an autobiography-第8章

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　they　so　finely　embellished　the　landscape。　　My　father　exerted　himself　successfully　to　preserve　these　grand　old　forest　trees。　　His　fine　sketches　served　to　open　the　eyes　of　their　possessors　to　the　priceless　treasures　they　were　about　to　destroy；　and　he　thus　preserved　the　existence　of　many　a　picturesque　old　tree。　　He　even　took　the　pains　in　many　cases　to　model　the　part　of　the　estate　he　was　dealing　with；　and　he　also　modelled　the　old　trees　he　wished　to　preserve。　　Thus；　by　a　judicious　clearing　out　of　the　intercepting　young　timber；　he　opened　out　distant　views　of　the　landscape；　and　at　the　same　time　preserved　many　a　monarch　of　the　forest。*　　＇footnote。。。　It　is　even　now　to　be　deeply　deplored　that　those　who　inherit　or　come　into　possession　of　landed　estates　do　not　feel　sufficiently　impressed　with　the　possession　of　such　grand　memorials　of　the　past。　　Alas！　how　often　have　we　to　lament　the　want　of　taste　that　leads　to　the　sacrifice　of　these　venerable　treasures。　　Would　that　the　young　men　at　our　universities　especially　those　likely　to　inherit　estateswere　impressed　with　the　importance　of　preserving　them。　They　would　thus　confer　an　inestimable　benefit　to　thousands。　　About　forty　years　ago　Lord　Cockburn　published　a　pamphlet　on　How　to　Destroy　the　Beauty　of　Edinburgh！　　He　enforced　the　charm　of　green　foliage　in　combination　with　street　architecture。　　The　burgesses　were　then　cutting　down　trees。　His　lordship　went　so　far　as　to　say　〃that　he　would　as　soon　cut　down　a　burgess　as　a　tree！〃　　Since　then　the　growth　of　trees　in　Edinburgh；　especially　in　what　was　once　the　North　Loch；　has　been　greatly　improved；　and　might　be　still　further　improved　if　that　famous　tree；　〃The　London　plane；〃　were　employed。　　。。。＇

＇Image＇　　The　Family　Tree

My　father　modelled　old　castles；　old　trees；　and　such　like　objects　as　he　wished　to　introduce　into　his　landscapes。　　The　above　illustration；　may　perhaps　give　a　slight　idea　of　his　artistic　skill　as　a　modeller。　I　specially　refer　to　this；　which　he　called　〃The　Family　Tree；〃　as　he　required　each　member　of　his　family　to　assist　in　its　production。　We　each　made　a　twig　or　small　branch；　which　he　cleverly　fixed　into　its　place　as　a　part　of　the　whole。　　The　model　tree　in　question　was　constructed　of　wire　slightly　twisted　together；　so　as　to　form　the　main　body　of　a　branch。　　It　was　then　subdivided　into　branchlets；　and　finally　into　individual　twigs。　　All　these；　combined　together　by　his　dexterous　hand；　resulted　in　the　model　of　an　old　leafless　tree；　so　true　and　correct；　that　any　one　would　have　thought　that　it　had　been　modelled　direct　from　nature。

The　Duke　of　Athol　consulted　my　father　as　to　the　improvements　which　he　desired　to　make　in　his　woodland　scenery　near　Dunkeld。　　The　Duke　was　desirous　that　a　rocky　crag；　called　Craigybarns；　should　be　planted　with　trees；　to　relieve　the　grim　barrenness　of　its　appearance。　　But　it　was　impossible　for　any　man　to　climb　the　crag　in　order　to　set　seeds　or　plants　in　the　clefts　of　the　rocks。　　A　happy　idea　struck　my　father。　Having　observed　in　front　of　the　castle　a　pair　of　small　cannon　used　for　firing　salutes；　it　occurred　to　him　to　turn　them　to　account。　　His　object　was　to　deposit　the　seeds　of　the　various　trees　amongst　the　soil　in　the　clefts　of　the　crag。　　A　tinsmith　in　the　village　was　ordered　to　make　a　number　of　canisters　with　covers。　　The　canisters　were　filled　with　all　sorts　of　suitable　tree　seeds。　　A　cannon　was　loaded；　and　the　canisters　were　fired　up　against　the　high　face　of　the　rock。　　They　burst　and　scattered　the　seed　in　all　directions。　　Some　years　after；　when　my　father　revisited　the　place；　he　was　delighted　to　find　that　his　scheme　of　planting　by　artillery　had　proved　completely　successful；　for　the　trees　were　flourishing　luxuriantly　in　all　the　recesses　of　the　cliff。　This　was　another　instance　of　my　father's　happy　faculty　of　resourcefulness。

