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ch Prison； plus a fine of ？00。 Then came a quarrel with an old friend； Wilkesnot the least vexatious result of that forlorn championship of Bute's government in The Briton。 And finally； in part； obviously； as a consequence of all this nervous breakdown； a succession of severe catarrhs； premonitory in his case of consumption； the serious illness of the wife he adored； and the death of his darling； the 〃little Boss〃 of former years； now on the verge of womanhood。 To a man of his extraordinarily strong affections such a series of ills was too overwhelming。 He resolved to break up his establishment at Chelsea； and to seek a remedy in flight from present evils to a foreign residence。 Dickens went to hibernate on the Riviera upon a somewhat similar pretext； though fortunately without the same cause； as far as his health was concerned。
Now note another very characteristic feature of these Travel Letters。 Smollett went abroad not for pleasure； but virtually of necessity。 Not only were circumstances at home proving rather too much for him； but also； like Stevenson； he was specifically 〃ordered South〃 by his physicians； and he went with the deliberate intention of making as much money as possible out of his Travel papers。 In his case he wrote long letters on the spot to his medical and other friends at home。 When he got back in the summer of 1765 one of his first cares was to put the Letters together。 It had always been his intention carefully to revise them for the press。 But when he got back to London he found so many other tasks awaiting him that were so far more pressing； that this part of his purpose was but very imperfectly carried out。 The Letters appeared pretty much as he wrote them。 Their social and documentary value is thereby considerably enhanced； for they were nearly all written close down to the facts。 The original intention had been to go to Montpellier； which was still； I suppose； the most popular health resort in Southern Europe。 The peace of 1763 opened the way。 And this brings us to another feature of distinction in regard to Smollett's Travels。 Typical Briton； perfervid Protestant of Britain's most Protestant period； and insular enrage though he doubtless was； Smollett had knocked about the world a good deal and had also seen something of the continent of Europe。 He was not prepared to see everything couleur de rose now。 His was quite unlike the frame of mind of the ordinary holiday…seeker； who； partly from a voluntary optimism； and partly from the change of food and habit； the exhilaration caused by novel surroundings； and timidity at the unaccustomed sounds he hears in his ears； is determined to be pleased with everything。 Very temperamental was Smollett； and his frame of mind at the time was that of one determined to be pleased with nothing。 We know little enough about Smollett intime。 Only the other day I learned that the majority of so… called Smollett portraits are not presentments of the novelist at all； but ingeniously altered plates of George Washington。 An interesting confirmation of this is to be found in the recently published Letters of Charles Kirkpatrick Sharpe to Robert Chambers。 〃Smollett wore black cloathsa tall manand extreamly handsome。 No picture of him is known to be extantall that have been foisted on the public as such his relations disclaimthis I know from my aunt Mrs。 Smollett； who was the wife of his nephew； and resided with him at Bath。〃 But one thing we do know； and in these same letters； if confirmation had been needed； we observe the statement repeated； namely； that Smollett was very peevish。 A sardonic； satirical； and indeed decidedly gloomy mood or temper had become so habitual in him as to transform the man。 Originally gay and debonnair； his native character had been so overlaid that when he first returned to Scotland in 1755 his own mother could not recognise him until he 〃gave over glooming〃 and put on his old bright smile。 ＇A pleasant story of the Doctor's mother is given in the same Letters to R。 Chambers （1904）。 She is described as an ill…natured…looking woman with a high nose； but not a bad temper； and very fond of the cards。 One evening an Edinburgh bailie （who was a tallow chandler） paid her a visit。 〃Come awa'； bailie；〃 said she； 〃and tak' a trick at the cards。〃 〃Troth madam； I hae nae siller！〃 〃Then let us play for a pound of candles。〃＇ His was certainly a nervous； irritable； and rather censorious temper。 Like Mr。 Brattle； in The Vicar of Bulhampton； he was thinking always of the evil things that had been done to him。 With the pawky and philosophic Scots of his own day （Robertson； Hume； Adam Smith； and 〃Jupiter〃 Carlyle） he had little in common； but with the sour and mistrustful James Mill or the cross and querulous Carlyle of a later date he had； it seems to me； a good deal。 What； however； we attribute in their case to bile or liver； a consecrated usage prescribes that we must； in the case of Smollett； accredit more particularly to the spleen。 Whether dyspeptic or 〃splenetic；〃 this was not the sort of man to see things through a veil of pleasant self…generated illusion。 He felt under no obligation whatever to regard the Grand Tour as a privilege of social distinction； or its discomforts as things to be discreetly ignored in relating his experience to the stay…at…home public。 He was not the sort of man that the Tourist Agencies of to…day would select to frame their advertisements。 As an advocatus diaboli on the subject of Travel he would have done well enough。 And yet we must not infer that the magic of travel is altogether eliminated from his pages。 This is by no means the case： witness his intense enthusiasm at Nimes； on sight of the Maison Carree or the Pont du Gard； the passage describing his entry into the Eternal City； ＇Ours 〃was the road by which so many heroes returned with conquest to their country； by which so many kings were led captive to Rome； and by which the ambassadors of so many kingdoms and States approached the seat of Empire； to deprecate the wrath； to sollicit the friendship； or sue for the protection of the Roman people。〃＇ or the enviable account of the alfresco meals which the party discussed in their coach as described in Letter VIII。
As to whether Smollett and his party of five were exceptionally unfortunate in their road…faring experiences must be left an open question at the tribunal of public opinion。 In cold blood； in one of his later letters； he summarised his Continental experience after this wise： inns； cold； damp； dark； dismal； dirty； landlords equally disobliging and rapacious； servants awkward； sluttish； and slothful； postillions lazy； lounging； greedy； and impertinent。 With this last class of delinquents after much experience he was bound to admit the following dilemma：If you chide them for lingering； they will contrive to delay you the longer。 If you chastise them with sword； cane； cudgel； or horsewhip （he defines the correctives； you may perceive； but leaves the expletives to our imagination） they will either disappear entirely； and leave you without resource； or they will find means to take vengeance by overturning your car