records of a family of engineers(一个工程师的家庭)-第6章
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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 and grateful parasites） a mobile and responsive nature。 Fashion
moulds us； and particularly women； deeper than we sometimes think； but a
little while ago； and； in some circles； women stood or fell by the degree of
their appreciation of old pictures； in the early years of the century （and
surely with more reason） a character like that of my grandmother warmed；
charmed； and subdued； like a strain of music； the hearts of the men of her
own household。 And there is little doubt that Mrs。 Smith； as she looked on
at the domestic life of her son and her stepdaughter； and numbered the
heads in their increasing nursery； must have breathed fervent thanks to her
Creator。
Yet this was to be a family unusually tried； it was not for nothing that
one of the godly women saluted Miss Janet Smith as ‘a veteran in
affliction'； and they were all before middle life experienced in that form of
service。 By the 1st of January 1808； besides a pair of still…born twins；
children had been born and still survived to the young couple。 By the
11th two were gone； by the 28th a third had followed； and the two others
were still in danger。 In the letters of a former nurserymaid … I give her
name； Jean Mitchell； HONORIS CAUSA … we are enabled to feel； even at
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this distance of time； some of the bitterness of that month of bereavement。
‘I have this day received；' she writes to Miss Janet； ‘the melancholy
news of my dear babys' deaths。 My heart is like to break for my dear
Mrs。 Stevenson。 O may she be supported on this trying occasion！ I
hope her other three babys will be spared to her。 O； Miss Smith； did I
think when I parted from my sweet babys that I never was to see them
more？' ‘I received；' she begins her next； ‘the mournful news of my dear
Jessie's death。 I also received the hair of my three sweet babys； which I
will preserve as dear to their memorys and as a token of Mr。 and Mrs。
Stevenson's friendship and esteem。 At my leisure hours； when the
children are in bed； they occupy all my thoughts； I dream of them。 About
two weeks ago I dreamed that my sweet little Jessie came running to me in
her usual way； and I took her in my arms。 O my dear babys； were mortal
eyes permitted to see them in heaven； we would not repine nor grieve for
their loss。'
By the 29th of February； the Reverend John Campbell； a man of
obvious sense and human value； but hateful to the present biographer；
because he wrote so many letters and conveyed so little information；
summed up this first period of affliction in a letter to Miss Smith： ‘Your
dear sister but a little while ago had a full nursery； and the dear blooming
creatures sitting around her table filled her breast with hope that one day
they should fill active stations in society and become an ornament in the
Church below。 But ah！'
Near a hundred years ago these little creatures ceased to be； and for
not much less a period the tears have been dried。 And to this day； looking
in these stitched sheaves of letters； we hear the sound of many soft…hearted
women sobbing for the lost。 Never was such a massacre of the innocents；
teething and chincough and scarlet fever and smallpox ran the round； and
little Lillies； and Smiths； and Stevensons fell like moths about a candle；
and nearly all the sympathetic correspondents deplore and recall the little
losses of their own。 ‘It is impossible to describe the Heavnly looks of the
Dear Babe the three last days of his life；' writes Mrs。 Laurie to Mrs。 Smith。
‘Never … never； my dear aunt； could I wish to eface the rememberance of
this Dear Child。 Never； never； my dear aunt！' And so soon the memory
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of the dead and the dust of the survivors are buried in one grave。
There was another death in 1812； it passes almost unremarked； a
single funeral seemed but a small event to these ‘veterans in affliction'；
and by 1816 the nursery was full again。 Seven little hopefuls enlivened
the house； some were growing up； to the elder girl my grandfather already
wrote notes in current hand at the tail of his letters to his wife： and to the
elder boys he had begun to print； with laborious care； sheets of childish
gossip and pedantic applications。 Here； for instance； under date of 26th
May 1816； is part of a mythological account of London； with a moral for
the three gentlemen； ‘Messieurs Alan； Robert； and James Stevenson；' to
whom the document is addressed：
