chronicles of the canongate-第18章

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tya　sort　of　greengrocer's　stall　erected　in　front　of　my　ironmongery　wares；　garlanding　the　rusty　memorials　of　ancient　times　with　cresses；　cabbages；　leeks；　and　water　purpy。

As　I　have　some　idea　that　I　am　writing　too　well　to　be　understood；　I　humble　myself　to　ordinary　language；　and　aver；　with　becoming　modesty；　that　I　do　think　myself　capable　of　sustaining　a　publication　of　a　miscellaneous　nature；　as　like　to　the　Spectator　or　the　Guardian；　the　Mirror　or　the　Lounger；　as　my　poor　abilities　may　be　able　to　accomplish。　　Not　that　I　have　any　purpose　of　imitating　Johnson；　whose　general　learning　and　power　of　expression　I　do　not　deny；　but　many　of　whose　Ramblers　are　little　better　than　a　sort　of　pageant；　where　trite　and　obvious　maxims　are　made　to　swagger　in　lofty　and　mystic　language；　and　get　some　credit　only　because　they　are　not　easily　understood。　　There　are　some　of　the　great　moralist's　papers　which　I　cannot　peruse　without　thinking　on　a　second…rate　masquerade；　where　the　best…known　and　least…esteemed　characters　in　town　march　in　as　heroes；　and　sultans；　and　so　forth；　and；　by　dint　of　tawdry　dresses；　get　some　consideration　until　they　are　found　out。　　It　is　not；　however；　prudent　to　commence　with　throwing　stones；　just　when　I　am　striking　out　windows　of　my　own。

I　think　even　the　local　situation　of　Little　Croftangry　may　be　considered　as　favourable　to　my　undertaking。　　A　nobler　contrast　there　can　hardly　exist　than　that　of　the　huge　city；　dark　with　the　smoke　of　ages；　and　groaning　with　the　various　sounds　of　active　industry　or　idle　revel；　and　the　lofty　and　craggy　hill；　silent　and　solitary　as　the　graveone　exhibiting　the　full　tide　of　existence；　pressing　and　precipitating　itself　forward　with　the　force　of　an　inundation；　the　other　resembling　some　time…worn　anchorite；　whose　life　passes　as　silent　and　unobserved　as　the　slender　rill　which　escapes　unheard；　and　scarce　seen；　from　　the　fountain　of　his　patron　saint。　　The　city　resembles　the　busy　temple；　where　the　modern　Comus　and　Mammon　hold　their　court；　and　thousands　sacrifice　ease；　independence；　and　virtue　itself　at　their　shrine；　the　misty　and　lonely　mountain　seems　as　a　throne　to　the　majestic　but　terrible　Genius　of　feudal　times；　when　the　same　divinities　dispensed　coronets　and　domains　to　those　who　had　heads　to　devise　and　arms　to　execute　bold　enterprises。

I　have；　as　it　were；　the　two　extremities　of　the　moral　world　at　my　threshold。　　From　the　front　door　a　few　minutes'　walk　brings　me　into　the　heart　of　a　wealthy　and　populous　city；　as　many　paces　from　my　opposite　entrance　place　me　in　a　solitude　as　complete　as　Zimmerman　could　have　desired。　　Surely；　with　such　aids　to　my　imagination；　I　may　write　better　than　if　I　were　in　a　lodging　in　the　New　Town　or　a　garret　in　the　old。　　As　the　Spaniard　says；　〃VIAMOSCARACCO！〃

I　have　not　chosen　to　publish　periodically；　my　reason　for　which　was　twofold。　　In　the　first　place；　I　don't　like　to　be　hurried；　and　have　had　enough　of　duns　in　an　early　part　of　my　life　to　make　me　reluctant　to　hear　of　or　see　one；　even　in　the　less　awful　shape　of　a　printer's　devil。　　But；　secondly；　a　periodical　paper　is　not　easily　extended　in　circulation　beyond　the　quarter　in　which　it　is　published。　　This　work；　if　published　in　fugitive　numbers；　would　scarce；　without　a　high　pressure　on　the　part　of　the　bookseller；　be　raised　above　the　Netherbow；　and　never　could　be　expected　to　ascend　to　the　level　of　Princes　Street。　　Now；　I　am　ambitious　that　my　compositions；　though　having　their　origin　in　this　Valley　of　Holyrood；　should　not　only　be　extended　into　those　exalted　regions　I　have　mentioned；　but　also　that　they　should　cross　the　Forth；　astonish　the　long　town　of　Kirkcaldy；　enchant　the　skippers　and　colliers　of　the　East　of　Fife；　venture　even　into　the　classic　arcades　of　St。　Andrews；　and　travel　as　much　farther　to　the　north　as　the　breath　of　applause　will　carry　their　sails。　　As　for　a　southward　direction；　it　is　not　to　be　hoped　for　in　my　fondest　dreams。　　I　am　informed　that　Scottish　literature；　like　Scottish　whisky；　will　be　presently　laid　under　a　prohibitory　duty。　　But　enough　of　this。　　If　any　reader　is　dull　enough　not　to　comprehend　the　advantages　which；　in　point　of　circulation；　a　compact　book　has　over　a　collection　of　fugitive　numbers；　let　him　try　the　range　of　a　gun　loaded　with　hail…shot　against　that　of　the　same　piece　charged　with　an　equal　weight　of　lead　consolidated　in　a　single　bullet。

