chronicles of the canongate-第12章

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e；〃　began　to　awaken　in　my　bosomthe　recollections　of　my　own　youth　adding　little　to　it；　save　what　was　connected　with　field…sports。　　A　career　of　pleasure　is　unfavourable　for　acquiring　a　taste　for　natural　beauty；　and　still　more　so　for　forming　associations　of　a　sentimental　kind；　connecting　us　with　the　inanimate　objects　around　us。

I　had　thought　little　about　my　estate　while　I　possessed　and　was　wasting　it；　unless　as　affording　the　rude　materials　out　of　which　a　certain　inferior　race　of　creatures；　called　tenants；　were　bound　to　produce　（in　a　greater　quantity　than　they　actually　did）　a　certain　return　called　rent；　which　was　destined　to　supply　my　expenses。　This　was　my　general　view　of　the　matter。　　Of　particular　places；　I　recollected　that　Garval　Hill　was　a　famous　piece　of　rough　upland　pasture　for　rearing　young　colts；　and　teaching　them　to　throw　their　feet；　that　Minion　Burn　had　the　finest　yellow　trout　in　the　country；　that　Seggy…cleugh　was　unequalled　for　woodcocks；　that　Bengibbert　Moors　afforded　excellent　moorfowl…shooting；　and　that　the　clear；　bubbling　fountain　called　the　Harper's　Well　was　the　best　recipe　in　the　world　on　the　morning　after　a　HARD…GO　with　my　neighbour　fox…hunters。　　Still；　these　ideas　recalled；　by　degrees；　pictures　of　which　I　had　since　learned　to　appreciate　the　merit　scenes　of　silent　loneliness；　where　extensive　moors；　undulating　into　wild　hills；　were　only　disturbed　by　the　whistle　of　the　plover　or　the　crow　of　the　heathcock；　wild　ravines　creeping　up　into　mountains；　filled　with　natural　wood；　and　which；　when　traced　downwards　along　the　path　formed　by　shepherds　and　nutters；　were　found　gradually　to　enlarge　and　deepen；　as　each　formed　a　channel　to　its　own　brook；　sometimes　bordered　by　steep　banks　of　earth；　often　with　the　more　romantic　boundary　of　naked　rocks　or　cliffs　crested　with　oak；　mountain　ash；　and　hazelall　gratifying　the　eye　the　more　that　the　scenery　was；　from　the　bare　nature　of　the　country　around；　totally　unexpected。

I　had　recollections；　too；　of　fair　and　fertile　holms；　or　level　plains；　extending　between　the　wooded　banks　and　the　bold　stream　of　the　Clyde；　which；　coloured　like　pure　amber；　or　rather　having　the　hue　of　the　pebbles　called　Cairngorm；　rushes　over　sheets　of　rock　and　beds　of　gravel；　inspiring　a　species　of　awe　from　the　few　and　faithless　fords　which　it　presents；　and　the　frequency　of　fatal　accidents；　now　diminished　by　the　number　of　bridges。　　These　alluvial　holms　were　frequently　bordered　by　triple　and　quadruple　rows　of　large　trees；　which　gracefully　marked　their　boundary；　and　dipped　their　long　arms　into　the　foaming　stream　of　the　river。　Other　places　I　remembered；　which　had　been　described　by　the　old　huntsman　as　the　lodge　of　tremendous　wild…cats；　or　the　spot　where　tradition　stated　the　mighty　stag　to　have　been　brought　to　bay；　or　where　heroes；　whose　might　was　now　as　much　forgotten；　were　said　to　have　been　slain　by　surprise；　or　in　battle。

It　is　not　to　be　supposed　that　these　finished　landscapes　became　visible　before　the　eyes　of　my　imagination；　as　the　scenery　of　the　stage　is　disclosed　by　the　rising　of　the　curtain。　　I　have　said　that　I　had　looked　upon　the　country　around　me；　during　the　hurried　and　dissipated　period　of　my　life；　with　the　eyes；　indeed；　of　my　body；　but　without　those　of　my　understanding。　　It　was　piece　by　piece；　as　a　child　picks　out　its　lesson；　that　I　began　to　recollect　the　beauties　of　nature　which　had　once　surrounded　me　in　the　home　of　my　forefathers。　　A　natural　taste　for　them　must　have　lurked　at　the　bottom　of　my　heart；　which　awakened　when　I　was　in　foreign　countries；　and　becoming　by　degrees　a　favourite　passion；　gradually　turned　its　eyes　inwards；　and　ransacked　the　neglected　stores　which　my　memory　had　involuntarily　recorded；　and；　when　excited；　exerted　herself　to　collect　and　to　complete。