Certain　circumstances　about　this　time　compelled　my　father　almost　entirely　to　give　up　portrait　painting　and　betake　himself　to　another　branch　of　the　fine　arts。　　The　earnest　and　lively　interest　which　he　took　in　the　state　of　public　affairs；　and　the　necessity　which　then　existed　for　reforming　the　glaring　abuses　of　the　State；　led　him　to　speak　out　his　mind　freely　on　the　subject。　　Edinburgh　was　then　under　the　reign　of　the　Dundases；　and　scarcely　anybody　dared　to　mutter　his　objections　to　anything　perpetrated　by　the　〃powers　that　be。〃　　The　city　was　then　a　much　smaller　place　than　it　is　now。　　There　was　more　gossip；　and　perhaps　more　espionage；　among　the　better　classes；　who　were　few　in　number。　　At　all　events；　my　father's　frank　opinions　on　political　subjects　began　to　be　known。　　He　attended　Fox　dinners。　　He　was　intimate　with　men　of　known　reforming　views。　　All　this　was　made　the　subject　of　general　talk。　Accordingly；　my　father　received　many　hints　from　aristocratic　and　wealthy　personages；　that　〃if　this　went　on　any　longer　they　would　withdraw　from　him　their　employment。〃　　My　father　did　not　alter　his　course；　it　was　right　and　honest。　　But　he　suffered　nevertheless。　His　income　from　portrait　painting　fell　off　rapidly。

At　length　he　devoted　himself　to　landscape　painting。　　It　was　a　freer　and　more　enjoyable　life。　　Instead　of　painting　the　faces　of　those　who　were　perhaps　without　character　or　attractiveness；　he　painted　the　fresh　and　ever…beautiful　face　of　nature。　　The　field　of　his　employment　in　this　respect　was　almost　inexhaustible。　　His　artistic　talent　in　this　delightful　branch　of　art　was　in　the　highest　sense　congenial　to　his　mind　and　feelings；　and　in　course　of　time　the　results　of　his　new　field　of　occupation　proved　thoroughly　satisfactory。　　In　fact；　men　of　the　highest　rank　with　justice　entitled　him　the　〃Father　of　landscape　painting　in　Scotland。〃

＇Image＇　　No。　　47　York　Place；　Edinburgh

At　the　same　time；　when　changing　his　branch　of　art；　he　opened　a　class　in　his　own　house　forgiving　practical　instruction　in　the　art　of　landscape　painting。　　He　removed　his　house　and　studio　from　St。　James's　Square　to　No。　47　York　Place。　　There　was　at　the　upper　part　of　this　house　a　noble　and　commodious　room。　　There　he　held　his　class。　　The　house　was　his　own；　and　was　built　after　his　own　designs。　　A　splendid　prospect　was　seen　from　the　upper　windows；　and　especially　from　the　Belvidere；　which　he　had　constructed　on　the　summit　of　the　roof。　　The　view　extended　from　Stirling　in　the　west　to　the　Bass　Rock　in　the　east。　　In　fine　summer　evenings　the　sun　was　often　seen　setting　behind　Ben　Lomond　and　the　more　conspicuous　of　the　Perthshire　mountains。

