The Expedition of Humphry Clinker

172 TOBIAS SMOLLETT
a good sort of a woman, in spite of her low original, and well
respected in the county; but she has not interest enough in her
own house to command a draught of table-beer, far less to bestow
any kind of education on her children, who run about like ragged
colts, in a state of nature.—Pox on him! he is such a dirty fellow,
that I have not patience to prosecute the subject.
By that time we reached Harrigate, I began to be visited by
certain rheumatic symptoms. The Scotch lawyer, Mr. Mickle-
whimmen, recommended a hot bath of these waters so earnestly,
that I was over-persuaded to try the experiment.—He had used
it often with success, and always stayed an hour in the bath, which
was a tub filled with Harrigate water, heated for the purpose. If
I could hardly bear the smell of a single tumbler when cold, you
may guess how my nose was regaled by the steams arising from
a hot bath of the same fluid. At night, I was conducted into a dark
hole on the ground floor, where the tub smoaked and stunk like
the pot of Acheron, in one corner, and in another stood a dirty
bed provided with thick blankets, in which I was to sweat after
coming out of the bath. My heart seemed to die within me when
I entered this dismal bagnio, and found my brain assaulted by such
insufferable effluvia.—I cursed Micklewhimmen for not consider-
ing that my organs were formed on this side of the Tweed; but
being ashamed to recoil upon the threshold, I submitted to the
process.
After having endured all but real suffocation for above a quarter
of an hour in the tub, I was moved to the bed and wrapped in
blankets.—There I lay a full hour panting with intolerable heat;
but not the least moisture appearing on my skin, I was carried to
my own chamber, and passed the night without closing an eye, in
such a flutter of spirits as rendered me the most miserable wretch
in being. I should certainly have run distracted, if the rarefaction
of my blood, occasioned by that Stygian bath, had not burst the
vessels, and produced a violent hæmorrhage, which, though dread-
ful and alarming, removed the horrible disquiet.—I lost two
pounds of blood, and more, on this occasion; and find myself still
weak and languid; but, I believe, a little exercise will forward my
recovery; and therefore I am resolved to set out to-morrow for
York, in my way to Scarborough, where I propose to brace up my
fibres by sea-bathing, which, I know, is one of your favourite
specifics. There is, however, one disease, for which you have found