CHAPTER IV
THE GRAND DISCOVERY
"Mr. Sam Semple," the doctor continued, with emphasis on the prefix towhich, indeed, the poet was not entitled in his native town, "doth notask for help: he is not starving: he is prosperous: he has gained thefriendship, or the patronage, of certain persons of quality. This isthe reward of genius. Let us forget that he was the son of acustomhouse servant, and let us admit that he proved unequal to theduties--for which he was unfitted--of a clerk. He has now risen--wewill welcome one whose name will in the future add lustre to ourtown."
The vicar shook his head. "Trash," he murmured, "trash."
"Well, gentlemen, I will proceed to read the letter."
He unfolded it and began with a sonorous hum.
"'Honoured Sir,'" he repeated the words. "'Honoured Sir,'--the letter,gentlemen, is addressed to myself--ahem! to myself. 'I have recentlyheard of a discovery which will probably affect in a manner so vital,the interests of my beloved native town, that I feel it my duty tocommunicate the fact to you without delay. I do so to you rather thanto my esteemed patron, the worshipful the mayor, once my master, or toCaptain Crowle, or to any of those who subscribed for my volume ofMiscellany Poems, because the matter especially and peculiarlyconcerns yourself as a physician, and as the fortunate owner of thespring or well which is the subject of the discovery'--the subject ofthe discovery, gentlemen. My well--mine." He went on. "'You are aware,as a master in the science of medicine, that the curative propertiesof various spas or springs in the country--the names of Bath,Tunbridge Wells, and Epsom are familiar to you, so doubtless are thoseof Hampstead and St. Chad's, nearer London. It now appears that acertain learned physician having reason to believe that similar watersexist, as yet unsuspected, at King's Lynn, has procured a jar of thewater from your own well--that in your garden'--my well, gentlemen, inmy own garden!--'and, having subjected it to a rigorous examination,has discovered that it contains, to a much higher degree than anyother well hitherto known to exist in this country, qualities, oringredients, held in solution, which make this water sovereign for thecure of rheumatism, asthma, gout, and all disorders due to ill humoursor vapours--concerning which I am not competent so much as to speak toone of your learning and skill.'"
"He has," said the schoolmaster, "the pen of a ready writer. Hebalances his periods. I taught him. So far, he was an apt pupil."
The doctor resumed.
"'This discovery hath already been announced in the public journals. Isend you an extract containing the news.' I read this extract,gentlemen."
It was a slip of printed paper, cut from one of the diurnals ofLondon.
"'It has been discovered that at King's Lynn in the county of Norfolk,there exists a deep well of clear water whose properties, hithertoundiscovered, form a sovereign specific for rheumatism and manysimilar disorders. Our physicians have already begun to recommend theplace as a spa and it is understood that some have already resolvedupon betaking themselves to this newly discovered cure. The distancefrom London is no greater than that of Bath. The roads, it is true,are not so good, but at Cambridge, it is possible for those who do nottravel in their own carriages to proceed by way of barge or tilt boatdown the Cam and the Ouse, a distance of only forty miles which in thesummer should prove a pleasant journey.'
"So far"--the doctor informed us, "for the printed intelligence. I nowproceed to finish the letter. 'Among others, my patron, the RightHonourable the Earl of Fylingdale, has been recommended by hisphysician to try the newly discovered waters of Lynn as a preventiveof gout. He is a gentleman of the highest rank, fashion, and wealth,who honours me with his confidence. It is possible that he may evenallow me to accompany him on his journey. Should he do so I shall lookforward to the honour of paying my respects to my former patrons. Hetells me that other persons of distinction are also going to the sameplace, with the same objects, during the coming summer.'
"You hear, gentlemen," said the doctor, looking round, "what did Isay? Wealth for all--for all. So. Let me continue. 'Sir, I would withthe greatest submission venture to point out the importance of thisevent to the town. The nobility and gentry of the neighbourhood shouldbe immediately made acquainted with this great discovery; the clergyof Ely, Norwich, and Lincoln; the members of the University ofCambridge: the gentlemen of Boston, Spalding, and Wisbech should allbe informed. It may be expected that there will be such a concourseflocking to Lynn as will bring an accession of wealth as well as fameto the borough of which I am a humble native. I would also submit thatthe visitors should find Lynn provided with the amusements necessaryfor a spa. I mean music; the assembly; a pump room; a garden; the balland the masquerade and the card room; clean lodgings; good wine; andfish, flesh and fowl in abundance. I humbly ask forgiveness for thesesuggestions and I have the honour to remain, honoured sir, your mostobedient humble servant, with my grateful service to all the gentlemenwho subscribed to my verses, and thereby provided me with a ladder upwhich to rise, Samuel Semple.'"
At this moment the bowl of punch was brought in and placed before thecaptain with a tray of glasses. The doctor folded his letter, replacedit in his pocketbook and took off his spectacles.
"Gentlemen, you have heard my news. Captain Crowle, may I request thatyou permit the society to drink with me to the prosperity of thespa--the prosperity of the spa--the spa of Lynn."
