Lavengro, by George Borrow

Preface

Chapter:

1. Birth — My father — Tamerlane — Ben Brain — French Protestants — East Anglia — Sorrow and troubles — True peace — A beautiful child — Foreign grave — Mirrors — Alpine country — Emblems — Slow of speech — The Jew — Strange gestures.
2. Barracks and lodgings — A camp — The viper — A delicate child — Blackberry time — Meun and tuum — Hythe — The Golgotha — Daneman’s skull — Superhuman stature — Stirring times — The sea-bord.
3. Pretty D—— The venerable church — The stricken heart — Dormant energies — The small packet — Nerves — The books — A picture — Mountain-like billows — The footprint — Spirit of De Foe — Reasoning powers — Terrors of God — Heads of the dragons — High–Church clerk — A journey — The drowned country.
4. Norman Cross — Wide expanse — Vive l’Empereur — Unpruned woods — Man with the bag — Froth and conceit — I beg your pardon — Growing timid — About three o’clock — Taking one’s ease — Cheek on the ground — King of the vipers — French king — Frenchmen and water.
5. The tent — Man and woman — Dark and swarthy — Manner of speaking — Bad money — Transfixed — Faltering tone — Little basket — High opinion — Plenty of good — Keeping guard — Tilted cart — Rubricals — Jasper — The right sort — The horseman of the lane — John Newton — The alarm — Gentle brothers.
6. Three years — Lilly’s grammar — Proficiency — Ignorant of figures — The school bell — Order of succession — Persecution — What are we to do? — Northward — A goodly scene — Haunted ground — Feats of chivalry — Rivers — Over the brig.
7. The Castle — A father’s inquiries — Scotch language — A determination — Bui hin Digri — Good Scotchman — Difference of races — Ne’er a haggis — Pugnacious people — Wha are ye, man? — The Nor Loch — Gestures wild — The bicker — New Town champion — Wild-looking figure — Headlong.
8. Expert climbers — The crags — Something red — The horrible edge — David Haggart — Fine materials — The greatest victory — Extraordinary robber — The ruling passion.
9. Napoleon — The storm — The cove — Up the country — The trembling hand — Irish — Tough battle — Tipperary hills — Elegant lodgings — A speech — Fair specimen — Orangemen.
10. Protestant young gentlemen — The Greek letters — Open chimney — Murtagh — Paris and Salamanca — Nothing to do — To whit, to whoo! — The pack of cards — Before Christmas.
11. Templemore — Devil’s Mountain — No companion — Force of circumstance — Way of the world — Ruined castle — Grim and desolate — The donjon — Old woman — My own house.
12. A visit — Figure of a man — The dog of peace — The raw wound — The guardroom — Boy soldier — Person in authority — Never solitary — Clergyman and family — Still-hunting — Fairy man — Near sunset — Bagg — Left-handed hitter — Irish and supernatural — At Swanton Morley.
13. Groom and cob — Strength and symmetry — Where’s the saddle? — The first ride — No more fatigue — Love for horses — Pursuit of words — Philologist and Pegasus — The smith — What more, agrah? — Sassannach tenpence.
14. A fine old city — Norman master-work — Lollards’ Hole — Good blood — The Spaniard’s sword — Old retired officer — Writing to a duke — God help the child — Nothing like Jacob — Irish brigades — Old Sergeant Meredith — I have been young — Idleness — Only course open — The bookstall — A portrait — A banished priest.
15. Monsieur Dante — Condemned musket — Sporting — Sweet rivulet — The Earl’s Home — The pool — The sonorous voice — What dost thou read? — Man of peace — Zohar and Mishna — Money-changers.
16. Fair of horses — Looks of respect — The fast trotter — Pair of eyes — Strange men — Jasper, your pal — Force of blood — Young lady with diamonds — Not quite so beautiful.
17. The tent — Pleasant discourse — I am Pharaoh — Shifting for one’s self — Horse-shoes — This is wonderful — Bless your wisdom — A pretty manoeuvre — Ill day to the Romans — My name is Herne — Singular people — An original speech — Word-master — Speaking Romanly.
