<p><SPAN name="link2H_4_0009" id="link2H_4_0009"></SPAN></p>
<h2> To Dr LEWIS. </h2>
<h3> DEAR LEWIS, </h3>
<p>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</p>
<p>Your assured friend, M. BRAMBLE CLIFTON, April 17.</p>
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