I　began　now　to　regret　more　bitterly　than　ever　the　having　fooled　away　my　family　property；　the　care　and　improvement　of　which　I　saw　might　have　afforded　an　agreeable　employment　for　my　leisure；　which　only　went　to　brood　on　past　misfortunes；　and　increase　useless　repining。　　〃Had　but　a　single　farm　been　reserved；　however　small；〃　said　I　one　day　to　Mr。　Fairscribe；　〃I　should　have　had　a　place　I　could　call　my　home；　and　something　that　I　could　call　business。〃

〃It　might　have　been　managed；〃　answered　Fairscribe；　〃and　for　my　part；　I　inclined　to　keep　the　mansion　house；　mains；　and　some　of　the　old　family　acres　together；　but　both　Mr。　　and　you　were　of　opinion　that　the　money　would　be　more　useful。〃

〃True；　true；　my　good　friend；〃　said　I；　〃I　was　a　fool　then；　and　did　not　think　I　could　incline　to　be　Glentanner　with　L200　or　L300　a　year；　instead　of　Glentanner　with　as　many　thousands。　　I　was　then　a　haughty；　pettish；　ignorant；　dissipated；　broken…down　Scottish　laird；　and　thinking　my　imaginary　consequence　altogether　ruined；　I　cared　not　how　soon；　or　how　absolutely；　I　was　rid　of　everything　that　recalled　it　to　my　own　memory；　or　that　of　others。〃

〃And　now　it　is　like　you　have　changed　your　mind？〃　　said　Fairscribe。　〃Well；　fortune　is　apt　to　circumduce　the　term　upon　us；　but　I　think　she　may　allow　you　to　revise　your　condescendence。〃

〃How　do　you　mean；　my　good　friend？〃

〃Nay；〃　said　Fairscribe；　〃there　is　ill　luck　in　averring　till　one　is　sure　of　his　facts。　　I　will　look　back　on　a　file　of　newspapers；　and　to…morrow　you　shall　hear　from　me。　　Come；　help　yourselfI　have　seen　you　fill　your　glass　higher。〃

〃And　shall　see　it　again；〃　said　I；　pouring　out　what　remained　of　our　bottle　of　claret；　〃the　wine　is　capital；　and　so　shall　our　toast　be〃To　your　fireside；　my　good　friend。　　And　now　we　shall　go　beg　a　Scots　song　without　foreign　graces　from　my　little　siren；　Miss　Katie。〃

The　next　day；　accordingly；　I　received　a　parcel　from　Mr。　Fairscribe　with　a　newspaper　enclosed；　among　the　advertisements　of　which　one　was　marked　with　a　cross　as　requiring　my　attention。　　I　read；　to　my　surprise：

　　〃DESIRABLE　ESTATE　FOR　SALE。

〃By　order　of　the　Lords　of　Council　and　Session；　will　be　exposed　to　sale　in　the　New　Sessions　House　of　Edinburgh；　on　Wednesday；　the　25th　November；　18；　all　and　whole　the　lands　and　barony　of　Glentanner；　now　called　Castle　Treddles；　lying　in　the　Middle　Ward　of　Clydesdale；　and　shire　of　Lanark；　with　the　teinds；　parsonage　and　vicarage；　fishings　in　the　Clyde；　woods；　mosses；　moors；　and　pasturages；〃　etc。；　etc。

The　advertisement　went　on　to　set　forth　the　advantages　of　the　soil；　situation；　natural　beauties；　and　capabilities　of　improvement；　not　forgetting　its　being　a　freehold　estate；　with　the　particular　polypus　capacity　of　being　sliced　up　into　two；　three；　or；　with　a　little　assistance；　four　freehold　qualifications；　and　a　hint　that　the　county　was　likely　to　be　eagerly　contested　between　two　great　families。　　The　upset　price　at　which　〃the　said　lands　and　barony　and　others〃　were　to　be　exposed　was　thirty　years'　purchase　of　the　proven　rental；　which　was　about　a　fourth　more　than　the　property　had　fetched　at　the　last　sale。　　This；　which　was　mentioned；　I　suppose；　to　show　the　improvable　character　of　the　land；　would　have　given　another　some　pain。　　But　let　me　speak　truth　of　myself　in　good　as　in　evilit　pained　not　me。　　I　was　only　angry　that　Fairscribe；　who　knew　something　generally　of　the　extent　of　my　funds；　should　have　tantalized　me　by　sending　me　information　that　my　family　property　was　in　the　market；　since　he　must　have　known　that　the　price　was　far　out　of　my　reach。