"Let us drink it," said the captain, "to the newly discovered spa. Butthis Samuel--the name sticks."
The toast was received with the greatest satisfaction, and then, whenthe punch was buzzed about, there arose a conversation so lively andso loud that heads looked out of windows in the square wondering whatin the world had happened with the society. Not a quarrel, surely.Nay, there was no uplifting of voices: there was no anger in thevoices: nor was it the sound of mirth: there was no note of merriment:nor was it a drunken loosening of the tongue: such a thing with thiscompany was impossible. It was simply a conversation in which allspoke at the same time over an event which interested and excited allalike. Everybody contributed something.
"We must have a committee to prepare for the accommodation of thevisitors."
"We must put up a pump room."
"We must engage a dipper."
"We must make walks across the fields."
"There must be an assembly with music and dancing."
"There must be a card room."
"There must be a long room for those who wish to walk about and toconverse--with an orchestra."
"There must be public breakfasts and suppers."
"We shall want horns to play in the evening."
"We must have glass lamps of variegated colours to hang among thetrees."
"I will put up the pump room," said the doctor, "in my garden, overthe well."
"We must look to our lodgings. The beds in our inns are for the mostpart rough hewn boards on trestles with a flock bed full of knobs andsheets that look like leather. The company will look for bedsteads andfeather beds."
"The ladies will ask for curtains. We must give them what they areaccustomed to enjoy."
"We must learn the fashionable dance."
"We must talk like beaux and dress like the gentlefolk ofWestminster."
The captain looked on, meanwhile, whispering in my ear, from time totime. "Samuel is a liar," he said. "I know him to be a liar. Yet whyshould he lie about a thing of so much importance? If he tells thetruth, Jack--I know not--I misdoubt the fellow--yet--again--he maytell the truth----And why should he lie, I say? Then--one knowsnot--among the company we may even find a husband for the girl. As fortaking her to London--but we shall see."
So he shook his head, not wholly carried away like the rest, but witha certain amount of hope. And then, waiting for a moment when the talkflagged a bit, he spoke.
"Gentlemen, if this news is true--and surely Samuel would not inventit, then the old town is to have another great slice of luck. We haveour shipping and our trade: these have made many of us rich and havegiven an honest livelihood to many more.
The spa should bring in, asthe doctor has told us, wealth by another channel. I undertake toassure you that we shall rise to the occasion. The town shall showitself fit to receive and to entertain the highest company. Wetarpaulins are too old to learn the manners of fashion. But we havemen of substance among us who will lay out money with such an object:we have gentlemen of family in the country round: we have youngfellows of spirit," he clapped me on the shoulder, "who will keep upthe gaieties: and, gentlemen, we have maidens among us--as blooming asany in the great world. We shall not be ashamed of ourselves--or ofour girls."
These words created a profound sigh of satisfaction. The men ofsubstance would rise to the occasion.
Before the bowl was out a committee was appointed, consisting ofCaptain Crowle, the vicar of St. Margaret's, the curate of St.Nicholas--the two clergymen being appointed as having imbibed at theUniversity of Cambridge some tincture of the fashionable world--andthe doctor. This important body was empowered to make arrangements forthe reception and for the accommodation and entertainment of theillustrious company expected and promised. It was also empowered tocirculate in the country round about news of the extraordinarydiscovery and to invite all the rheumatic and the gouty: the asthmaticand everybody afflicted with any kind of disease to repair immediatelyto Lynn Regis, there to drink the sovereign waters of the spa.
"It only remains, gentlemen," said the doctor in conclusion, "that Imyself should submit the water of my well to an examination." He didnot think it necessary to inform the company that he had received fromSamuel Semple an analysis of the water stating the ingredients andtheir proportions as made by the anonymous physician of London."Should it prove--of which I have little doubt--that the water is suchas has been described by my learned brother in medicine, I shallinform you of the fact."
It was a curious coincidence, though the committee of reception werenot informed of the fact, that the doctor's analysis exactly agreedwith that sent to him.
It was a memorable evening. For my own part,--I know not why--duringthe reading of the letter my heart sank lower and lower. It was theforeboding of evil. Perhaps it was caused by my knowledge of Samuel ofwhom I will speak presently. Perhaps it was the thought of seeing thegirl whom I loved, while yet I had no hope of winning her, carried offby some sprig of quality who would teach her to despise her homelyfriends, the master mariners young and old. I know not the reason. Butit was a foreboding of evil and it was with a heavy heart that Irepaired to the quay and rowed myself back to the ship in themoonlight.
They were going to drink to the next voyage of _The Lady of Lynn_.Why, the lady herself, not her ship, was about to embark on a voyagemore perilous--more disastrous--than that which awaited any of herships. Cruel as is the ocean I would rather trust myself--and her--tothe mercies of the Bay of Biscay at its wildest--than to thetenderness of the crew who were to take charge of that innocent andignorant lady.
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