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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；