The Expedition of Humphry Clinker

Matthew praises Edinburgh, speaking highly of the city, its inhabitants, and its culture. However, he is concerned about Lydia, whose “color fades, her appetite fails, and her spirits flag” (235). He has decided that she might fare better in the country. A friend has offered to let the family use his country house near Glasgow, so Matthew plans to leave Edinburgh soon.

Jeremy writes from the Scottish Highlands, where he and his family are staying at a country estate on the shores of Lough-Lomond. It has been 10 days since they left Edinburgh, and both Jeremy and Matthew continue to enjoy Scotland. Jeremy praises Scottish culture while also noting that many aspects of it are oppressed by English authorities. He praises both the food and the natural beauty of the area. It is now early September, and Jeremy notes that the group plans to travel through more of Scotland but to return to England before too long, since there “Boreas is not quite so biting as he begins already to be on the tops of these northern hills” (244).