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The Expedition of Humphry Clinker — Edition Insights

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In Category - Science Fiction Utopias

Authors: Smollett, T. (Tobias), 1721-1771 Digital Source: Project Gutenberg Gutenberg Release Year: 2000 First Publication Year: Not confirmed

Key Word: Epistolary fiction; Travelers -- Fiction; Great Britain -- Fiction Target Reader: Readers of public-domain and historical texts

Book Edition: Project Gutenberg digital edition Book Language: en

Edition facts

Words 155,983

Reading time 679 min

Text sections 18

This digital edition of The Expedition of Humphry Clinker — Edition Insights is described by source-level measurements including 155,983 words, 11 hr 19 min estimated reading time, and 18 detected text sections.

The text analysis averages about 40.7 words per sentence, while the detected sections provide another way to judge how the source is divided.

Project Gutenberg metadata also associates the work with “Epistolary fiction,” connecting these edition facts with the source record’s subject description.

Source: Project Gutenberg record #2160

An epistolary novel following a Welsh family's tour of Britain, told through letters that reveal contrasting voices, from the irascible Matthew Bramble to the romantic Lydia Melford, with a focus on social satire and regional observation.

Editorial Edition Score 4.8/5

★★★★★ ★★★★★

Calculated from edition completeness, EPUB availability, text structure and catalogue metadata. Not a user rating.

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Description quality20 pts
Title & short description10 pts
Source metadata20 pts
Text length15 pts
Chapters / structure15 pts
EPUB file integrity20 pts

Total of 100 points, scaled to a 2.5-5.0 range. Editions with an empty description or a missing EPUB file are not scored.

Edition quality

File: pg2160

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ismahago was so brutal in his reprehensions, I must inform you, my good Sir, that I was obliged to retire, not by fear arising from his minatory reproaches, which, as I said above, I value not of a rush; but from the sudden effect produced, by a barbel’s row, which I had eaten at dinner, not knowing, that the said row is at certain seasons violently cathartic, as Galen observeth in his chapter Peri ichtos.

Fourthly, and lastly, with reference to the manner in which I got possession of these Letters, it is a circumstance that concerns my own conscience only; sufficeth it to say, I have fully satisfied the parties in whose custody they were; and, by this time, I hope I have also satisfied you in such ways, that the last hand may be put to our agreement, and the work proceed with all convenient expedition; in which I hope I rest,

Respected Sir, Your very humble servant,

P.S. I propose, Deo volente, to have the pleasure of seeing you in the great city, towards All-hallowtide, when I shall be glad to treat with you concerning a parcel of MS. sermons, of a certain clergyman deceased; a cake of the right leaven, for the present taste of the public. Verbum sapienti, &c.

To the Revd. Mr JONATHAN DUSTWICH, at--

I received yours in course of post, and shall be glad to treat with you for the M.S. which I have delivered to your friend Mr Behn; but can by no means comply with the terms proposed. Those things are so uncertain--Writing is all a lottery--I have been a loser by the works of the greatest men of the age--I could mention particulars, and name names; but don’t choose it--The taste of the town is so changeable. Then there have been so many letters upon travels lately published--What between Smollett’s, Sharp’s, Derrick’s, Thicknesse’s, Baltimore’s, and Baretti’s, together with Shandy’s Sentimental Travels, the public seems to be cloyed with that kind of entertainment--Nevertheless, I will, if you please, run the risque of printing and publishing, and you shall have half the profits of the impression--You need not take the trouble to bring up your sermons on my account--No body reads sermons but Methodists and Dissenters--Besides, for my own part, I am quite a stranger to that sort of reading; and the two persons, whose judgment I depended upon in those matters, are out of the way; one is gone abroad, carpenter of a man of war; and the other, has been silly enough to abscond, in order to avoid a prosecution for blasphemy--I’m a great loser by his going off--He has left a manual of devotion half finished on my hands, after having received money for the whole copy--He was the soundest divine, and had the most orthodox pen of all my people; and I never knew his judgment fail, but in flying from his bread and butter on this occasion.

By owning you was not put in bodily fear by Lismahago, you preclude yourself from the benefit of a good plea, over and above the advantage of binding him over. In the late war, I inserted in my evening paper, a paragraph that came by the post, reflecting upon the behaviour of a certain regiment in battle. An officer of said regiment came to my shop, and, in the presence of my wife and journeyman, threatened to cut off my ears--As I exhibited marks of bodily fear more ways than one, to the conviction of the byestanders, I bound him over; my action lay, and I recovered. As for flagellation, you have nothing to fear, and nothing to hope, on that head--There has been but one printer flogged at the cart’s tail these thirty years; that was Charles Watson; and he assured me it was no more than a flea-bite. C-- S-- has been threatened several times by the House of L--; but it came to nothing. If an information should be moved for, and granted against you, as the editor of those Letters, I hope you will have honesty and wit enough to appear and take your trial--If you should be sentenced to the pillory, your fortune is made--As times go, that’s a sure step to honour and preferment. I shall think myself happy if I can lend you a lift; and am, very sincerely,

HENRY DAVIS. LONDON, Aug. 10th.

