chronicles of the canongate-第6章

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f；　however　sparingly　introduced；　he　would；　on　that　account；　still　refrain　from　doing　that　which　would　otherwise　be　no　less　pleasing　to　him　than　to　his　audience。　　But　this　his　Lordship；　hoped　he　would　be　allowed　to　say　（his　auditors　would　not　pardon　him　were　he　to　say　less）；　we　owe　to　him；　as　a　people；　a　large　and　heavy　debt　of　gratitude。　　He　it　is　who　has　opened　to　foreigners　the　grand　and　characteristic　beauties　of　our　country。　　It　is　to　him　that　we　owe　that　our　gallant　ancestors　and　the　struggles　of　our　illustrious　patriotswho　fought　and　bled　in　order　to　obtain　and　secure　that　independence　and　that　liberty　we　now　enjoyhave　obtained　a　fame　no　longer　confined　to　the　boundaries　of　a　remote　and　comparatively　obscure　nation；　and　who　has　called　down　upon　their　struggles　for　glory　and　freedom　the　admiration　of　foreign　countries。　　He　it　is　who　has　conferred　a　new　reputation　on　our　national　character；　and　bestowed　on　Scotland　an　imperishable　name；　were　it　only　by　her　having　given　birth　to　himself。　　（Loud　and　rapturous　applause。）

Sir　WALTER　SCOTT　certainly　did　not　think　that；　in　coming　here　to…　day；　he　would　have　the　task　of　acknowledging；　before　three　hundred　gentlemen；　a　secret　which；　considering　that　it　was　communicated　to　more　than　twenty　people；　had　been　remarkably　well　kept。　　He　was　now　before　the　bar　of　his　country；　and　might　be　understood　to　be　on　trial　before　Lord　Meadowbank　as　an　offender；　yet　he　was　sure　that　every　impartial　jury　would　bring　in　a　verdict　of　Not　Proven。　　He　did　not　now　think　it　necessary　to　enter　into　the　reasons　of　his　long　silence。　　Perhaps　caprice　might　have　a　consider　able　share　in　it。　　He　had　now　to　say；　however；　that　the　merits　of　these　works；　if　they　had　any；　and　their　faults；　were　entirely　imputable　to　himself。　　（Long　and　loud　cheering。）　　　He　was　afraid　to　think　on　what　he　had　done。　　〃Look　on't　again　I　dare　not。〃　　He　had　thus　far　unbosomed　himself　and　he　knew　that　it　would　be　reported　to　the　public。　　He　meant；　then；　seriously　to　state；　that　when　he　said　he　was　the　author；　he　was　the　total　and　undivided　author。　　With　the　exception　of　quotations；　there　was　not　a　single　word　that　was　not　derived　from　himself；　or　suggested　in　the　course　of　his　reading。　　The　wand　was　now　broken；　and　the　book　buried。　　You　will　allow　me　further　to　say；　with　Prospero；　it　is　your　breath　that　has　filled　my　sails；　and　to　crave　one　single　toast　in　the　capacity　of　the　author　of　these　novels；　and　he　would　dedicate　a　bumper　to　the　health　of　one　who　has　represented　some　of　those　characters；　of　which　he　had　endeavoured　to　give　the　skeleton；　with　a　degree　of　liveliness　which　rendered　him　grateful。　　He　would　propose　〃The　Health　of　his　friend　Bailie　Nicol　Jarvie〃（loud　applause）and　he　was　sure　that　when　the　author　of　Waverley　and　Rob　Roy　drinks　to　Nicol　Jarvie；　it　would　be　received　with　that　degree　of　applause　to　which　that　gentleman　has　always　been　accustomed；　and　that　they　would　take　care　that　on　the　present　occasion　it　should　be　PRODIGIOUS！　　（Long　and　vehement　applause。）

Mr。　MACKAY；　who　here　spoke　with　great　humour　in　the　character　of　Bailie　Jarvie。My　conscience！　　My　worthy　father　the　deacon　could　not　have　believed　that　his　son　could　hae　had　sic　a　compliment　paid　to　him　by　the　Great　Unknown！

Sir　WALTER　SCOTT。The　Small　Known　now；　Mr。　Bailie。

Mr。　MACKAY。He　had　been　long　identified　with　the　Bailie；　and　he　was　vain　of　the　cognomen　which　he　had　now　worn　for　eight　years；　and　he　questioned　if　any　of　his　brethren　in　the　Council　had　given　such　universal　satisfaction。　　（Loud　laughter　and　applause。）　Before　he　sat　down；　he　begged　to　propose　〃The　Lord　Provost　and　the　City　of　Edinburgh。〃

Sir　WALTER　SCOTT　apologized　for　the　absence　of　the　Lord　Provost；　who　had　gone　to　London　on　public　business。

