第 14 节
作者:西门在线      更新:2021-02-20 18:43      字数:9322
  of his mother; daughter to the Earl of Arlington; one of the chief
  ministers of State in the reign of King Charles II。; and who made
  the second letter in the word 〃cabal;〃 a word formed by that famous
  satirist Andrew Marvell; to represent the five heads of the
  politics of that time; as the word 〃smectymnus〃 was on a former
  occasion。
  I shall believe nothing so scandalous of the ladies of this town
  and the country round it as a late writer insinuates。  That the
  ladies round the country appear mighty gay and agreeable at the
  time of the fair in this town I acknowledge; one hardly sees such a
  show in any part of the world; but to suggest they come hither; as
  to a market; is so coarse a jest; that the gentlemen that wait on
  them hither (for they rarely come but in good company) ought to
  resent and correct him for it。
  It is true; Bury Fair; like Bartholomew Fair; is a fair for
  diversion; more than for trade; and it may be a fair for toys and
  for trinkets; which the ladies may think fit to lay out some of
  their money in; as they see occasion。  But to judge from thence
  that the knights' daughters of Norfolk; Cambridgeshire; and Suffolk
  … that is to say; for it cannot be understood any otherwise; the
  daughters of all the gentry of the three counties … come hither to
  be picked up; is a way of speaking I never before heard any author
  have the assurance to make use of in print。
  The assembly he justly commends for the bright appearance of the
  beauties; but with a sting in the tail of this compliment; where he
  says they seldom end without some considerable match or intrigue;
  and yet he owns that during the fair these assemblies are held
  every night。  Now that these fine ladies go intriguing every night;
  and that too after the comedy is done; which is after the fair and
  raffling is over for the day; so that it must be very late。  This
  is a terrible character for the ladies of Bury; and intimates; in
  short; that most of them are loose women; which is a horrid abuse
  upon the whole country。
  Now; though I like not the assemblies at all; and shall in another
  place give them something of their due; yet having the opportunity
  to see the fair at Bury; and to see that there were; indeed;
  abundance of the finest ladies; or as fine as any in Britain; yet I
  must own the number of the ladies at the comedy; or at the
  assembly; is no way equal to the number that are seen in the town;
  much less are they equal to the whole body of the ladies in the
  three counties; and I must also add; that though it is far from
  true that all that appear at the assembly are there for matches or
  intrigues; yet I will venture to say that they are not the worst of
  the ladies who stay away; neither are they the fewest in number or
  the meanest in beauty; but just the contrary; and I do not at all
  doubt; but that the scandalous liberty some take at those
  assemblies will in time bring them out of credit with the virtuous
  part of the sex here; as it has done already in Kent and other
  places; and that those ladies who most value their reputation will
  be seen less there than they have been; for though the institution
  of them has been innocent and virtuous; the ill use of them; and
  the scandalous behaviour of some people at them; will in time arm
  virtue against them; and they will be laid down as they have been
  set up without much satisfaction。
  But the beauty of this town consists in the number of gentry who
  dwell in and near it; the polite conversation among them; the
  affluence and plenty they live in; the sweet air they breathe in;
  and the pleasant country they have to go abroad in。
  Here is no manufacturing in this town; or but very little; except
  spinning; the chief trade of the place depending upon the gentry
  who live there; or near it; and who cannot fail to cause trade
  enough by the expense of their families and equipages among the
  people of a county town。  They have but a very small river; or
  rather but a very small branch of a small river; at this town;
  which runs from hence to Milden Hall; on the edge of the fens。
  However; the town and gentlemen about have been at the charge; or
  have so encouraged the engineer who was at the charge; that they
  have made this river navigable to the said Milden Hall; from whence
  there is a navigable dyke; called Milden Hall Drain; which goes
  into the River Ouse; and so to Lynn; so that all their coal and