Besides；　it　was　of　less　consequence　that　I　should　have　published　periodically；　since　I　did　not　mean　to　solicit　or　accept　of　the　contributions　of　friends；　or　the　criticisms　of　those　who　may　be　less　kindly　disposed。　　Notwithstanding　the　excellent　examples　which　might　be　quoted；　I　will　establish　no　begging…box；　either　under　the　name　of　a　lion's　head　or　an　ass's。　　What　is　good　or　ill　shall　be　mine　own；　or　the　contribution　of　friends　to　whom　I　may　have　private　access。　　Many　of　my　voluntary　assistants　might　be　cleverer　than　myself；　and　then　I　should　have　a　brilliant　article　appear　among　my　chiller　effusions；　like　a　patch　of　lace　on　a　Scottish　cloak　of　Galashiels　grey。　　Some　might　be　worse；　and　then　I　must　reject　them；　to　the　injury　of　the　feelings　of　the　writer；　or　else　insert　them；　to　make　my　own　darkness　yet　more　opaque　and　palpable。　　〃Let　every　herring；〃　says　our　old…fashioned　proverb；　〃hang　by　his　own　head。〃

One　person；　however；　I　may　distinguish；　as　she　is　now　no　more；　who；　living　to　the　utmost　term　of　human　life；　honoured　me　with　a　great　share　of　her　friendshipas；　indeed；　we　were　blood…　relatives　in　the　Scottish　senseHeaven　knows　how　many　degrees　removedand　friends　in　the　sense　of　Old　England。　　I　mean　the　late　excellent　and　regretted　Mrs。　Bethune　Baliol。　　But　as　I　design　this　admirable　picture　of　the　olden　time　for　a　principal　character　in　my　work；　I　will　only　say　here　that　she　knew　and　approved　of　my　present　purpose；　and　though　she　declined　to　contribute　to　it　while　she　lived；　from　a　sense　of　dignified　retirement；　which　she　thought　became　her　age；　sex；　and　condition　in　life；　she　left　me　some　materials　for　carrying　on　my　proposed　work　which　I　coveted　when　I　heard　her　detail　them　in　conversation；　and　which　now；　when　I　have　their　substance　in　her　own　handwriting；　I　account　far　more　valuable　than　anything　I　have　myself　to　offer。　　I　hope　the　mentioning　her　name　in　conjunction　with　my　own　will　give　no　offence　to　any　of　her　numerous　friends；　as　it　was　her　own　express　pleasure　that　I　should　employ　the　manuscripts　which　she　did　me　the　honour　to　bequeath　me　in　the　manner　in　which　I　have　now　used　them。　　It　must　be　added；　however；　that　in　most　cases　I　have　disguised　names；　and　in　some　have　added　shading　and　colouring　to　bring　out　the　narrative。

Much　of　my　materials；　besides　these；　are　derived　from　friends；　living　or　dead。　　The　accuracy　of　some　of　these　may　be　doubtful；　in　which　case　I　shall　be　happy　to　receive；　from　sufficient　authority；　the　correction　of　the　errors　which　must　creep　into　traditional　documents。　　The　object　of　the　whole　publication　is　to　throw　some　light　on　the　manners　of　Scotland　as　they　were；　and　to　contrast　them　occasionally　with　those　of　the　present　day。　　My　own　opinions　are　in　favour　of　our　own　times　in　many　respects；　but　not　in　so　far　as　affords　means　for　exercising　the　imagination　or　exciting　the　interest　which　attaches　to　other　times。　　I　am　glad　to　be　a　writer　or　a　reader　in　1826；　but　I　would　be　most　interested　in　reading　or　relating　what　happened　from　half　a　century　to　a　century　before。　　We　have　the　best　of　it。　　Scenes　in　which　our　ancestors　thought　deeply；　acted　fiercely；　and　died　desperately；　are　to　us　tales　to　divert　the　tedium　of　a　winter's　evening；　when　we　are　engaged　to　no　party；　or　beguile　a　summer's　morning；　when　it　is　too　scorching　to　ride　or　walk。

