chronicles of the canongate-第2章

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ommitted　prisoners　at　the　period　of　Argyle's　rising。　　Their　place　of　confinement　is　still　called　the　Whigs'　Vault。　　Mr。　Train；　however；　procured　for　me　far　more　extensive　information　concerning　this　singular　person；　whose　name　was　Patterson；　than　I　had　been　able　to　acquire　during　my　own　short　conversation　with　him。　　＇See；　for　some　further　particulars；　the　notes　to　Old　Mortality；　in　the　present　collective　edition。＇　　　He　was　（as　I　think　I　have　somewhere　already　stated）　a　native　of　the　parish　of　Closeburn；　in　Dumfriesshire；　and　it　is　believed　that　domestic　affliction；　as　well　as　devotional　feeling；　induced　him　to　commence　the　wandering　mode　of　life　which　he　pursued　for　a　very　long　period。　　It　is　more　than　twenty　years　since　Robert　Patterson's　death；　which　took　place　on　the　highroad　near　Lockerby；　where　he　was　found　exhausted　and　expiring。　　The　white　pony；　the　companion　of　his　pilgrimage；　was　standing　by　the　side　of　its　dying　master　the　whole　furnishing　a　scene　not　unfitted　for　the　pencil。　　These　particulars　I　had　from　Mr。　Train。

Another　debt；　which　I　pay　most　willingly；　I　owe　to　an　unknown　correspondent　（a　lady）；　＇The　late　Mrs。　Goldie。＇　who　favoured　me　with　the　history　of　the　upright　and　high…principled　female；　whom；　in　the　Heart　of　Mid…Lothian；　I　have　termed　Jeanie　Deans。　　The　circumstance　of　her　refusing　to　save　her　sister's　life　by　an　act　of　perjury；　and　undertaking　a　pilgrimage　to　London　to　obtain　her　pardon；　are　both　represented　as　true　by　my　fair　and　obliging　correspondent；　and　they　led　me　to　consider　the　possibility　of　rendering　a　fictitious　personage　interesting　by　mere　dignity　of　mind　and　rectitude　of　principle；　assisted　by　unpretending　good　sense　and　temper；　without　any　of　the　beauty；　grace；　talent；　accomplishment；　and　wit　to　which　a　heroine　of　romance　is　supposed　to　have　a　prescriptive　right。　　If　the　portrait　was　received　with　interest　by　the　public；　I　am　conscious　how　much　it　was　owing　to　the　truth　and　force　of　the　original　sketch；　which　I　regret　that　I　am　unable　to　present　to　the　public；　as　it　was　written　with　much　feeling　and　spirit。

Old　and　odd　books；　and　a　considerable　collection　of　family　legends；　formed　another　quarry；　so　ample　that　it　was　much　more　likely　that　the　strength　of　the　labourer　should　be　exhausted　than　that　materials　should　fail。　　I　may　mention；　for　example's　sake；　that　the　terrible　catastrophe　of　the　Bride　of　Lammermoor　actually　occurred　in　a　Scottish　family　of　rank。　　The　female　relative；　by　whom　the　melancholy　tale　was　communicated　to　me　many　years　since；　was　a　near　connection　of　the　family　in　which　the　event　happened；　and　always　told　it　with　an　appearance　of　melancholy　mystery　which　enhanced　the　interest。　　She　had　known　in　her　youth　the　brother　who　rode　before　the　unhappy　victim　to　the　fatal　altar；　who；　though　then　a　mere　boy；　and　occupied　almost　entirely　with　the　gaiety　of　his　own　appearance　in　the　bridal　procession；　could　not　but　remark　that　the　hand　of　his　sister　was　moist；　and　cold　as　that　of　a　statue。　　It　is　unnecessary　further　to　withdraw　the　veil　from　this　scene　of　family　distress；　nor；　although　it　occurred　more　than　a　hundred　years　since；　might　it　be　altogether　agreeable　to　the　representatives　of　the　families　concerned　in　the　narrative。　　It　may　be　proper　to　say　that　the　events　alone　are　imitated；　but　I　had　neither　the　means　nor　intention　of　copying　the　manners；　or　tracing　the　characters；　of　the　persons　concerned　in　the　real　story。　　Indeed；　I　may　here　state　generally　that；　although　I　have　deemed　historical　personages　free　subjects　of　delineation；　I　have　never　on　any　occasion　violated　the　respect　due　to　private　life。　　It　was　indeed　impossible　that　traits　proper　to　persons；　both　living　and　dead；　with　whom　I　have　had　intercourse　in　society；　should　not　have　risen　to　my　pen　in　such　works　as　Waverley；　and　those　which　followed　it。　　But　I　have　always　studied　to　generalize　the　portraits；　so　that　they　should　still　seem；　on　the　whole；　the　productions　of　fancy；　though　possessing　some　resemblance　to　real　individuals。　　Yet　I　must　own　my　attempts　have　not　in　this　last　particular　been　uniformly　successful。　　There　are　men　whose　characters　are　so　peculiarly　marked；　that　the　delineation　of　some　leading　and　principal　feature　inevitably　places　the　whole　person　before　you　in　his　individuality。　　Thus；　the　character　of　Jonathan　Oldbuck；　in　the　Antiquary；　was　partly　founded　on　that　of　an　old　friend　of　my　youth；　to　whom　I　am　indebted　for　introducing　me　to　Shakespeare；　and　other　invaluable　favours；　but　I　thought　I　had　so　completely　disguised　the　likeness　that　his　features　could　not　be　recognized　by　any　one　now　alive。　　I　was　mistaken；　however；　and　indeed　had　endangered　what　I　desired　should　be　considered　as　a　secret；　for　I　afterwards　learned　that　a　highly…respectable　gentleman；　one　of　the　few　surviving　friends　of　my　father；　and　an　acute　critic；　＇James　Chalmers；　Esq。；　Solicitor　at　Law；　London；　who　（died　during　the　publication　of　the　present　edition　of　these　Novels。　　（Aug。　1831。）＇　had　said；　upon　the　appearance　of　the　work；　that　he　was　now　convinced　who　was　the　author　of　it；　as　he　recognized　in　the　Antiquary　of　Monkbarns　traces　of　the　character　of　a　very　intimate　friend　of　my　father's　family。

