A Sentimental Journey | Page 3

the ransom of the
unfortunate.--The monk made me a bow.--But of all others, resumed I,
the unfortunate of our own country, surely, have the first rights; and I
have left thousands in distress upon our own shore.--The monk gave a
cordial wave with his head,--as much as to say, No doubt there is
misery enough in every corner of the world, as well as within our
convent- -But we distinguish, said I, laying my hand upon the sleeve of
his tunic, in return for his appeal--we distinguish, my good father!
betwixt those who wish only to eat the bread of their own labour-- and
those who eat the bread of other people's, and have no other plan in life,
but to get through it in sloth and ignorance, FOR THE LOVE OF
GOD.
The poor Franciscan made no reply: a hectic of a moment pass'd across

his cheek, but could not tarry--Nature seemed to have done with her
resentments in him;--he showed none: --but letting his staff fall within
his arms, he pressed both his hands with resignation upon his breast,
and retired.
THE MONK. CALAIS.
My heart smote me the moment he shut the door--Psha! said I, with an
air of carelessness, three several times--but it would not do: every
ungracious syllable I had utter'd crowded back into my imagination: I
reflected, I had no right over the poor Franciscan, but to deny him; and
that the punishment of that was enough to the disappointed, without the
addition of unkind language.--I consider'd his gray hairs--his courteous
figure seem'd to re-enter and gently ask me what injury he had done
me?--and why I could use him thus?--I would have given twenty livres
for an advocate.--I have behaved very ill, said I within myself; but I
have only just set out upon my travels; and shall learn better manners
as I get along.
THE DESOBLIGEANT. CALAIS.
When a man is discontented with himself, it has one advantage
however, that it puts him into an excellent frame of mind for making a
bargain. Now there being no travelling through France and Italy
without a chaise,--and nature generally prompting us to the thing we
are fittest for, I walk'd out into the coach-yard to buy or hire something
of that kind to my purpose: an old desobligeant in the furthest corner of
the court, hit my fancy at first sight, so I instantly got into it, and
finding it in tolerable harmony with my feelings, I ordered the waiter to
call Monsieur Dessein, the master of the hotel: --but Monsieur Dessein
being gone to vespers, and not caring to face the Franciscan, whom I
saw on the opposite side of the court, in conference with a lady just
arrived at the inn,--I drew the taffeta curtain betwixt us, and being
determined to write my journey, I took out my pen and ink and wrote
the preface to it in the desobligeant.
PREFACE. IN THE DESOBLIGEANT.
It must have been observed by many a peripatetic philosopher, That
nature has set up by her own unquestionable authority certain
boundaries and fences to circumscribe the discontent of man; she has
effected her purpose in the quietest and easiest manner by laying him
under almost insuperable obligations to work out his ease, and to

sustain his sufferings at home. It is there only that she has provided him
with the most suitable objects to partake of his happiness, and bear a
part of that burden which in all countries and ages has ever been too
heavy for one pair of shoulders. 'Tis true, we are endued with an
imperfect power of spreading our happiness sometimes beyond HER
limits, but 'tis so ordered, that, from the want of languages, connections,
and dependencies, and from the difference in education, customs, and
habits, we lie under so many impediments in communicating our
sensations out of our own sphere, as often amount to a total
impossibility.
It will always follow from hence, that the balance of sentimental
commerce is always against the expatriated adventurer: he must buy
what he has little occasion for, at their own price;--his conversation will
seldom be taken in exchange for theirs without a large discount,--and
this, by the by, eternally driving him into the hands of more equitable
brokers, for such conversation as he can find, it requires no great spirit
of divination to guess at his party -
This brings me to my point; and naturally leads me (if the see-saw of
this desobligeant will but let me get on) into the efficient as well as
final causes of travelling -
Your idle people that leave their native country, and go abroad for
some reason or reasons which may be derived from one of these
general causes:-
Infirmity of body, Imbecility of mind, or Inevitable necessity.
The