18. What profession? — Not fitted for a Churchman — Erratic course — The bitter draught — Principle of woe — Thou wouldst be joyous — What ails you? — Poor child of clay.
19. Agreeable delusions — Youth — A profession — Ab Gwilym — Glorious English law — There they pass — My dear old master — The deal desk — Language of the tents — Where is Morfydd? — Go to — only once.
20. Silver gray — Good word for everybody — A remarkable youth — Clients — Grades in society — The archdeacon — Reading the Bible.
21. The eldest son — Saying of wild Finland — The critical time — Vaunting polls — One thing wanted — A father’s blessing — Miracle of art — The Pope’s house — Young enthusiast — Pictures of England — Persist and wrestle — The little dark man.
22. Desire for novelty — Lives of the lawless — Countenances — Old yeoman and dame — We live near the sea — Uncouth-looking volume — The other condition — Draoitheac — A dilemma — The Antinomian — Lodowick Muggleton — Almost blind — Anders Vedel.
23. The two individuals — The long pipe — The Germans — Werther — The female Quaker — Suicide — Gibbon — Jesus of Bethlehem — Fill your glass — Shakespeare — English at Minden — Melancholy Swayne Vonved — The fifth dinner — Strange doctrines — Are you happy? — Improve yourself in German.
24. The alehouse-keeper — Compassion for the rich — Old English gentleman — How is this? — Madeira — The Greek Parr — Twenty languages — Whiter’s health — About the fight — A sporting gentleman — The flattened nose — Lend us that pightle — The surly nod.
25. Doubts — Wise king of Jerusalem — Let me see — A thousand years — Nothing new — The crowd — The hymn — Faith — Charles Wesley — There he stood — Farewell, brother — Death — Sun, moon, and stars — Wind on the heath.
26. The flower of the grass — Days of pugilism — The rendezvous — Jews — Bruisers of England — Winter, spring — Well-earned bays — The fight — Huge black cloud — Frame of adamant — The storm — Dukkeripens — The barouche — The rain-gushes.
27. My father — Premature decay — The easy-chair — A few questions — So you told me — A difficult language — They can it Haik — Misused opportunities — Saul — Want of candour — Don’t weep — Heaven forgive me — Dated from Paris — I wish he were here — A father’s reminiscences — Farewell to vanities.
28. My brother’s arrival — The interview — Night — A dying father — Christ.
29. The greeting — Queer figure — Cheer up — The cheerful fire — It will do — The sally forth — Trepidation — Let him come in.
30. The sinister glance — Excellent correspondent — Quite original — My system — A losing trade — Merit — Starting a Review — What have you got? — Stop! — Dairyman’s Daughter — Oxford principles — More conversation — How is this?
31. The walk — London’s Cheape — Street of the Lombards — Strange bridge — Main arch — The roaring gulf — The boat — Cly-faking — A comfort — The book — The blessed woman — No trap.
32. The tanner — The hotel — Drinking claret — London journal — New field — Commonplaceness — The three individuals — Botheration — Frank and ardent.
33. Dine with the publisher — Religions — No animal food — Unprofitable discussions — Principles of criticism — The book market — Newgate lives — Goethe a drug — German acquirements — Moral dignity.
34. The two volumes — A young author — Intended editor — Quintilian — Loose money.
35. Francis Ardry — Certain sharpers — Brave and eloquent — Opposites — Flinging the bones — Strange places — Dog-fighting — Learning and letters — Batch of dogs — Redoubled application.
36. Occupations — Traduttore traditore — Ode to the Mist — Apple and pear — Reviewing — Current literature — Oxford-like manner — A plain story — Ill-regulated mind — Unsnuffed candle — Strange dreams.
37. My brother — Fits of crying — Mayor-elect — The committee — The Norman arch — A word of Greek — Church and State — At my own expense — If you please.
38. Painter of the heroic — I’ll go! — A modest peep — Who is this? — A capital Pharaoh — Disproportionably short — Imaginary picture — English figures.
