The Expedition of Humphry Clinker

326 TOBIAS SMOLLETT
her resolution would sink under the sudden transition from a town-
life to such a melancholy state of rustication; but I was agree-
ably disappointed.—She found the reality less uncomfortable than
the picture I had drawn.—By this time, indeed, things were
mended in appearance.—The out-houses had risen out of their
ruins; the pigeon-house was rebuilt, and replenished by Wilson,
who also put my garden in decent order, and provided a good
stock of poultry, which made an agreeable figure in my yard; and
the house, on the whole, looked like the habitation of human
creatures.—Farmer Bland spared me a milch-cow for my family,
and an ordinary saddle-horse for my servant to go to market at
the next town.—I hired a country lad for a footman; the hind’s
daughter was my house-maid, and my wife had brought a cook-
maid from London.
‘Such was my family when I began house-keeping in this place,
with three hundred pounds in my pocket, raised from the sale of
my superfluous furniture—I knew we should find occupation
enough through the day to employ our time; but I dreaded the long
winter evenings; yet for these too we found a remedy.—The curate,
who was a single man, soon became so naturalized to the family,
that he generally lay in the house; and his company was equally
agreeable and useful.—He was a modest man, a good scholar, and
perfectly well qualified to instruct me in such country matters as
I wanted to know.—Mr. Wilson brought his wife to see us, and she
became so fond of Mrs. Dennison, that she said she was never so
happy as when she enjoyed the benefit of her conversation.—She
was then a fine buxom country lass, exceedingly docile, and as good-
natured as her husband Jack Wilson; so that a friendship ensued
among the women, which hath continued to this day.
‘As for Jack, he hath been my constant companion, counsellor,
and commissary.—I would not for a hundred pounds you should
leave my house without seeing him.—Jack is an universal genius—
his talents are really astonishing—He is an excellent carpenter,
joiner, and turner, and a cunning artist in iron and brass.—He not
only superintended my œconomy, but also presided over my
pastimes.—He taught me to brew beer, to make cyder, perry,
mead, usquebaugh, and plague-water; to cook several outlandish
delicacies, such as ollas, pepper-pots, pillaws, corys, chabobs, and
stufatas.—He understands all manner of games, from chess down
to chuck-farthing, sings a good song, plays upon the violin, and