Tobias SMOLLETT : Travels through France & Italy

Tobias SMOLLETT. Travels through France & Italy (1763-1765). Intro. Thomas SECCOMBE. London / NY / Toronto : O.U.P. / Henry Frowde, 1907.


"I know not whether I may be allowed to compare the Romish religion to comedy, and Calvinism to tragedy. The first amuses the sense, and excites the ideas of mirth and good-humour; the other, like tragedy, deals in the passions of terror and pity."
(Letter IV; 30)

Regarding the "devotee" of Boulogne — "For my part, I never knew a fanatic that was not an hypocrite at bottom. Their pretensions to superior sanctity, and an absolute conquest over all the passions, [...] introduce a habit of dissimulation, which, like all other habits, is confirmed by use, till at length they become adepts in the art and science of hypocrisy. Enthusiasm and hypocrisy are by no means incompatible. The wildest fanaticts I ever knew, were real sensualists in their way of living, and cunning cheats in their dealings with mankind."
(V; 41)

"If a Frenchman is admitted into your family, and is distinguished by repeated marks of your friendship and regard, the first return he makes for your civilities is to make love to your wife, if she is handsome; if not, to your sister, or daughter, or niece."
"If a Frenchman is capable of real friendship, it must certainly be the most disagreeable present he can possibly make ot a man of true English character."
(VII; 63)

"Vanity, indeed, predominates among all ranks, to such a degrgee, that they are the greates egotists in the world [...]."
(VII; 66)

"they will rummage your trunks , and turn all your cloaths topsy turvy."
(XII; 113)