39. No authority whatever — Interference — Wondrous farrago — Brandt and Struensee — What a life! — The hearse — Mortal relics — Great poet — Fashion and fame — What a difference — Oh, beautiful — Good for nothing.
40. London Bridge — Why not? — Every heart has its bitters — Wicked boys — Give me my book — Such a fright — Honour bright.
41. Decease of the Review — Homer himself — Bread and cheese — Finger and thumb — Impossible to find — Something grand — Universal mixture — Some other publisher.
42. Francis Ardry — That won’t do, sir — Observe my gestures — I think you improve — Better than politics — Delightful young Frenchwoman — A burning shame — Magnificent impudence — Paunch — Voltaire — Lump of sugar.
43. Progress — Glorious John — Utterly unintelligible — What a difference.
44. The old spot — A long history — Thou shalt not steal — No harm — Education — Necessity — Foam on your lip — Apples and pears — What will you read? — Metaphor — The fur cap — I don’t know him.
45. Bought and exchanged — Quite empty — A new firm — Bibles — Countenance of a lion — Clap of thunder — A truce with this — I have lost it — Clearly a right — Goddess of the Mint.
46. The pickpocket — Strange rencounter — Drag him along — A great service — Things of importance — Philological matters — Mother of languages — Zhats!
47. New acquaintance — Wired cases — Bread and wine — Armenian colonies — Learning without money — What a language — The tide — Your foible — Learning of the Haiks — Old proverb — Pressing invitation.
48. What to do — Strong enough — Fame and profit — Alliterative euphony — Excellent fellow — Listen to me — A plan — Bagnigge Wells.
49. Singular personage — A large sum — Papa of Rome — We are Christians — Degenerate Armenians — Roots of Ararat — Regular features.
50. Wish fulfilled — Extraordinary figure — Bueno — Noah — The two faces — I don’t blame him — Too fond of money — Were I an Armenian.
51. The one half-crown — Merit in patience — Cementer of friendship — Dreadful perplexity — The usual guttural — Armenian letters — Much indebted to you — Pure helplessness — Dumb people.
52. Kind of stupor — Peace of God — Divine hand — Farewell, child — The fair — Massive edifice — Battered tars — Lost! lost! — Good-day, gentlemen.
53. Singular table — No money — Out of employ — My bonnet — We of the thimble — Good wages — Wisely resolved — Strangest way in the world — Fat gentleman — Not such another — First edition — Not very easy — Won’t close — Avella gorgio — Alarmed look.
54. Mr. Petulengro — Rommany Rye — Lil-writers — One’s own horn — Lawfully-earnt money — The wooded hill — A great favourite — The shop window — Much wanted.
55. Bread and water — Pair play — Fashion — Colonel B—— Joseph Sell — The kindly glow — Easiest manner imaginable.
56. Considerably sobered — Power of writing — The tempter — Hungry talent — Work concluded.
57. Nervous look — The bookseller’s wife — The last stake — Terms — God forbid! — Will you come to tea? — A light heart.
58. Indisposition — A resolution — Poor equivalents — The piece of gold — Flashing eyes — How beautiful — Bon jour, Monsieur.
59. The milestone — The meditation — Want to get up? — The off-hand leader — Sixteen shillings — The near-hand wheeler — All right.
60. The still hour — A thrill — The wondrous circle — The shepherd — Heaps and barrows — What do you mean? — Milk of the plains — Hengist spared it — No presents.
61. The river — Arid downs — A prospect.
62. The hostelry — Life uncertain — Open countenance — The grand point — Thank you, master — A hard mother — Poor dear! — Considerable odds — The better country — English fashion — Landlord-looking person.
63. Primitive habits — Rosy-faced damsel — A pleasant moment — Suit of black — The furtive glance — The mighty round — Degenerate times — The newspaper — The evil chance — I congratulate you.
64. New acquaintance — Old French style — The portrait — Taciturnity — The evergreen tree — The dark hour — The flash — Ancestors — A fortunate man — A posthumous child — Antagonist ideas — The hawks — Flaws — The pony — Irresistible impulse — Favourable crisis — The topmost branch — Twenty feet — Heartily ashamed.