Tune〃Within　a　mile　of　Edinburgh　town。〃

Sir　WALTER　SCOTT　gave　〃The　Duke　of　Wellington　and　the　army。〃

Glee〃How　merrily　we　live。〃

Lord　Melville　and　the　Navy；　that　fought　till　they　left　nobody　to　fight　with；　like　an　arch　sportsman　who　clears　all　and　goes　after　the　game。〃

Mr。　PAT。　ROBERTSON。They　had　heard　this　evening　a　toast；　which　had　been　received　with　intense　delight；　which　will　be　published　in　every　newspaper；　and　will　be　hailed　with　joy　by　all　Europe。　He　had　one　toast　assigned　him　which　he　had　great　pleasure　in　giving。　　He　was　sure　that　the　stage　had　in　all　ages　a　great　effect　on　the　morals　and　manners　of　the　people。　　It　was　very　desirable　that　the　stage　should　be　well　regulated；　and　there　was　no　criterion　by　which　its　regulation　could　be　better　determined　than　by　the　moral　character　and　personal　respectability　of　the　performers。　　He　was　not　one　of　those　stern　moralists　who　objected　to　the　theatre。　　The　most　fastidious　moralist　could　not　possibly　apprehend　any　injury　from　the　stage　of　Edinburgh；　as　it　was　presently　managed；　and　so　long　as　it　was　adorned　by　that　illustrious　individual；　Mrs。　Henry　Siddons；　whose　public　exhibitions　were　not　more　remarkable　for　feminine　grace　and　delicacy　than　was　her　private　character　for　every　virtue　which　could　be　admired　in　domestic　life。　　He　would　conclude　with　reciting　a　few　words　from　Shakespeare；　in　a　spirit　not　of　contradiction　to　those　stern　moralists　who　disliked　the　theatre；　but　of　meekness：　　〃Good；　my　lord；　will　you　see　the　players　well　bestowed？　　Do　you　hear；　let　them　be　well　used；　for　they　are　the　abstract　and　brief　chronicles　of　the　time。〃　　He　then　gave　〃Mrs。　Henry　Siddons；　and　success　to　the　Theatre　Royal　of　Edinburgh。〃

Mr。　MURRAY。Gentlemen；　I　rise　to　return　thanks　for　the　honour　you　have　done　Mrs。　Siddons；　in　doing　which　I　am　somewhat　difficulted；　from　the　extreme　delicacy　which　attends　a　brother's　expatiating　upon　a　sister's　claims　to　honours　publicly　paid　（hear；　hear）yet；　gentlemen；　your　kindness　emboldens　me　to　say　that；　were　I　to　give　utterance　to　all　a　brother's　feelings；　I　should　not　exaggerate　those　claims。　　（Loud　applause。）　I　therefore；　gentlemen；　thank　you　most　cordially　for　the　honour　you　have　done　her；　and　shall　now　request　permission　to　make　an　observation　on　the　establishment　of　the　Edinburgh　Theatrical　Fund。　　Mr。　Mackay　has　done　Mrs。　Henry　Siddons　and　myself　the　honour　to　ascribe　the　establishment　to　us。　　But　no；　gentlemen；　it　owes　its　origin　to　a　higher　sourcethe　publication　of　the　novel　of　Rob　Roythe　unprecedented　success　of　the　opera　adapted　from　that　popular　production。　　（Hear；　hear。）　It　was　that　success　which　relieved　the　Edinburgh　Theatre　from　its　difficulties；　and　enabled　Mrs。　Siddons　to　carry　into　effect　the　establishment　of　a　fund　she　had　long　desired；　but　was　prevented　from　effecting　from　the　unsettled　state　of　her　theatrical　concerns。　　I　therefore　hope　that　in　future　years；　when　the　aged　and　infirm　actor　derives　relief　from　this　fund；　he　will；　in　the　language　of　the　gallant　Highlander；　〃Cast　his　eye　to　good　old　Scotland；　and　not　forget　Rob　Roy。〃　　（Loud　applause。）

Sir　WALTER　SCOTT　here　stated　that　Mrs。　Siddons　wanted　the　means　but　not　the　will　of　beginning　the　Theatrical　Fund。　　He　here　alluded　to　the　great　merits　of　Mr。　Murray's　management；　and　to　his　merits　as　an　actor；　which　were　of　the　first　order；　and　of　which　every　person　who　attends　the　Theatre　must　be　sensible；　and　after　alluding　to　the　embarrassments　with　which　the　Theatre　had　been　at　one　period　threatened；　he　concluded　by　giving　〃The　Health　of　Mr。　Murray；〃　which　was　drunk　with　three　times　three。

