being questioned on the subject,
and very severely reproached by that wildcat my sister Tabby,
first swooned away, then dissolving in a flood of tears,
confessed all the particulars of the correspondence, at the same
time giving up three letters, which was all she had received from
her admirer. The last, which Jery intercepted, I send you
inclosed, and when you have read it, I dare say you won't wonder
at the progress the writer had made in the heart of a simple
girl, utterly unacquainted with the characters of mankind.
Thinking it was high time to remove her from such a dangerous
connexion, I carried her off the very next day to Bristol; but
the poor creature was so frightened and fluttered, by our threats
and expostulations, that she fell sick the fourth day after our
arrival at Clifton, and continued so ill for a whole week, that
her life was despaired of. It was not till yesterday that Dr
Rigge declared her out of danger. You cannot imagine what I have
suffered, partly from the indiscretion of this poor child, but
much more from the fear of losing her entirely. This air is
intolerably cold, and the place quite solitary -- I never go down
to the Well without returning low-spirited; for there I meet with
half a dozen poor emaciated creatures, with ghostly looks, in the
last stage of a consumption, who have made shift to linger
through the winter like so many exotic plants languishing in a
hot-house; but in all appearance, will drop into their graves
before the sun has warmth enough to mitigate the rigour of this
ungenial spring. -- If you think the Bath-water will be of any
service to me, I will go thither so soon as my niece can bear the
motion of the coach. Tell Barns I am obliged to him for his
advice; but don't choose to follow it. If Davis voluntarily
offers to give up the farm, the other shall have it; but I will
not begin at this time of day to distress my tenants, because
they are unfortunate, and cannot make regular payments: I wonder
that Barns should think me capable of such oppression -- As for
Higgins, the fellow is a notorious poacher, to be sure; and an
impudent rascal to set his snares in my own paddock; but, I
suppose, he thought he had some right (especially in my absence)
to partake of what nature seems to have intended for common use --
you may threaten him in my name, as much as you please, and if he
repeats the offence, let me know it before you have recourse to
justice. -- I know you are a great sportsman, and oblige many of
your friends: I need not tell you to make use of my grounds; but
it may be necessary to hint, that I am more afraid of my fowling-piece
than of my game. When you can spare two or three brace of
partridges, send them over by the stagecoach, and tell Gwyllim
that she forgot to pack up my flannel and wide shoes in the
trunk-mail -- I shall trouble you as usual, from time to time,
till at last I suppose you will be tired of corresponding with

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