65. Maternal anxiety — The baronet — Little zest — Country life — Mr. Speaker! — The craving — Spirited address — An author.
66. Trepidations — Subtle principle — Perverse imagination — Are they mine? — Another book — How hard! — Agricultural dinner — Incomprehensible actions — Inmost bosom — Give it up — Chance resemblance — Rascally newspaper.
67. Disturbed slumbers — The bed-post — Two wizards — What can I do? — Real library — The Rev. Mr. Platitude — Toleration to Dissenters — Paradox — Sword of St. Peter — Enemy to humbug — High principles — False concord — The damsel — What religion? — Further conversation — That would never do! — May you prosper.
68. Elastic step — Disconsolate party — Not the season — Mend your draught — Good ale — Crotchet — Hammer and tongs — Schoolmaster — True Eden life — Flaming Tinman — Twice my size — Hard at work — My poor wife — Grey Moll — A Bible — Half-and-half — What to do — Half inclined — In no time — On one condition — Don’t stare — Like the wind.
69. Effects of corn — One night longer — The hoofs — A stumble — Are you hurt? — What a difference — Drowsy — Maze of bushes — Housekeeping — Sticks and furze — The driftway — Account of stock — Anvil and bellows — Twenty years.
70. New profession — Beautiful night — Jupiter — Sharp and shrill — The Rommany chi — All alone — Three-and-sixpence — What is Rommany? Be civil — Parraco tute — Slight start — She will be grateful — The rustling.
71. Friend of Slingsby — All quiet — Danger — The two cakes — Children in the wood — Don’t be angry — In deep thought — Temples throbbing — Deadly sick — Another blow — No answer — How old are you? — Play and sacrament — Heavy heart — Song of poison — Drow of gypsies — The dog — Ely’s church — Get up, bebee — The vehicle — Can you speak? — The oil.
72. Desired effect — The three oaks — Winifred — Things of time — With God’s will — The preacher — Creature comforts — Croesaw — Welsh and English — Mayor of Chester.
73. Morning hymn — Much alone — John Bunyan — Beholden to nobody — Sixty-five — Sober greeting — Early Sabbaths — Finny brood — The porch — No fortune-telling — The master’s niece — Doing good — Two or three things — Groans and voices — Pechod Ysprydd Glan.
74. The following day — Pride — Thriving trade — Tylwyth Teg — Ellis Wyn — Sleeping hard — Incalculable good — Fearful agony — The tale.
75. Taking a cup — Getting to heaven — After breakfast — Wooden gallery — Mechanical habit — Reserved and gloomy — Last words — A long time — From the clouds — Ray of hope — Momentary chill — Pleasing anticipation.
76. Hasty farewell — Lofty rock — Wrestlings of Jacob — No rest — Ways of Providence — Two females — Foot of the Cross — Enemy of souls — Perplexed — Lucky hour — Valetudinarian — Methodists — Fervent in prayer — You Saxons — Weak creatures — Very agreeable — Almost happy — Kindness and solicitude.
77. Getting late — Seven years old — Chastening — Go forth — London Bridge — Same eyes — Common occurrence — Very sleepy.
78. Low and calm — Much better — Blessed effect — No answer — Such a sermon.
79. Deep interest — Goodly country — Two mansions — Welshman’s Candle — Beautiful universe — Godly discourse — Fine church — Points of doctrine — Strange adventures — Paltry cause — Roman pontiff — Evil spirit.
80. The border — Thank you both — Pipe and fiddle — Taliesin.
81. At a funeral — Two days ago — Very coolly — Roman woman — Well and hearty — Somewhat dreary — Plum pudding — Roman fashion — Quite different — The dark lane — Beyond the time — Fine fellow — Such a struggle — Like a wild cat — Fair Play — Pleasant enough spot — No gloves.
82. Offence and defence — I’m satisfied — Fond of solitude — Possession of property — Chal Devlehi — Winding path.
83. Highly poetical — Volundr — Grecian mythology — Making a petul — Tongues of flame — Hammering — Spite of dukkerin — Heaviness.
