The Expedition of Humphry Clinker

320 TOBIAS SMOLLETT
are kept in the nicest order, and all is rural and romantic. I have
not yet seen the young gentleman, who is on a visit to a friend in the
neighbourhood, from whose house he is not expected ’till to-
morrow.
In the mean time, as there is a man going to the next market-
town with letters for the post, I take this opportunity to send you
the history of this day, which has been remarkably full of adven-
tures; and you will own I give you them like a beef-steak at
Dolly’s, hot and hot, without ceremony and parade, just as they
come from the recollection of
Yours,
J. MELFORD
To Dr. LEWIS
DEAR DICK,
SINCE the last trouble I gave you, I have met with a variety of
incidents, some of them of a singular nature, which I reserve as a
fund for conversation; but there are others so interesting, that they
will not keep in petto till meeting.
Know then, it was a thousand pounds to a sixpence, that you
should now be executing my will, instead of perusing my letter!
Two days ago, our coach was overturned in the midst of a rapid
river, where my life was saved with the utmost difficulty, by the
courage, activity, and presence of mind of my servant Humphry
Clinker—But this is not the most surprising circumstance of the
adventure—The said Humphry Clinker proves to be Matthew
Loyd, natural son of one Matthew Loyd of Glamorgan, if you
know any such person—You see, Doctor, that notwithstanding all
your philosophy, it is not without some reason that we Welchmen
ascribe such energy to the force of blood—But we shall discuss this
point on some future occasion.
This is not the only discovery which I made in consequence of
our disaster—We happened to be wrecked upon a friendly shore—
The lord of the manor is no other than Charles Dennison, our
fellow-rake at Oxford—We are now happily housed with that
gentleman, who has really attained to that pitch of rural felicity, at
which I have been aspiring these twenty years in vain. He is blessed