The Expedition of Humphry Clinker

154 TOBIAS SMOLLETT
must own, I should not have been sorry to see that connexion
entirely destroyed: but Tabby is not of a disposition to forgive
Barton, who, I understand, is gone to his seat in Berkshire for the
summer season. I cannot help suspecting, that in the treaty of peace,
which has been lately ratified betwixt those two females, it is
stipulated, that her ladyship shall use her best endeavours to pro-
vide an agreeable help-mate for our sister Tabitha, who seems to
be quite desperate in her matrimonial designs. Perhaps, the match-
maker is to have a valuable consideration in the way of brokerage,
which she will most certainly deserve, if she can find any man in his
senses, who will yoke with Mrs. Bramble from motives of affection
or interest.
I find my spirits and my health affect each other reciprocally—
that is to say, every thing that discomposes my mind produces a
correspondent disorder in my body; and my bodily complaints are
remarkably mitigated by those considerations that dissipate the
clouds of mental chagrin.—The imprisonment of Clinker brought
on those symptoms which I mentioned in my last, and now they
are vanished at his discharge.—It must be owned, indeed, I took
some of the tincture of ginseng, prepared according to your pre-
scription, and found it exceedingly grateful to the stomach; but
the pain and sickness continued to return, after short intervals, till
the anxiety of my mind was entirely removed, and then I found my-
self perfectly at ease. We have had fair weather these ten days, to
the astonishment of the Londoners, who think it portentous. If you
enjoy the same indulgence in Wales, I hope Barns has got my hay
made, and safe cocked, by this time. As we shall be in motion for
some weeks, I cannot expect to hear from you as usual; but I shall
continue to write from every place at which we make any halt,
that you may know our track, in case it should be necessary to com-
municate any thing to
Your assured friend,
London, June 14. MATT. BRAMBLE