I　may　here　also　notice　that　the　sort　of　exchange　of　gallantry　which　is　represented　as　taking　place　betwixt　the　Baron　of　Bradwardine　and　Colonel　Talbot；　is　a　literal　fact。　　The　real　circumstances　of　the　anecdote；　alike　honourable　to　Whig　and　Tory；　are　these：

Alexander　Stewart　of　Invernahylea　name　which　I　cannot　write　without　the　warmest　recollections　of　gratitude　to　the　friend　of　my　childhood；　who　first　introduced　me　to　the　Highlands；　their　traditions；　and　their　mannershad　been　engaged　actively　in　the　troubles　of　1745。　　As　he　charged　at　the　battle　of　Preston　with　his　clan；　the　Stewarts　of　Appin；　he　saw　an　officer　of　the　opposite　army　standing　alone　by　a　battery　of　four　cannon；　of　which　he　discharged　three　on　the　advancing　Highlanders；　and　then　drew　his　sword。　　Invernahyle　rushed　on　him；　and　required　him　to　surrender。　　〃Never　to　rebels！〃　　was　the　undaunted　reply；　accompanied　with　a　lunge；　which　the　Highlander　received　on　his　target；　but　instead　of　using　his　sword　in　cutting　down　his　now　defenceless　antagonist；　he　employed　it　in　parrying　the　blow　of　a　Lochaber　axe　aimed　at　the　officer　by　the　Miller；　one　of　his　own　followers；　a　grim…looking　old　Highlander；　whom　I　remember　to　have　seen。　　Thus　overpowered；　Lieutenant…Colonel　Allan　Whitefoord；　a　gentleman　of　rank　and　consequence；　as　well　as　a　brave　officer；　gave　up　his　sword；　and　with　it　his　purse　and　watch；　which　Invernahyle　accepted；　to　save　them　from　his　followers。　　After　the　affair　was　over；　Mr。　Stewart　sought　out　his　prisoner；　and　they　were　introduced　to　each　other　by　the　celebrated　John　Roy　Stewart；　who　acquainted　Colonel　Whitefoord　with　the　quality　of　his　captor；　and　made　him　aware　of　the　necessity　of　receiving　back　his　property；　which　he　was　inclined　to　leave　in　the　hands　into　which　it　had　fallen。　　So　great　became　the　confidence　established　betwixt　them；　that　Invernahyle　obtained　from　the　Chevalier　his　prisoner's　freedom　upon　parole；　and　soon　afterwards；　having　been　sent　back　to　the　Highlands　to　raise　men；　he　visited　Colonel　Whitefoord　at　his　own　house；　and　spent　two　happy　days　with　him　and　his　Whig　friends；　without　thinking　on　either　side　of　the　civil　war　which　was　then　raging。

