Upon The
Whole, However, He Was, In His Way, A Man Of Some Humour, And An
Agreeable Companion.
Among other objections to the Scriptures, he started this one to my
travelling companion, whose name I now learnt was Maud, that it was
said in the Bible that God was a wine-bibber.
On this Mr. Maud fell
into a violent passion, and maintained that it was utterly
impossible that any such passage should be found in the Bible.
Another divine, a Mr. Caern referred us to his absent brother, who
had already been forty years in the church, and must certainly know
something of such a passage if it were in the Bible, but he would
venture to lay any wager his brother knew nothing of it.
"Waiter! fetch a Bible!" called out Mr. Clerk, and a great family
Bible was immediately brought in, and opened on the table among all
the beer jugs.
Mr. Clerk turned over a few leaves, and in the book of Judges, 9th
chapter, verse xiii, he read, "Should I leave my wine, which
cheereth God and man?"
Mr. Maud and Mr. Caern, who had before been most violent, now sat as
if struck dumb. A silence of some minutes prevailed, when all at
once, the spirit of revelation seemed to come on me, and I said,
"Why, gentlemen, you must be sensible that it is but an allegorical
expression;" and I added, "how often in the Bible are kings called
gods!"
"Why, yes, to be sure," said Mr. Maud and Mr. Caern, "it is an
allegorical expression; nothing can be more clear; it is a metaphor,
and therefore it is absurd to understand it in a literal sense."
And now they, in their turn, triumphed over poor Clerk, and drank
large draughts to my health in strong ale; which, as my company
seemed to like so much, I was sorry I could not like. It either
intoxicated or stupefied me; and I do think it overpowers one much
sooner than so much wine would. The conversation now turned on many
other different subjects. At last, when morning drew near, Mr. Maud
suddenly exclaimed, "D-n me, I must read prayers this morning at
All-Souls!" D-n me is an abbreviation of G-d d-n me; which, in
England, does not seem to mean more mischief or harm than any of our
or their common expletives in conversation, such as O gemini! or,
The deuce take me!
Before Mr. Maud went away, he invited me to go and see him in the
morning, and very politely offered himself to show me the
curiosities of Oxford. The rest of the company now also dispersed;
and as I had once (though in so singular a manner) been introduced
into so reputable a society, the people of the house made no
difficulty of giving me lodging, but with great civility showed me a
very decent bed-chamber.
I am almost ashamed to own, that next morning, when I awoke, I had
got so dreadful a headache, from the copious and numerous toasts of
my jolly and reverend friends, that I could not possibly get up;
still less could I wait on Mr. Maud at his college.
The inn where I was goes by the name of the Mitre. Compared to
Windsor, I here found prince-like attendance. Being, perhaps, a
little elevated the preceding evening, I had in the gaiety, or
perhaps in the vanity of my heart, told the waiter, that he must not
think, because I came on foot, that therefore I should give him less
than others gave. I assured him of the contrary. It was probably
not a little owing to this assurance that I had so much attention
shown to me.
I now determined to stay at least a couple of days at Oxford; it was
necessary and proper, if for no other reason, yet merely that I
might have clean linen. No people are so cleanly as the English,
nor so particular about neat and clean linen. For, one afternoon,
my shirt not having been lately changed, as I was walking through a
little street, I heard two women, who were standing at a door, call
after me, "Look at the gentleman there! a fine gentleman, indeed,
who cannot afford even a clean shirt!"
I dined below with the family, and a few other persons, and the
conversation in general was agreeable enough. I was obliged to tell
them many wonderful stories (for who are so illiterate or insensible
as not to be delighted with the marvellous!) concerning Germany and
the King of Prussia. They could not sufficiently admire my courage
in determining to travel on foot, although they could not help
approving of the motive. At length, however, it came out, and they
candidly owned, that I should not have been received into their
house, had I not been introduced as I was.
I was now confirmed in my suspicions, that, in England, any person
undertaking so long a journey on foot, is sure to be looked upon and
considered as either a beggar or a vagabond, or some necessitous
wretch, which is a character not much more popular than that of a
rogue; so that I could now easily account for my reception in
Windsor and at Nuneham. But, with all my partiality for this
country, it is impossible even in theory, and much less so in
practice, to approve of a system which confines all the pleasures
and benefits of travel to the rich. A poor peripatetic is hardly
allowed even the humble merit of being honest.
As I still intended to pursue my journey to Derbyshire, I was
advised (at least till I got further into the country) to take a
place in a post-coach. They told me that the further I got from
London, the more reasonable and humble I should find the people;
everything would be cheaper, and everybody more hospitable. This
determined me to go in the post-coach from Oxford to Birmingham;
where Mr. Pointer, of London, had recommended me to a Mr.
Fothergill, a merchant there; and from thence to continue my journey
on foot.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 34 of 53
Words from 33816 to 34850
of 53881