  wine; iron; lead; and other heavy goods; are brought by water from
  Lynn; or from London; by the way of Lynn; to the great ease of the
  tradesmen。
  This town is famous for two great events。  One was that in the year
  1447; in the 25th year of Henry VI。; a Parliament was held here。
  The other was; that at the meeting of this Parliament; the great
  Humphrey; Duke of Gloucester; regent of the kingdom during the
  absence of King Henry V。 and the minority of Henry VI。; and to his
  last hour the safeguard of the whole nation; and darling of the
  people; was basely murdered here; by whose death the gate was
  opened to that dreadful war between the houses of Lancaster and
  York; which ended in the confusion of that very race who are
  supposed to have contrived that murder。
  From St。 Edmund's Bury I returned by Stowmarket and Needham to
  Ipswich; that I might keep as near the coast as was proper to my
  designed circuit or journey; and from Ipswich; to visit the sea
  again; I went to Woodbridge; and from thence to Orford; on the sea
  side。
  Woodbridge has nothing remarkable; but that it is a considerable
  market for butter and corn to be exported to London; for now begins
  that part which is ordinarily called High Suffolk; which; being a
  rich soil; is for a long tract of ground wholly employed in
  dairies; and they again famous for the best butter; and perhaps the
  worst cheese; in England。  The butter is barrelled; or often
  pickled up in small casks; and sold; not in London only; but I have
  known a firkin of Suffolk butter sent to the West Indies; and
  brought back to England again; and has been perfectly good and
  sweet; as at first。
  The port for the shipping off their Suffolk butter is chiefly
  Woodbridge; which for that reason is full of corn factors and
  butter factors; some of whom are very considerable merchants。
  From hence; turning down to the shore; we see Orfordness; a noted
  point of land for the guide of the colliers and coasters; and a
  good shelter for them to ride under when a strong north…east wind
  blows and makes a foul shore on the coast。
  South of the Ness is Orford Haven; being the mouth of two little
  rivers meeting together。  It is a very good harbour for small
  vessels; but not capable of receiving a ship of burden。
  Orford was once a good town; but is decayed; and as it stands on
  the land side of the river the sea daily throws up more land to it;
  and falls off itself from it; as if it was resolved to disown the
  place; and that it should be a seaport no longer。
  A little farther lies Aldborough; as thriving; though without a
  port; as the other is decaying; with a good river in the front of
  it。
  There are some gentlemen's seats up farther from the sea; but very
  few upon the coast。
  From Aldborough to Dunwich there are no towns of note; even this
  town seems to be in danger of being swallowed up; for fame reports
  that once they had fifty churches in the town; I saw but one left;
  and that not half full of people。
  This town is a testimony of the decay of public things; things of
  the most durable nature; and as the old poet expresses it;
  〃By numerous examples we may see;
  That towns and cities die as well as we。〃
  The ruins of Carthage; of the great city of Jerusalem; or of
  ancient Rome; are not at all wonderful to me。  The ruins of
  Nineveh; which are so entirety sunk as that it is doubtful where
  the city stood; the ruins of Babylon; or the great Persepolis; and
  many capital cities; which time and the change of monarchies have
  overthrown; these; I say; are not at all wonderful; because being
  the capitals of great and flourishing kingdoms; where those
  kingdoms were overthrown; the capital cities necessarily fell with
  them; but for a private town; a seaport; and a town of commerce; to
  decay; as it were; of itself (for we never read of Dunwich being
  plundered or ruined by any disaster; at least; not of late years);
  this; I must confess; seems owing to nothing but to the fate of
  things; by which we see that towns; kings; countries; families; and
  persons; have all their elevation; their medium; their declination;
  and even their destruction in the womb of time; and the course of
  nature。  It is true; this town is manifestly decayed by the
  invasion of the waters; and as other towns seem sufferers by the
  sea; or the tide withdrawing from their ports; such as Orford; just
  now named; Winchelsea in Kent; and the like; so this town is; as it
  were; eaten up by the sea; as above; and the sti