‘There are many prisons here like Bridewell； for； like other large towns；
there are many bad men here as well as many good men。 The natives of
London are in general not so tall and strong as the people of Edinburgh；
because they have not so much pure air； and instead of taking porridge
they eat cakes made with sugar and plums。 Here you have thousands of
carts to draw timber； thousands of coaches to take you to all parts of the
town； and thousands of boats to sail on the river Thames。 But you must
have money to pay； otherwise you can get nothing。 Now the way to get
money is； become clever men and men of education； by being good
scholars。'
From the same absence； he writes to his wife on a Sunday：
‘It is now about eight o'clock with me； and I imagine you to be busy
with the young folks； hearing the questions ＇ANGLICE； catechism＇； and
indulging the boys with a chapter from the large Bible； with their
interrogations and your answers in the soundest doctrine。 I hope James is
getting his verse as usual； and that Mary is not forgetting her little HYMN。
While Jeannie will be reading Wotherspoon； or some other suitable and
instructive book； I presume our friend； Aunt Mary； will have just arrived
with the news of A THRONG KIRK ＇a crowded church＇ and a great
sermon。 You may mention； with my compliments to my mother； that I
was at St。 Paul's to… day； and attended a very excellent service with Mr。
James Lawrie。 The text was 〃Examine and see that ye be in the faith。〃 '
A twinkle of humour lights up this evocation of the distant scene … the
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humour of happy men and happy homes。 Yet it is penned upon the
threshold of fresh sorrow。 James and Mary … he of the verse and she of
the hymn … did not much more than survive to welcome their returning
father。 On the 25th； one of the godly women writes to Janet：
‘My dearest beloved madam； when I last parted from you； you was so
affected with your affliction ＇you？ or I？＇ could think of nothing else。 But
on Saturday； when I went to inquire after your health； how was I startled to
hear that dear James was gone！ Ah； what is this？ My dear benefactors；
doing so much good to many； to the Lord； suddenly to be deprived of their
most valued comforts！ I was thrown into great perplexity； could do
nothing but murmur； why these things were done to such a family。 I
could not rest； but at midnight； whether spoken ＇or not＇ it was presented to
my mind … 〃Those whom ye deplore are walking with me in white。〃 I
conclude from this the Lord saying to sweet Mrs。 Stevenson： 〃I gave them
to be brought up for me： well done； good and faithful！ they are fully
prepared； and now I must present them to my father and your father； to my
God and your God。〃 '
It would be hard to lay on flattery with a more sure and daring hand。
I quote it as a model of a letter of condolence； be sure it would console。
Very different； perhaps quite as welcome； is this from a lighthouse
inspector to my grandfather：
‘In reading your letter the trickling tear ran down ray cheeks in silent
sorrow for your departed dear ones； my sweet little friends。 Well do I
remember； and you will call to mind； their little innocent and interesting
stories。 Often have they come round me and taken me by the hand； but
alas！ I am no more destined to behold them。'
The child who is taken becomes canonised； and the looks of the
homeliest babe seem in the retrospect ‘heavenly the three last days of his
life。' But it appears that James and Mary had indeed been children more
than usually engaging； a record was preserved a long while in the family
of their remarks and ‘little innocent and interesting stories；' and the blow
and the blank were the more sensible。
Early the next month Robert Stevenson must proceed upon his voyage
of inspection； part by land； part by sea。 He left his wife plunged in low
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spirits； the thought of his loss； and still more of her concern； was
continually present in his mind； and he draws in his letters home an
interesting picture of his family relations：
‘WINDYGATES INN； MONDAY （POSTMARK JULY 16TH）
‘MY DEAREST JEANNIE； … While the people of the inn are getting
me a little bit of something to eat； I sit down to tell you that I had a most
excellent passage across the water； and got to Wemyss at mid…day。 I hope
the children will be very good； and that Robert will take a course with you
to learn his Latin lessons daily； he may； however； read English in company。
Let them have strawberries on Saturdays。'
‘WESTHAVEN； 17TH JULY。
‘