Continue Reading →

The Expedition of Humphry Clinker unfolds entirely through letters, a structure that immediately sets multiple perspectives in motion. The reader encounters the irritable Matthew Bramble, his romantic niece Lydia, her brother Jeremy, and the sharp-tongued Tabitha Bramble, each writing to different correspondents. This epistolary frame does more than advance plot; it creates a layered portrait of Georgian Britain as seen through distinct temperaments. Bramble’s complaints about Bath’s “painted divinities” and the “barbarous, or Saracenical” architecture of cathedrals reveal a man perpetually at odds with modernity, while Lydia’s letters convey youthful enthusiasm. The novel’s movement between locations—from Bath to London to Scotland—mirrors the characters’ shifting moods and the author’s satirical eye.

Voices in Transit

The letter-writers rarely agree, and their disagreements generate the novel’s energy. Matthew Bramble’s epistles to Dr. Lewis are filled with dyspeptic observations: he condemns the “ignorant superstition” of church burials and the “diminutive effect” of ball-goers in a grand assembly room. By contrast, Lydia Melford writes to Miss Willis with breathless descriptions of fashionable society. Jeremy Melford, writing to Sir Watkin Phillips, offers a more detached, often amused commentary. Tabitha Bramble’s letters to Mrs. Gwyllim focus on domestic concerns and matchmaking schemes. This polyphony ensures that no single viewpoint dominates; the reader must weigh each account against the others.

Recurring Images of Discomfort

Throughout the excerpts, physical and social discomfort recurs as a motif. Bramble compares a cathedral spire to “a criminal impaled with a sharp stake rising up through his shoulder,” a grotesque image that echoes his general distaste for the places he visits. He also notes that Scarborough’s beach should be “more accessible to invalids,” hinting at the practical hardships of travel. Even the Assembly Room, though elegant, makes the dancers look like “fantastic fairies” in a temple—a vision of incongruity. These images tie the characters’ inner irritations to the external world, suggesting that the journey itself is a series of small, cumulative frictions.

Movement Between Scenes and Social Tiers

The novel’s structure depends on rapid shifts of setting, from the spa towns of Bath and Scarborough to the streets of London and the Scottish Highlands. Each location brings new encounters: at Bath, Bramble rails against the fashionable crowd; in Scarborough, he meets the eccentric H—, a former acquaintance from Italy known as “Cavallo Bianco.” These transitions allow Smollett to contrast different social milieus—the artificiality of resort life versus the more rugged realities of northern travel. The letters themselves often announce a change of place in their datelines, reinforcing the sense of a journey that is both geographical and social.

Satirical Set-Pieces and Character Sketches

Smollett embeds extended anecdotes within the letters, such as the story of H— bowing to Jupiter’s bust in Rome and declaring, “I hope, sir, if ever you get your head above water again, you will remember that I paid my respects to you in your adversity.” This vignette, reported by Bramble, exemplifies the novel’s method: a character’s eccentricity is displayed through a single, vivid action. The pope’s reported remark—“Those English heretics think they have a right to go to the devil in their own way”—adds a layer of cultural commentary. These set-pieces break up the epistolary flow and give the reader memorable, almost theatrical moments.

Readers approaching The Expedition of Humphry Clinker should attend to the interplay of voices and the way each letter colors the same events differently. The novel rewards attention to its recurring images—spires, assembly rooms, inaccessible beaches—and to the way movement between places exposes both the characters’ prejudices and the author’s satire. Because the excerpts are incomplete, the full arc of the expedition remains unknown, but the epistolary structure itself offers a rich study of perspective and place.

Years after tracing Bramble's grumbling letters across Britain, I found myself lingering over Desire No More in the stacks. Both books share that quiet ache of wanting things to stay as they are, even as every page turns toward change. There's a gentle kinship there, like two old friends nodding across a reading room. Desire No More — Reading Notes holds that same patient sorrow, I think.

Charlotte Robinson

1 month ago

Aria Green

1 month ago

Sebastian Hill

1 week ago

4 out of 5 (3 User reviews )

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Eileen Ryan Davis - 1 month ago

It's a classic with sharp social commentary, but the pace can feel slow for modern readers. The letter format takes some getting used to, and certain sections drag. Still, the characters are memorable and the humor often hits the mark. Worth reading for its literary merit, but not a breezy page-turner.

Amanda Holt - 2 weeks ago

Overrated and tedious. The epistolary style makes the story feel disjointed, and the constant digressions on society and manners become tiresome. The characters are caricatures rather than fully realized people. I struggled to finish, and the payoff wasn't worth the effort. There are far better 18th-century novels.

Carlos Anderson - 2 weeks ago

A delightful epistolary journey through 18th-century Britain! Smollett's wit and keen observation of human folly shine through every letter. The eccentric Bramble family and their hilarious misadventures are both entertaining and thought-provoking. A timeless classic that captures the spirit of its age while remaining surprisingly relevant.