But　a　letter　dropped　from　the　parcel　on　the　floor；　which　attracted　my　eye；　and　explained　the　riddle。　　A　client　of　Mr。　Fairscribe's；　a　moneyed　man；　thought　of　buying　Glentanner；　merely　as　an　investment　of　moneyit　was　even　unlikely　he　would　ever　see　it；　and　so　the　price　of　the　whole　being　some　thousand　pounds　beyond　what　cash　he　had　on　hand；　this　accommodating　Dives　would　gladly　take　a　partner　in　the　sale　for　any　detached　farm；　and　would　make　no　objection　to　its　including　the　most　desirable　part　of　the　estate　in　point　of　beauty；　provided　the　price　was　made　adequate。　　Mr。　Fairscribe　would　take　care　I　was　not　imposed　on　in　the　matter；　and　said　in　his　card　he　believed；　if　I　really　wished　to　make　such　a　purchase；　I　had　better　go　out　and　look　at　the　premises；　advising　me；　at　the　same　time；　to　keep　a　strict　incognitoan　advice　somewhat　superfluous；　since　I　am　naturally　of　a　retired　and　reserved　disposition。



CHAPTER　III。

MR。　CROFTANGRY；　INTER　ALIA；　REVISITS　GLENTANNER。

　　Then　sing　of　stage…coaches；　　　And　fear　no　reproaches　　　　　For　riding　in　one；　　　But　daily　be　jogging；　　　Whilst；　whistling　and　flogging；　　　Whilst；　whistling　and　flogging；　　　The　coachman　drives　on。　　　　　　　　　　FARQUHAR。

Disguised　in　a　grey　surtout　which　had　seen　service；　a　white　castor　on　my　head；　and　a　stout　Indian　cane　in　my　hand；　the　next　week　saw　me　on　the　top　of　a　mail…coach　driving　to　the　westward。

I　like　mail…coaches；　and　I　hate　them。　　I　like　them　for　my　convenience；　but　I　detest　them　for　setting　the　whole　world　a…　gadding；　instead　of　sitting　quietly　still　minding　their　own　business；　and　preserving　the　stamp　of　originality　of　character　which　nature　or　education　may　have　impressed　on　them。　　Off　they　go；　jingling　against　each　other　in　the　rattling　vehicle　till　they　have　no　more　variety　of　stamp　in　them　than　so　many　smooth　shillingsthe　same　even　in　their　Welsh　wigs　and　greatcoats；　each　without　more　individuality　than　belongs　to　a　partner　of　the　company；　as　the　waiter　calls　them；　of　the　North　Coach。

Worthy　Mr。　Piper；　best　of　contractors　who　ever　furnished　four　frampal　jades　for　public　use；　I　bless　you　when　I　set　out　on　a　journey　myself；　the　neat　coaches　under　your　contract　render　the　intercourse；　from　Johnnie　Groat's　House　to　Ladykirk　and　Cornhill　Bridge；　safe；　pleasant；　and　cheap。　　But；　Mr。　Piper；　you　who　are　a　shrewd　arithmetician；　did　it　never　occur　to　you　to　calculate　how　many　fools'　heads；　which　might　have　produced　an　idea　or　two　in　the　year；　if　suffered　to　remain　in　quiet；　get　effectually　addled　by　jolting　to　and　fro　in　these　flying　chariots　of　yours；　how　many　decent　countrymen　become　conceited　bumpkins　after　a　cattle…show　dinner　in　the　capital；　which　they　could　not　have　attended　save　for　your　means；　how　many　decent　country　parsons　return　critics　and　spouters；　by　way　of　importing　the　newest　taste　from　Edinburgh？　　And　how　will　your　conscience　answer　one　day　for　carrying　so　many　bonny　lasses　to　barter　modesty　for　conceit　and　levity　at　the　metropolitan　Vanity　Fair？

Consider；　too；　the　low　rate　to　which　you　reduce　human　intellect。　I　do　not　believe　your　habitual　customers　have　their　ideas　more　enlarged　than　one　of　your　coach…horses。　　They　KNOWS　the　road；　like　the　English　postilion；　and　they　know　nothing　besides。　　They　date；　like　the　carriers　at　Gadshill；　from　the　death　of　Robin　Ostler；　＇See　Act　II。　Scene　1　of　the　First　Part　of　Shakespeare's　Henry　IV。＇　the　succession　of　guards　forms　a　dynasty　in　their　eyes；　coachmen　are　their　ministers　of　state；　and　an　upset　is　to　them　a　greater　incident　than　a　change　of　administration。　　Their　only　point　of　interest　on　the　road　is　to　save　the　time；　and　see　whether　the　coach　keeps　the　hour。　　This　is　surely　a　miserable　degradation　of　human　intellect。　　Take　my　advice；　my　good　sir；　and　disinterestedly　contrive　that　once　or　twice　a　quarter　your　most　dexterous　whip　shall　overturn　a　coachful　of　these　superfluous　travellers；　IN　TERROREM　to　those　who；　as　Horace　says；　〃delight　in　the　dust　raised　by　your　chariots。〃

Your　current　and　customary　mail…coach　passenger；　too；　gets　abominab