In a word, she speaks well of no living soul,
and has not one single friend in the world. Her husband hates her
mortally; but, although the brute is sometimes so very powerful
in him that he will have his own way, he generally truckles to
her dominion, and dreads, like a school-boy, the lash of her
tongue. On the other hand, she is afraid of provoking him too
far, lest he should make some desperate effort to shake off her
yoke. -- She, therefore, acquiesces in the proofs he daily gives of
his attachment to the liberty of an English freeholder, by saying
and doing, at his own table, whatever gratifies the brutality of
his disposition, or contributes to the case of his person. The
house, though large, is neither elegant nor comfortable. -- It
looks like a great inn, crowded with travellers, who dine at the
landlord's ordinary, where there is a great profusion of victuals
and drink, but mine host seems to be misplaced; and I would
rather dine upon filberts with a hermit, than feed upon venison
with a hog. The footmen might be aptly compared to the waiters of
a tavern, if they were more serviceable and less rapacious; but
they are generally insolent and inattentive, and so greedy, that,
I think, I can dine better, and for less expence, at the Star and
Garter in Pall mall, than at our cousin's castle in Yorkshire.
Pages:
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303