第 12 节
作者:西门在线      更新:2021-02-20 18:43      字数:9321
  the mouth of the haven; is fair to the very seas of Greenland。
  I could say much more to this point if it were needful; and in few
  words could easily prove; that Ipswich must have the preference of
  all the port towns of Britain; for being the best centre of the
  Greenland trade; if ever that trade fall into the management of
  such a people as perfectly understand; and have a due honest regard
  to its being managed with the best husbandry; and to the prosperity
  of the undertaking in general。  But whether we shall ever arrive at
  so happy a time as to recover so useful a trade to our country;
  which our ancestors had the honour to be the first undertakers of;
  and which has been lost only through the indolence of others; and
  the increasing vigilance of our neighbours; that is not my business
  here to dispute。
  What I have said is only to let the world see what improvement this
  town and port is capable of; I cannot think but that Providence;
  which made nothing in vain; cannot have reserved so useful; so
  convenient a port to lie vacant in the world; but that the time
  will some time or other come (especially considering the improving
  temper of the present age) when some peculiar beneficial business
  may be found out; to make the port of Ipswich as useful to the
  world; and the town as flourishing; as Nature has made it proper
  and capable to be。
  As for the town; it is true; it is but thinly inhabited; in
  comparison of the extent of it; but to say there are hardly any
  people to be seen there; is far from being true in fact; and
  whoever thinks fit to look into the churches and meeting…houses on
  a Sunday; or other public days; will find there are very great
  numbers of people there。  Or if he thinks fit to view the market;
  and see how the large shambles; called Cardinal Wolsey's Butchery;
  are furnished with meat; and the rest of the market stocked with
  other provisions; must acknowledge that it is not for a few people
  that all those things are provided。  A person very curious; and on
  whose veracity I think I may depend; going through the market in
  this town; told me; that he reckoned upwards of six hundred country
  people on horseback and on foot; with baskets and other carriage;
  who had all of them brought something or other to town to sell;
  besides the butchers; and what came in carts and waggons。
  It happened to be my lot to be once at this town at the time when a
  very fine new ship; which was built there for some merchants of
  London; was to be launched; and if I may give my guess at the
  numbers of people which appeared on the shore; in the houses; and
  on the river; I believe I am much within compass if I say there
  were 20;000 people to see it; but this is only a guess; or they
  might come a great way to see the sight; or the town may be
  declined farther since that。  But a view of the town is one of the
  surest rules for a gross estimate。
  It is true here is no settled manufacture。  The French refugees
  when they first came over to England began a little to take to this
  place; and some merchants attempted to set up a linen manufacture
  in their favour; but it has not met with so much success as was
  expected; and at present I find very little of it。  The poor people
  are; however; employed; as they are all over these counties; in
  spinning wool for other towns where manufactures are settled。
  The country round Ipswich; as are all the counties so near the
  coast; is applied chiefly to corn; of which a very great quantity
  is continually shipped off for London; and sometimes they load corn
  here for Holland; especially if the market abroad is encouraging。
  They have twelve parish churches in this town; with three or four
  meetings; but there are not so many Quakers here as at Colchester;
  and no Anabaptists or Antipoedo Baptists; that I could hear of … at
  least; there is no meeting…house of that denomination。  There is
  one meeting…house for the Presbyterians; one for the Independents
  and one for the Quakers; the first is as large and as fine a
  building of that kind as most on this side of England; and the
  inside the best finished of any I have seen; London not excepted;
  that for the Independents is a handsome new…built building; but not
  so gay or so large as the other。
  There is a great deal of very good company in this town; and though
  there are not so many of the gentry here as at Bury; yet there are
  more here than in any other town in the county; and I observed
  particularly that the company you meet with here are generally
  persons well informed of the world; and who have something very
  solid and entertaining in their society。  This may happen; perhaps;
  by their frequent conversing with those who have been abroad; and
  by their having a remnant of gentlemen and masters of ships among
  them who have seen more of the world than the people of an inland
  town are likely to have seen。  I take this town to be one of the
  most agreeable places in England for families who have lived well;
  but may have suffered in our late calamities of stocks and bubbles;
  to retreat to; where they may live within their own compass; and
  several things indeed recommend it to such:…
  1。  Good houses at very easy rents。
  2。  An airy; clean; and well…governed town。
  3。  Very agreeable and improving company almost of every kind。
  4。  A wonderful plenty of all manner of provisions; whether flesh
  or fish; and very good of the kind。
  5。  Those provisions very cheap; so that a family may live cheaper
  here than in any town in England of its bigness within such a small
  distance from London。
  6。  Easy passage to London; either by land or water; the coach
  going through to London in a day。
  The Lord Viscount Hereford has a very fine seat and park in this
  town; the house indeed is old built; but very commodious; it is
  called Christ Church; having been; as it is said; a priory or
  religious house in former times。  The green and park is a great
  addition to the pleasantness of this town; the inhabitants being
  allowed to divert themselves there with walking; bowling; etc。
  The large spire steeple; which formerly stood upon that they call
  the tower church; was blown down by a great storm of wind many
  years ago; and in its a fall did much damage to the church。
  The government of this town is by two bailiffs; as at Yarmouth。
  Mr。 Camden says they are chosen out of twelve burgesses called
  portmen; and two justices out of twenty…four more。  There has been
  lately a very great struggle between the two parties for the choice
  of these two magistrates; which had this amicable conclusion …
  namely; that they chose one of either side; so that neither party
  having the victory; it is to be hoped it may be a means to allay
  the heats and unneighbourly feuds which such things breed in towns
  so large as this is。  They send two members to Parliament; whereof
  those at this time are Sir William Thompson; Recorder of London;
  and Colonel Negus; Deputy Master of the Horse to the king。
  There are some things very curious to be seen here; however some
  superficial writers have been ignorant of them。  Dr。 Beeston; an
  eminent physician; began a few years ago a physic garden adjoining
  to his house in this town; and as he is particularly curious; and;
  as I was told; exquisitely skilled in botanic knowledge; so he has
  been not only very diligent; but successful too; in making a
  collection of rare and exotic plants; such as are scarce to be
  equalled in England。
  One Mr。 White; a surgeon; resides also in this town。  But before I
  speak of this gentleman; I must observe that I say nothing from
  personal knowledge; though if I did; I have too good an opinion of
  his sense to believe he would be pleased with being flattered or
  complimented in print。  But I must be true to matter of fact。  This
  gentleman has begun a collection or chamber of rarities; and with
  good success too。  I acknowledge I had not the opportunity of
  seeing them; but I was told there are some things very curious in
  it; as particularly a sea…horse carefully preserved; and perfect in
  all its parts; two Roman urns full of ashes of human bodies; and
  supposed to be above 1;700 years old; besides a great many valuable
  medals and ancient coins。  My friend who gave me this account; and
  of whom I think I may say he speaks without bias; mentions this
  gentleman; Mr。 White; with some warmth as a very valuable person in
  his particular employ of a surgeon。  I only repeat his words。  〃Mr。
  White;〃 says he; 〃to whom the whole town and country are greatly
  indebted and obliged to pray for his life; is our most skilful
  surgeon。〃  These; I say; are his own words; and I add nothing to
  them but this; that it is happy for a town to have such a surgeon;
  as it is for a surgeon to have such a character。
  The country round Ipswich; as if qualified on purpose to
  accommodate the town for building of ships; is an inexhaustible
  store…house of