The Expedition of Humphry Clinker

182 TOBIAS SMOLLETT
I have here met with my old acquaintance, H——t, whom you
have often heard me mention as one of the most original characters
upon earth—I first knew him at Venice, and afterwards saw him in
different parts of Italy, where he was well known by the nick-name
of Cavallo Bianco, from his appearing always mounted on a pale
horse, like Death in the Revelations. You must remember the
account I once gave you of a curious dispute he had at Con-
stantinople, with a couple of Turks, in defence of the Christian
religion; a dispute from which he acquired the epithet of Demon-
strator—The truth is, H—— owns no religion but that of nature;
but, on this occasion, he was stimulated to shew his parts, for the
honour of his country—Some years ago, being in the Campidoglio
at Rome, he made up to the bust of Jupiter, and, bowing very low,
exclaimed in the Italian language, ‘I hope, sir, if ever you get your
head above water again, you will remember that I paid my respects
to you in your adversity.’ This sally was reported to the cardinal
Camerlengo, and by him laid before pope Benedict XIV. who could
not help laughing at the extravagance of the address, and said to the
cardinal, ‘Those English heretics think they have a right to go to
the devil in their own way.’
Indeed H—— was the only Englishman I ever knew, who had
resolution enough to live in his own way, in the midst of foreigners;
for, neither in dress, diet, customs, or conversation, did he deviate
one tittle from the manner in which he had been brought up.
About twelve years ago, he began a Giro or circuit, which he thus
performed—At Naples, where he fixed his head-quarters, he
embarked for Marseilles, from whence he travelled with a voiturin
to Antibes—There he took his passage to Genoa and Lerici; from
which last place he proceeded, by the way of Cambratina, to Pisa
and Florence—After having halted some time in this metropolis,
he set out with a Vetturino for Rome, where he reposed himself
a few weeks, and then continued his route for Naples, in order to
wait for the next opportunity of embarkation—After having twelve
times described this circle, he lately flew off at a tangent to visit
some trees at his country-house in England, which he had planted
above twenty years ago, after the plan of the double colonnade in
the piazza of St. Peter’s at Rome—He came hither to Scarborough,
to pay his respects to his noble friend and former pupil, the M——
of G——, and, forgetting that he is now turned of seventy, sacri-
ficed so liberally to Bacchus, that next day he was seized with a fit