records of a family of engineers(一个工程师的家庭)-第5章
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and the two girls； her favourites； which depict in a strong light their
characters and the society in which they moved。
‘My very dear and much esteemed Friend；' writes one correspondent；
‘this day being the anniversary of our acquaintance； I feel inclined to
address you； but where shall I find words to express the fealings of a
graitful HEART； first to the Lord who graiciously inclined you on this day
last year to notice an afflicted Strainger providentially cast in your way far
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from any Earthly friend？ 。 。 。 Methinks I shall hear him say unto you；
〃Inasmuch as ye shewed kindness to my afflicted handmaiden； ye did it
unto me。〃 '
This is to Jean； but the same afflicted lady wrote indifferently to Jean；
to Janet； and to Ms。 Smith； whom she calls ‘my Edinburgh mother。' It is
plain the three were as one person； moving to acts of kindness； like the
Graces； inarmed。 Too much stress must not be laid on the style of this
correspondence； Clarinda survived； not far away； and may have met the
ladies on the Calton Hill； and many of the writers appear； underneath the
conventions of the period； to be genuinely moved。 But what
unpleasantly strikes a reader is； that these devout unfortunates found a
revenue in their devotion。 It is everywhere the same tale； on the side of
the soft…hearted ladies； substantial acts of help； on the side of the
correspondents； affection； italics； texts； ecstasies； and imperfect spelling。
When a midwife is recommended； not at all for proficiency in her
important art； but because she has ‘a sister whom I ＇the correspondent＇
esteem and respect； and ＇who＇ is a spiritual daughter of my Hond Father in
the Gosple；' the mask seems to be torn off； and the wages of godliness
appear too openly。 Capacity is a secondary matter in a midwife； temper
in a servant； affection in a daughter； and the repetition of a shibboleth
fulfils the law。 Common decency is at times forgot in the same page with
the most sanctified advice and aspiration。 Thus I am introduced to a
correspondent who appears to have been at the time the housekeeper at
Invermay； and who writes to condole with my grandmother in a season of
distress。 For nearly half a sheet she keeps to the point with an excellent
discretion in language then suddenly breaks out：
‘It was fully my intention to have left this at Martinmass； but the Lord
fixes the bounds of our habitation。 I have had more need of patience in my
situation here than in any other； partly from the very violent； unsteady；
deceitful temper of the Mistress of the Family； and also from the state of
the house。 It was in a train of repair when I came here two years ago；
and is still in Confusion。 There is above six Thousand Pounds' worth of
Furniture come from London to be put up when the rooms are completely
finished； and then； woe be to the Person who is Housekeeper at Invermay！'
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And by the tail of the document； which is torn； I see she goes on to ask
the bereaved family to seek her a new place。 It is extraordinary that people
should have been so deceived in so careless an impostor； that a few
sprinkled ‘God willings' should have blinded them to the essence of this
venomous letter； and that they should have been at the pains to bind it in
with others （many of them highly touching） in their memorial of
harrowing days。 But the good ladies were without guile and without
suspicion； they were victims marked for the axe； and the religious
impostors snuffed up the wind as they drew near。
I have referred above to my grandmother； it was no slip of the pen： for
by an extraordinary arrangement； in which it is hard not to suspect the
managing hand of a mother； Jean Smith became the wife of Robert
Stevenson。 Mrs。 Smith had failed in her design to make her son a
minister； and she saw him daily more immersed in business and worldly
ambition。 One thing remained that she might do： she might secure for
him a godly wife； that great means of sanctification； and she had two
under her hand； trained by herself； her dear friends and daughters both in
law and love … Jean and Janet。 Jean's complexion was extremely pale；
Janet's was florid； my grandmother's nose was straight； my great…aunt's
aquiline； but by the sound of the voice； not even a son was able to
distinguish one from other。 The marriage of a man of twenty… seven and
a girl of twenty who have lived for twelve years as brother and sister； is
difficult to conceive。 It took place； however； and thus in 1799 the family
was still further cemented by the union of a representative of the male or
worldly element with one of the female and devout。
This essential difference remained unbridged； yet never diminished the
strength of their relation。 My grandfather pursued his design of
advancing in the world with some measure of success； rose to distinction
in his calling； grew to be the familiar of members of Parliament； judges of
the Court of Session； and ‘landed gentlemen'； learned a ready address； had
a flow of interesting conversation； and when he was referred to as ‘a
highly respectable BOURGEOIS；' resented the description。 My
grandmother remained to the end devout and unambitious； occupied with
her Bible； her children； and her house； easily shocked； and associating
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largely with a clique of godly parasites。 I do not know if she called in the
midwife already referred to； but the principle on which that lady was
recommended； she accepted fully。 The cook was a godly woman； the
butcher a Christian man； and the table suffered。 The scene has been often
described to me of my grandfather sawing with darkened countenance at
some indissoluble joint … ‘Preserve me； my dear； what kind of a reedy；
stringy beast is this？' … of the joint removed； the pudding substituted and
uncovered； and of my grandmother's anxious glance and hasty；
deprecatory comment； ‘Just mismanaged！' Yet with the invincible
obstinacy of soft natures； she would adhere to the godly woman and the
Christian man； or find others of the same kidney to replace them。 One of
her confidants had once a narrow escape； an unwieldy old woman； she had
fallen from an outside stair in a close of the Old Town； and my
grandmother rejoiced to communicate the providential circumstance that a
baker had been passing underneath with his bread upon his head。 ‘I
would like to know what kind of providence the baker thought it！' cried
my grandfather。
But the sally must have been unique。 In all else that I have heard or
read of him； so far from criticising； he was doing his utmost to honour and
even to emulate his wife's pronounced opinions。 In the only letter which
has come to my hand of Thomas Smith's； I find him informing his wife
that he was ‘in time for afternoon church'； similar assurances or cognate
excuses abound in the correspondence of Robert Stevenson； and it is
comical and pretty to see the two generations paying the same court to a
female piety more highly strung： Thomas Smith to the mother of Robert
Stevenson … Robert Stevenson to the daughter of Thomas Smith。 And if
for once my grandfather suffered himself to be hurried； by his sense of
humour and justice； into that remark about the case of Providence and the
Baker； I should be sorry for any of his children who should have stumbled
into the same attitude of criticism。 In the apocalyptic style of the
housekeeper of Invermay； woe be to that person！ But there was no fear；
husband and sons all entertained for the pious； tender soul the same
chivalrous and moved affection。 I have spoken with one who
remembered her； and who had been the intimate and equal of her sons； and
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I found this witness had been struck； as I had been； with a sense of
disproportion between the warmth of the adoration felt and the nature of
the woman； whether as described or observed。 She diligently read and
marked her Bible； she was a tender nurse； she had a sense of humour
under strong control； she talked and found some amusement at her （or
rather at her husband's） dinner…parties。 It is conceivable that even my
grandmother was amenable to the seductions of dress； at least； I find her
husband inquiring anxiously about ‘the gowns from Glasgow；' and very
careful to describe the toilet of the Princess Charlotte； whom he had seen
in church ‘in a Pelisse and Bonnet of the same colour of cloth as the Boys'
Dress jackets； trimmed with blue satin ribbons； the hat or Bonnet； Mr。
Spittal said； was a Parisian slouch； and had a plume of three white
feathers。' But all this leaves a blank impression； and it is rather by
reading backward in these old musty letters； which have moved me now to
laughter and now to impatience； that I glean occasional glimpses of how
she seemed to her contemporaries； and trace （at work in her queer world of
godly
