The Expedition of Humphry Clinker

THE EXPEDITION OF HUMPHRY CLINKER 293
of his wife, and reproached him with his unmanly acquiescence
under the absurd tyranny which she exerted. I exhorted him to
recollect his resolution, and make one effectual effort to disengage
himself from a thraldom, equally shameful and pernicious. I
offered him all the assistance in my power. I undertook to regulate
his affairs, and even to bring about a reformation in his family, if
he would only authorize me to execute the plan I should form for
his advantage. I was so affected by the subject, that I could not help
mingling tears with my remonstrances, and Baynard was so pene-
trated with these marks of my affection, that he lost all power of
utterance. He pressed me to his breast with great emotion, and
wept in silence. At length he exclaimed, ‘Friendship is undoubtedly
the most precious balm of life! Your words, dear Bramble, have in
a great measure recalled me from an abyss of despondence, in
which I have been long overwhelmed—I will, upon honour, make
you acquainted with a distinct state of my affairs, and, as far as I
am able to go, will follow the course you prescribe. But there are
certain lengths which my nature—The truth is, there are tender
connexions, of which a bachelor has no idea—Shall I own my
weakness? I cannot bear the thoughts of making that woman un-
easy—’ ‘And yet, (cried I) she has seen you unhappy for a series of
years—unhappy from her misconduct, without ever shewing the
least inclination to alleviate your distress—’ ‘Nevertheless (said he)
I am persuaded she loves me with the most warm affection; but
these are incongruities in the composition of the human mind
which I hold to be inexplicable.’
I was shocked at his infatuation, and changed the subject, after
we had agreed to maintain a close correspondence for the future—
He then gave me to understand, that he had two neighbours, who,
like himself, were driven by their wives at full speed, in the high
road to bankruptcy and ruin. All the three husbands were of dis-
positions very different from each other, and, according to this
variation, their consorts were admirably suited to the purpose of
keeping them all three in subjection. The views of the ladies were
exactly the same. They vied in grandeur, that is, in ostentation,
with the wife of Sir Charles Chickwell, who had four times their
fortune; and she again piqued herself upon making an equal figure
with a neighbouring peeress, whose revenue trebled her own. Here
then was the fable of the frog and the ox, realized in four different
instances within the same county: one large fortune, and three