Mr。　MURRAY。Gentlemen；　I　wish　I　could　believe　that　in　any　degree　I　merited　the　compliments　with　which　it　has　pleased　Sir　Walter　Scott　to　preface　the　proposal　of　my　health；　or　the　very　flattering　manner　in　which　you　have　done　me　the　honour　to　receive　it。　　The　approbation　of　such　an　assembly　is　most　gratifying　to　me；　and　might　encourage　feelings　of　vanity；　were　not　such　feelings　crushed　by　my　conviction　that　no　man　holding　the　situation　I　have　so　long　held　in　Edinburgh　could　have　failed；　placed　in　the　peculiar　circumstances　in　which　I　have　been　placed。　Gentlemen；　I　shall　not　insult　your　good　taste　by　eulogiums　upon　your　judgment　or　kindly　feeling；　though　to　the　first　I　owe　any　improvement　I　may　have　made　as　an　actor；　and　certainly　my　success　as　a　manager　to　the　second。　　（Applause。）　　When；　upon　the　death　of　my　dear　brother；　the　late　Mr。　Siddons；　it　was　proposed　that　I　should　undertake　the　management　of　the　Edinburgh　Theatre；　I　confess　I　drew　back；　doubting　my　capability　to　free　it　from　the　load　of　debt　and　difficulty　with　which　it　was　surrounded。　　In　this　state　of　anxiety；　I　solicited　the　advice　of　one　who　had　ever　honoured　me　with　his　kindest　regard；　and　whose　name　no　member　of　my　profession　can　pronounce　without　feelings　of　the　deepest　respect　and　gratitude。　　I　allude　to　the　late　Mr。　John　Kemble。　（Great　applause。）　　To　him　I　applied；　and　with　the　repetition　of　his　advice　I　shall　cease　to　trespass　upon　your　time（hear；　hear）　〃My　dear　William；　fear　not。　　Integrity　and　assiduity　must　prove　an　overmatch　for　all　difficulty；　and　though　I　approve　your　not　indulging　a　vain　confidence　in　your　own　ability；　and　viewing　with　respectful　apprehension　the　judgment　of　the　audience　you　have　to　act　before；　yet　be　assured　that　judgment　will　ever　be　tempered　by　the　feeling　that　you　are　acting　for　the　widow　and　the　fatherless。〃　　（Loud　applause。）　　Gentlemen；　those　words　have　never　passed　from　my　mind；　and　I　feel　convinced　that　you　have　pardoned　my　many　errors；　from　the　feeling　that　I　was　striving　for　the　widow　and　the　fatherless。　　（Long　and　enthusiastic　applause　followed　Mr。　Murray's　address。）

Sir　WALTER　SCOTT　gave　〃The　Health　of　the　Stewards。〃

Mr。　VANDENHOFF。…Mr。　President　and　Gentlemen；　the　honour　conferred　upon　the　Stewards；　in　the　very　flattering　compliment　you　have　just　paid　us；　calls　forth　our　warmest　acknowledgments。　In　tendering　you　our　thanks　for　the　approbation　you　have　been　pleased　to　express　of　our　humble　exertions；　I　would　beg　leave　to　advert　to　the　cause　in　which　we　have　been　engaged。　　Yet；　surrounded　as　I　am　by　the　geniusthe　eloquenceof　this　enlightened　city；　I　cannot　but　feel　the　presumption　which　ventures　to　address　you　on　so　interesting　a　subject。　　Accustomed　to　speak　in　the　language　of　others；　I　feel　quite　at　a　loss　for　terms　wherein　to　clothe　the　sentiments　excited　by　the　present　occasion。　　（Applause。）　　The　nature　of　the　institution　which　has　sought　your　fostering　patronage；　and　the　objects　which　it　contemplates；　have　been　fully　explained　to　you。　　But；　gentlemen；　the　relief　which　it　proposes　is　not　a　gratuitous　relief；　but　to　be　purchased　by　the　individual　contribution　of　its　members　towards　the　general　good。　　This　Fund　lends　no　encouragement　to　idleness　or　improvidence；　but　it　offers　an　opportunity　to　prudence　in　vigour　and　youth　to　make　provision　against　the　evening　of　life　and　its　attendant　infirmity。　　A　period　is　fixed　at　which　we　admit　the　plea　of　age　as　an　exemption　from　professional　labour。　　It　is　painful　to　behold　the　veteran　on　the　stage　（compelled　by　necessity）　contending　against　physical　decay；　mocking　the　joyousness　of　mirth　with　the　feebleness　of　age；　when　the　energies　decline；　when　the　memory　fails！　　and　〃the　big；　manly　voice；　turning　again　towards　childish　treble；　pipes　and　whistles　in　the　sound。〃　　We　would　remove　him　from　the　mimic　scene；　where　fiction　constitutes　the　charm；　we　would　not　view　old　age　caricaturing　itself。　　（Applause。）　　But　as　our　means　may　be　found；　in　time　of　need；　inadequate　to　the　ful