ll.

There is nothing more pleasing to a traveller--or more terrible to
travel-writers, than a large rich plain; especially if it is without
great rivers or bridges; and presents nothing to the eye, but one
unvaried picture of plenty: for after they have once told you, that
'tis delicious! or delightful! (as the case happens)--that the soil was
grateful, and that nature pours out all her abundance, &c...they have
then a large plain upon their hands, which they know not what to do
with--and which is of little or no use to them but to carry them to some
town; and that town, perhaps of little more, but a new place to start
from to the next plain--and so on.

--This is most terrible work; judge if I don't manage my plains better.

Chapter 4.XXIV.

I had not gone above two leagues and a half, before the man with his gun
began to look at his priming.

I had three several times loiter'd terribly behind; half a mile at least
every time; once, in deep conference with a drum-maker, who was making
drums for the fairs of Baucaira and Tarascone--I did not understand the
principles--

The second time, I cannot so properly say, I stopp'd--for meeting a
couple of Franciscans straitened more for time than myself, and not
being able to get to the bottom of what I was about--I had turn'd back
with them--

The third, was an affair of trade with a gossip, for a hand-basket of
Provence figs for four sous; this would have been transacted at once;
but for a case of conscience at the close of it; for when the figs were
paid for, it turn'd out, that there were two dozen of eggs covered over
with vine-leaves at the bottom of the basket--as I had no intention of
buying eggs--I made no sort of claim of them--as for the space they had
occupied--what signified it? I had figs enow for my money--

--But it was my intention to have the basket--it was the gossip's
intention to keep it, without which, she could do nothing with her
eggs--and unless I had the basket, I could do as little with my figs,
which were too ripe already, and most of 'em burst at the side: this
brought on a short contention, which terminated in sundry proposals,
what we should both do--

--How we disposed of our eggs and figs, I defy you, or the Devil
himself, had he not been there (which I am persuaded he was), to form
the least probable conjecture: You will read the whole of it--not this
year, for I am hastening to the story of my uncle Toby's amours--but
you will