The Expedition of Humphry Clinker

262 TOBIAS SMOLLETT
—I doubt her pore art is too tinder—but the got’s-fey has sat her
on her legs again.—You nows got’s fey is mother’s milk to a
Velchvoman. As for mistress, blessed be God, she ails nothing.—
Her stomick is good, and she improves in grease and godliness;
but, for all that, she may have infections like other people, and I
believe, she wouldn’t be sorry to be called your ladyship, whenever
sir George thinks proper to ax the question.—But for my part,
whatever I may see or hear, not a praticle shall ever pass the lips of,
Dear Molly,
Your loving friend,
Grasco, Sept. 7. WIN. JENKINS
Remember me, as usual, to Sall.—We are now coming home,
though not the nearest road.—I do suppose, I shall find the kitten
a fine boar at my return.
To Sir WATKIN PHILLIPS, Bart. at Oxon.
DEAR KNIGHT,
ONCE more I tread upon English ground, which I like not the
worse for the six weeks’ ramble I have made among the woods and
mountains of Caledonia; no offence to the land of cakes, where
bannocks grow upon straw. I never saw my uncle in such health and
spirits as he now enjoys. Liddy is perfectly recovered; and Mrs.
Tabitha has no reason to complain. Nevertheless, I believe, she
was, till yesterday, inclined to give the whole Scotch nation to the
devil, as a pack of insensible brutes, upon whom her accomplish-
ments had been displayed in vain.—At every place where we halted,
did she mount the stage, and flourished her rusty arms, without
being able to make one conquest. One of her last essays was against
the heart of sir George Colquhoun, with whom she fought all the
weapons more than twice over.—She was grave and gay by turns—
She moralized and methodized—she laughed, and romped, and
danced, and sung, and sighed, and ogled, and lisped, and fluttered,
and flattered—but all was preaching to the desart—The baronet,
being a well-bred man, carried his civilities as far as she could in
conscience expect, and, if evil tongues are to be believed, some
degrees farther; but he was too much a veteran in gallantry, as well