When　the　battle　of　Culloden　put　an　end　to　the　hopes　of　Charles　Edward；　Invernahyle；　wounded　and　unable　to　move；　was　borne　from　the　field　by　the　faithful　zeal　of　his　retainers。　　But　as　he　had　been　a　distinguished　Jacobite；　his　family　and　property　were　exposed　to　the　system　of　vindictive　destruction　too　generally　carried　into　execution　through　the　country　of　the　insurgents。　　It　was　now　Colonel　Whitefoord's　turn　to　exert　himself；　and　he　wearied　all　the　authorities；　civil　and　military；　with　his　solicitations　for　pardon　to　the　saver　of　his　life；　or　at　least　for　a　protection　for　his　wife　and　family。　　His　applications　were　for　a　long　time　unsuccessful。　　〃I　was　found　with　the　mark　of　the　Beast　upon　me　in　every　list；〃　was　Invernahyle's　expression。　　At　length　Colonel　Whitefoord　applied　to　the　Duke　of　Cumberland；　and　urged　his　suit　with　every　argument　which　he　could　think　of；　being　still　repulsed；　he　took　his　commission　from　his　bosom；　and　having　said　something　of　his　own　and　his　family's　exertions　in　the　cause　of　the　House　of　Hanover；　begged　to　resign　his　situation　in　their　service；　since　he　could　not　be　permitted　to　show　his　gratitude　to　the　person　to　whom　he　owed　his　life。　　The　duke；　struck　with　his　earnestness；　desired　him　to　take　up　his　commission；　and　granted　the　protection　required　for　the　family　of　Invernahyle。

The　chieftain　himself　lay　concealed　in　a　cave　near　his　own　house；　before　which　a　small　body　of　regular　soldiers　were　encamped。　　He　could　hear　their　muster…roll　called　every　morning；　and　their　drums　beat　to　quarters　at　night；　and　not　a　change　of　the　sentinels　escaped　him。　　As　it　was　suspected　that　he　was　lurking　somewhere　on　the　property；　his　family　were　closely　watched；　and　compelled　to　use　the　utmost　precaution　in　supplying　him　with　food。　　One　of　his　daughters；　a　child　of　eight　or　ten　years　old；　was　employed　as　the　agent　least　likely　to　be　suspected。　　She　was　an　instance；　among　others；　that　a　time　of　danger　and　difficulty　creates　a　premature　sharpness　of　intellect。　　She　made　herself　acquainted　among　the　soldiers；　till　she　became　so　familiar　to　them　that　her　motions　escaped　their　notice；　and　her　practice　was　to　stroll　away　into　the　neighbourhood　of　the　cave；　and　leave　what　slender　supply　of　food　she　carried　for　that　purpose　under　some　remarkable　stone；　or　the　root　of　some　tree；　where　her　father　might　find　it　as　he　crept　by　night　from　his　lurking…place。　　Times　became　milder；　and　my　excellent　friend　was　relieved　from　proscription　by　the　Act　of　Indemnity。　　Such　is　the　interesting　story　which　I　have　rather　injured　than　improved　by　the　manner　in　which　it　is　told　in　Waverley。

This　incident；　with　several　other　circumstances　illustrating　the　Tales　in　question；　was　communicated　by　me　to　my　late　lamented　friend；　William　Erskine　（a　Scottish　judge；　by　the　title　of　Lord　Kinedder）；　who　afterwards　reviewed　with　far　too　much　partiality　the　Tales　of　my　Landlord；　for　the　Quarterly　Review　of　January　1817。　　＇Lord　Kinedder　died　in　August　1822。　EHEU！　　（Aug。　1831。）＇　In　the　same　article　are　contained　other　illustrations　of　the　Novels；　with　which　I　supplied　my　accomplished　friend；　who　took　the　trouble　to　write　the　review。　　The　reader　who　is　desirous　of　such　information　will　find　the　original　of　Meg　Merrilies；　and；　I　believe；　of　one　or　two　other　personages　of　the　same　cast　of　character；　in　the　article　referred　to。

I　may　also　mention　that　the　tragic　and　savage　circumstances　which　are　represented　as　preceding　the　birth　of　Allan　MacAulay　in　the　Legend　of　Montrose；　really　happened　in　the　family　of　Stewart　of　Ardvoirlich。　　The　wager　about　the　candlesticks；　whose　place　was　supplied　by　Highland　torch…bearers；　was　laid　and　won　by　one　of　the　MacDonalds　of　Keppoch。

There　can　be　but　little　amusement　in　winnowing　out　the　few　grains　of　truth　which　are　contained　in　this　mass　of　empty　fiction。　　I　may；　however；　before　dismissing　the　subject；　allude　to　the　various　localities　which　have　been　affixed　to　some　of　the　scenery　introduced　into　t