and a cunning gypsey of a laundress at Milan cut me off the fore -laps of five—To do her justice, she did it with some consideration—for I was returning out of Italy .
And yet, notwithstanding all this, and a pistol tinderbox which was moreover filch’d from me at Sienna , and twice that I pay’d five Pauls for two hard eggs, once at Raddicoffini , and a second time at Capua —I do not think a journey through France and Italy , provided a man keeps his temper all the way, so bad a thing as some people would make you believe: there must be ups and downs , or how the duce should we get into vallies where Nature spreads so many tables of entertainment.—’Tis nonsense to imagine they will lend you their voitures to be shaken to pieces for nothing; and unless you pay twelve sous for greasing your wheels, how should the poor peasant get butter to his bread?—We really expect too much—and for the livre or two above par for your suppers and bed—at the most they are but one shilling and ninepence halfpenny⸺who would embroil their philosophy for it? for heaven’s and for your own sake, pay it⸺pay it with both hands open, rather than leave Disappointment sitting drooping upon the eye of your fair Hostess and her Damsels in the gateway, at your departure⸺and besides, my dear Sir, you get a sisterly kiss of each of ’em worth a pound⸺at least I did⸺
⸺For my uncle Toby’s amours running all the way in my head, they had the same effect upon me as if they had been my own⸺I was in the most perfect state of bounty and goodwill; and felt the kindliest harmony vibrating within me, with every oscillation of the chaise alike; so that whether the roads were rough or smooth, it made no difference; everything I saw or had to do with, touch’d upon some secret spring either of sentiment or rapture.
⸺They were the sweetest notes I ever heard; and I instantly let down the fore-glass to hear them more distinctly⸺’Tis Maria ; said