Yet　I　do　not　mean　that　my　essays　and　narratives　should　be　limited　to　Scotland。　　I　pledge　myself　to　no　particular　line　of　subjects；　but；　on　the　contrary；　say　with　Burns

　　〃Perhaps　it　may　turn　out　a　sang；　　　　Perhaps　turn　out　a　sermon。〃

I　have　only　to　add；　by　way　of　postscript　to　these　preliminary　chapters；　that　I　have　had　recourse　to　Moliere's　recipe；　and　read　my　manuscript　over　to　my　old　woman；　Janet　MacEvoy。

The　dignity　of　being　consulted　delighted　Janet；　and　Wilkie；　or　Allan；　would　have　made　a　capital　sketch　of　her；　as　she　sat　upright　in　her　chair；　instead　of　her　ordinary　lounging　posture；　knitting　her　stocking　systematically；　as　if　she　meant　every　twist　of　her　thread　and　inclination　of　the　wires　to　bear　burden　to　the　cadence　of　my　voice。　　I　am　afraid；　too；　that　I　myself　felt　more　delight　than　I　ought　to　have　done　in　my　own　composition；　and　read　a　little　more　oratorically　than　I　should　have　ventured　to　do　before　an　auditor　of　whose　applause　I　was　not　so　secure。　　And　the　result　did　not　entirely　encourage　my　plan　of　censorship。　　Janet　did　indeed　seriously　incline　to　the　account　of　my　previous　life；　and　bestowed　some　Highland　maledictions；　more　emphatic　than　courteous；　on　Christie　Steele's　reception　of　a　〃shentlemans　in　distress；〃　and　of　her　own　mistress's　house　too。　　I　omitted　for　certain　reasons；　or　greatly　abridged；　what　related　to　her…self。　But　when　I　came　to　treat　of　my　general　views　in　publication；　I　saw　poor　Janet　was　entirely　thrown　out；　though；　like　a　jaded　hunter；　panting；　puffing；　and　short　of　wind；　she　endeavoured　at　least　to　keep　up　with　the　chase。　　Or；　rather；　her　perplexity　made　her　look　all　the　while　like　a　deaf　person　ashamed　of　his　infirmity；　who　does　not　understand　a　word　you　are　saying；　yet　desires　you　to　believe　that　he　does　understand　you；　and　who　is　extremely　jealous　that　you　suspect　his　incapacity。　　When　she　saw　that　some　remark　was　necessary；　she　resembled　exactly　in　her　criticism　the　devotee　who　pitched　on　the　〃sweet　word　Mesopotamia〃　as　the　most　edifying　note　which　she　could　bring　away　from　a　sermon。　　She　indeed　hastened　to　bestow　general　praise　on　what　she　said　was　all　〃very　fine；〃　but　chiefly　dwelt　on　what　I；　had　said　about　Mr。　Timmerman；　as　she　was　pleased　to　call　the　German　philosopher；　and　supposed　he　must　be　of　the　same　descent　with　the　Highland　clan　of　M'Intyre；　which　signifies　Son　of　the　Carpenter。　〃And　a　fery　honourable　name　tooShanet's　own　mither　was　a　M'Intyre。〃

In　short；　it　was　plain　the　latter　part　of　my　introduction　was　altogether　lost　on　poor　Janet；　and　so；　to　have　acted　up　to　Moliere's　system；　I　should　have　cancelled　the　whole；　and　written　it　anew。　　But　I　do　not　know　how　it　is。　　I　retained；　I　suppose；　some　tolerable　opinion　of　my　own　composition；　though　Janet　did　not　comprehend　it；　and　felt　loath　to　retrench　those　Delilahs　of　the　imagination；　as　Dryden　calls　them；　the　tropes　and　figures　of　which　are　caviar　to　the　multitude。　　Besides；　I　hate　rewriting　as　much　as　Falstaff　did　paying　backit　is　a　double　labour。　　So　I　determined　with　myself　to　consult　Janet；　in　future；　only　on　such　things　as　were　within　the　limits　of　her　comprehension；　and　hazard　my　arguments　and　my　rhetoric　on　the　public　without　her　imprimatur。　　I　am　pretty　sure　she　will　〃applaud　it　done。〃　　and　in　such　narratives　as　come　within　her　range　of　thought　and　feeling　I　shall；　as　I　first　intended；　take　the　benefit　of　her　unsophisticated　judgment；　and　attend　to　it　deferentiallythat　is；　when　it　happens　not　to　be　in　peculiar　opposition　to　my　own；　for；　after　all；　I　say　with　Almanzor；

　　〃Know　that　I　alone　am　king　of　me。〃

The　reader　has　now　my　who　and　my　whereabout；　the　purpose　of　the　work；　and　the　circumstances