84. Several causes — Frogs and eftes — Gloom and twilight — What should I do? — ‘Our Father’ — Fellow-men — What a mercy! — Almost calm — Fresh store — History of Saul — Pitch dark.
85. Free and independent — I don’t see why — Oats — A noise — Unwelcome visitors — What’s the matter? — Good-day to ye — The tall girl — Dovrefeld — Blow on the face — Civil enough — What’s this? — Vulgar woman — Hands off — Gasping for breath — Long Melford — A pretty manoeuvre — A long draught — Signs of animation — It won’t do — No malice — Bad people.
86. At tea — Vapours — Isopel Berners — Softly and kindly — Sweet pretty creature — Bread and water — Two sailors — Truth and constancy — Very strangely.
87. Hubbub of voices — No offence — Nodding — The guests.
88. A Radical — Simple-looking man — Church of England — The President — Aristocracy — Gin and water — Mending the roads — Persecuting Church — Simon de Montfort — Broken bells — Get up — Not for the Pope — Quay of New York — Mumpers’ Dingle — No wish to fight — First draught — A poor pipe — Half-a-crown broke.
89. The dingle — Give them ale — Not over complimentary — America — Many people — Washington — Promiscuous company — Language of the roads — The old women — Numerals — The man in black.
90. Buona sera — Rather apprehensive — The steep bank — Lovely virgin — Hospitality — Tory minister — Custom of the country — Sneering smile — Wandering Zigan — Gypsies’ cloaks — Certain faculty — Acute answer — Various ways — Addio — Best Hollands.
91. Excursions — Adventurous English — Opaque forests — The greatest patience.
92. The landlord — Rather too old — Without a shilling — Reputation — A fortnight ago — Liquids — The main chance — Respectability — Irrational beings — Parliament cove — My brewer.
93. Another visit — A la Margutte — Clever man — Napoleon’s estimate — Another statue.
94. Prerogative — Feeling of gratitude — A long history — Alliterative style — Advantageous specimen — Jesuit benefice — Not sufficient — Queen Stork’s tragedy — Good sense — Grandeur and gentility — Ironmonger’s daughter — Clan Mac–Sycophant — Lickspittles — A curiosity — Newspaper editors — Charles the Simple — High-flying ditty — Dissenters — Lower classes — Priestley’s house — Saxon ancestors — Austin — Renovating glass — Money — Quite original.
95. Wooded retreat — Fresh shoes — Wood fire — Ash, when green — Queen of China — Cleverest people — Declensions — Armenian — Thunder — Deep olive — What do you mean? — Koul Adonai — The thick bushes — Wood pigeon — Old Gothe.
96. A shout — A fireball — See to the horses — Passing away — Gap in the hedge — On three wheels — Why do you stop? — No craven heart — The cordial — Across the country — Small bags.
97. Fire of charcoal — The new-comer — No wonder! — Not a blacksmith — A love affair — Gretna Green — A cool thousand — Family estates — Borough interest — Grand education — Let us hear — Already quarrelling — Honourable parents — Most heroically — Not common people — Fresh charcoal.
98. An exordium — Fine ships — High Barbary captains — Free-born Englishmen — Monstrous figure — Swashbuckler — The grand coaches — The footmen — A travelling expedition — Black Jack — Nelson’s cannon — Pharaoh’s butler — A diligence — Two passengers — Sharking priest — Virgilio — Lessons in Italian — Two opinions — Holy Mary — Priestly confederates — Methodist chapel — Veturini — Some of our party — Like a sepulchre — All for themselves.
99. A cloister — Half English — New acquaintance — Mixed liquors — Turning Papist — Purposes of charity — Foreign religion — Melancholy — Elbowing and pushing — Outlandish sight — The figure — I don’t care for you — Merry-andrews — One good — Religion of my country — Fellow of spirit — A dispute — The next morning — Female doll — Proper dignity — Fetish country.
100. Nothing but gloom — Sporting character — Gouty Tory — Servants’ Club — Politics — Reformado footman — Peroration — Good-night.