The Adventures of Roderick Random (Oxford World's Classics)

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replied “No great business, doctor—but however—”“Oh! then,” cried the physician; “I must beg your indulgence At length the hour arrived, when our auxiliary seized the opportunity of the usher's absence, bolted and secured the door and immediately laid hold of the pedant by his collar, who bawled out, 'murder. thieves!' with the voice of a Stenter. Tho' I trembled all over, I knew there was no time to be lost, and accordingly got up and summoned our associates to my assistance: Strap without pull, Sir, you are no milk-sop—we shall do you justice.”“Shall you?” said he, shaking me by the hand; “odds then, name!—his name,” replied Weazel, “is Tom Rinser.”“Waunds,” cried Joey, “a has changed his own neame then! for authority—Nullius in verbo—I stand on my own bottom.”“But sir, sir,” replied his antagonist, “the reason of the

I soon became acquainted with a good many people of fashion. At last, finding myself unable to support the expence of this ​amour much longer. I was determined to bring the matter to a crisis; and one evening, I complained of her indifference, described the tortures of suspence, and pressed her to disclose her sentiments with such earnestness, that she could not with all her art shift the subject. She let me know with a careless air, that she had no objection to my person, and if I could satisfy her mother in other particulars, I should not find her averse to the match. This was not a very agreeable declaration to me, whose aim had been to win her inclination first, and then secure my conquest by a private marriage. I waited on the mother, and with great formality demanded the daughter in marriage: The good lady behaved with great civility, and said, she did not doubt that I was in all respects qualified to make a woman happy; but it concerned her as a parent, anxious about the welfare of her child, to inquire into the particulars of my fortune, and what settlement I proposed to make. I replied without hesitation, that though my fortune was very small, I was a gentleman by birth and education, would maintain her daughter in the sphere of a gentlewoman, and settle her own dowry on her and her heirs for ever. This careful matron did not seem to relish my proposal, but observed, that there was no necessity for settling that upon her child which was her own already; however, if I pleased, her lawyer ​should confer with mine upon the matter; and in the mean time, she desired I would favour her with the perusal of my rent-roll. I went again with a view of explaining myself more fully to the old gentlewoman, and was told by the footman that his ladies were not at home; although I had seen Melinda through the blinds at the parlour window as I went up to the door.There's a sneaking dog! I always thought him a fellow without a soul, d--n me, a canting scoundrel, who has crept into business by his hypocrisy, and kissing the a--e of every body.’ – ‘Ay, ay,’ says another, ‘one might see with half an eye that the rascal has no honesty in him, by his going so regularly to church.’” (Chapter VII) said she, “I would rather be in your house than in a common jail.”“Well, well,” answered he, “if you have money enough in your The Oxford World's Classics edition I own, is edited and introduced by Paul-Gabriel Boucé. The notes Mr. Boucé provides are very helpful, especially to understand some of the nautical terms and theatrical references. The introduction y Boucé and the preface written by Smollett are a bit dry, but once the story starts and gathers pace it's truly entertaining. The text is surprisingly readable. There is not as much old and obscure wordage as you might expect. The words that are difficult are often the nautical terms mentioned above or references to era-specific terms that have just fallen out of use today. refuse. But when I communicated the occasion of my visit, he appeared very much disconcerted, and after enquiring the cause of my difference with Mr. Potion, took his part so warmly, that I thought proper to leave him. Throughout the novel, Random is referred to by the author and others as a " North Briton". The relatively recent Act of Union between England and Scotland in 1707 was still controversial.

voice at my left hand, “for the spirit of folly begins to move.”“Out with it then, madam!” replied the soldier. “You seem to Next morning, I met Miss Williams, who gave me joy of the progress I had made in the affections of her mistress. Transported at this news, I presented my rise, to the messenger, as a testimony of my gratitude; but she was above such mercenary considerations, and refused my compliment. As I fervently wished for another interview, where I might pour out the effusions of my love, I implored her advice and assistance in promoting this event. She promised to tell ​her lady, that I had endeavoured, by promises and persuasions, to prevail upon her to deliver a letter from me, which she had refused to charge herself with, until she should know Narcissa's sentiments of the matter. attachment flowed from a voluntary, disinterested inclination, which was manifested on many occasions in my behalf, having often fathered offences I had committed, and had saved me from drowning at the risk of his own life. These two champions were willing to engage in this enterprise, as they intendedthe famous engineer, affirmed that the place could not be taken.”“Yes,” said the Prince of Vandemont, “it may be taken by an

Random's maternal uncle, he is a sailor who attempts to support Random as best as he can between voyages. His conversation is laced with nautical terminology. tragedies, the titles of which were “The Stern Philosopher,”“The Double,”“The Sacrilegious Traitor,”“TheAbout this time, my friend Strap informed me of an offer he had to go abroad with a gentleman, in quality of Valet de Chambre. I insisted upon his accepting the proposal, which he at last determined to embrace, with great reluctance, and in a few days took his leave of me, shedding a flood of tears, which I could not behold without emotion.

Our landlord told us, we had not gone the right way to work; he therefore advised me to give the footman a shilling the next time I desired admittance. Accordingly, next morning, when the door was opened, slipt a shilling into his hand, and told him I had a letter for his master; the fellow let me in immediately, and desired me to wait in the passage for an answer. In this place I continued standing three quarters of an hour: At length Mr. Cringer came out to see a young gentleman to the door;and turning about towards ​we, asked what were my commands? When he understood who was, Well, Random, (says he), you propose to go on board a man of war as surgeon's mate. To which I replied by a low bow. I believe it will be a difficult matter to procure a warrant, there being already such a swarm of Scotch surgeons at the navy-office; however, some ships will soon be put into commission and then we shall see what's to be done. So saying, he left me. At my return, I was surprised with the agreeable news of Strap's being employed, on the recommendation of his friend the schoolmaster, by a periwig-maker in the neighbourhood, who allowed him five shillings per week, besides bed and board. About this time, my mother's only brother, who had been long abroad, lieutenant in a ship of war, arrived in his own country; where being informed of my condition, he came to ​see me, and out of his slender finances, not only supplied me with necessaries I wanted for the present but resolved not to leave the country until he had prevailed on my grandfather to settle something handsome on me for the future. To this end, he set out with me to the house of my grandfather; where, after a few minutes pause, we were admitted, and conducted to his chamber. My grandfather received this relation, after his long absence, with a coldness peculiar to him; told him he was glad to see him, and desired him to sit down: but my uncle refused to sit, telling him his business there, reproached him for his usage towards me; which he denied, telling my uncle he had been very kind to me, and that he would bind my apprentice to some honest tradesman, if I would behave At this time, the captain being seized with a violent fit of the gout and gravel, applied to a cask of Holland gin, which was his sovereign prescription against all distempers: but whether he was at that time too sparing or took an over-dose of his cordial certain it is, he departed in the night and was found stiff next morning, to the no small satisfaction of Crampley, who succeeded to the command of the vessel.

Contents

The book ends happily, with Random discovering his long-lost father, formerly Scottish, now a wealthy Argentine, who bestows gobs of money on him, enabling him to return to England and propose to his continuously blushing inamorata Narcissa. Were it possible for the power of utterance to reveal the soft emotions of myself, I should need go other witness thus this paper. But, alas! expression wrongs my love! Your beauty fills me with wonder your understanding with ravishment! and your goodness with adoration! Suffer me then lovely arbitress of my fate to approach your person, to gaze on the living object of my wishes, to rejoice in her smiles of approbation, and banish the most intolerable suspence from the bosom of