My　father　did　not　confine　himself　to　landscape　painting；　or　to　the　instruction　of　his　classes。　　He　was　an　all…round　man。　　He　had　something　of　the　Universal　about　him。　　He　was　a　painter；　an　architect；　and　a　mechanic。　　Above　all；　he　possessed　a　powerful　store　of　common　sense。　Of　course；　I　am　naturally　a　partial　judge　of　my　father's　character；　but　this　I　may　say；　that　during　my　experience　of　over　seventy　years　I　have　never　known　a　more　incessantly　industrious　man。　　His　hand　and　mind　were　always　at　work　from　morn　till　night。　　During　the　time　that　he　was　losing　his　business　in　portrait　painting；　he　set　to　work　and　painted　scenery　for　the　theatres。　　The　late　David　Robertshimself　a　scene　painter　of　the　highest　charactersaid　that　his　style　was　founded　upon　that　of　Nasmyth。*　　＇footnote。。。　David　Roberts；　R；A。；　in　his　Autobiography；　gives　the　following　recollections　of　Alexander　Nasmyth：　　〃In　1819　I　commenced　my　career　as　principal　scene　painter　in　the　Theatre　Royal；　Glasgow。　　This　theatre　was　immense　in　its　size　and　appointmentsin　magnitude　exceeding　Drury　Lane　and　Covent　Garden。　The　stock　scenery　had　been　painted　by　Alexander　Nasmyth；　and　consisted　of　a　series　of　pictures　far　surpassing　anything　of　the　kind　I　had　ever　seen。　　These　included　chambers；　palaces；　streets；　landscapes；　and　forest　scenery。　　One；　I　remember　particularly；　was　the　outside　of　a　Norman　castle；　and　another　of　a　cottage　charmingly　painted；　and　of　which　I　have　a　sketch。　　But　the　act　scene；　which　was　a　view　on　the　Clyde　looking　towards　the　Highland　mountains　with　Dumbarton　Castle　in　the　middle　distance；　was　such　a　combination　of　magnificent　scenery；　so　wonderfully　painted；　that　it　excited　universal　admiration。　　These　productions　I　studied　incessantly；　and　on　them　my　style；　if　I　have　any；　was　originally　founded。〃　　。。。＇

Stanfield　was　another　of　his　friends。　　On　one　occasion　Stanfield　showed　him　his　sketch…book；　observing　that　he　wished　to　form　a　style　of　his　own。　　〃Young　man；〃　said　Nasmyth；　〃there's　but　one　style　an　artist　should　endeavour　to　attain；　and　that　is　the　style　of　nature；　the　nearer　you　can　get　to　that　the　better。〃

My　father　was　greatly　interested　in　the　architectural　beauty　of　his　native　city；　and　he　was　professionally　consulted　by　the　authorities　about　the　laying　out　of　the　streets　of　the　New　Town。　　The　subject　occupied　much　of　his　time　and　thought；　especially　when　resting　from　the　mental　fatigue　arising　from　a　long　sitting　at　the　easel。　　It　was　his　regular　practice　to　stroll　about　where　the　building　work　was　in　progress；　or　where　new　roads　were　being　laid　out；　and　carefully　watch　the　proceedings。　　This　was　probably　due　to　the　taste　which　he　had　inherited　from　his　forebearsmore　especially　from　his　father；　who　had　begun　the　buildings　of　the　New　Town。　　My　father　took　pleasure　in　modelling　any　improvement　that　occurred　to　him；　and　in　discussing　the　subject　with　the　architects　and　builders　who　were　professionally　engaged　in　the　works。　　His　admirable　knack　of　modelling　the　contour　of　the　natural　surface　of　the　ground；　and　applying　it　to　the　proposed　new　roads　or　new　buildings；　was　striking　and　characteristic。　　His　efforts　in　this　direction　were　so　thoroughly　disinterested　that　those　in　office　were　all　the　more　anxious　to　carry　out　his　views。　　He　sought　for　no　reward；　but　his　excellent　advice　was　not　unrecognised。　　In　testimony　of　the　regard　which　the　Magistrates　of　Edinburgh　had　for　his　counsel　and　services；　they　presented　him　in　1815　with　a　sum　of　#200；　together　with　a　most　complimentary　letter　acknowledging　the　value　of　his　disinterested　advice。　　It　was　addressed　to　him　under　cover；　directed　to　〃Alexander　Nasmyth；　Architect。〃

He　was；　indeed；　not　unworthy　of　the　name。　　He　was　the　architect　of　the　Dean　Bridge；　which　spans　the　deep　valley　of　the　Water　of　Leith；　north…west　of　the　New　Town。　　Sir　John　Nesbit；　the　owner　of　the　property　north　of　the　stream；　employed　my　father　to　make　a　design　for　the　extension　of　the　city　to　his　estate。　　The　result　was　the　construction　of　the　Dean　Bridge；　and　the　roads　approaching　it　from　both　sides。　The　Dean　Estate　was　thus　rendered　as　easy　and　convenient　to　reach　as　any　of　the　level　streets　of　Edinburgh。　　The　construction　of　the　bridge　was　superintended　by　the　late　James　Jardine；　C。E。　Mr　Telford　was　afterwards　called　upon　to　widen　the　bridge。　　He　threw　out　parapets　on　each　side；　but　they　did　not　improve　the　original　design。

＇Image＇　　St　Bernard's　Well

From　the　Dean　Bridge　another　of　my　father's　architectural　buildings　may　be　seen；　at　St。　Bernard's　Well。　　It　was　constructed　at　the　instance　of　his　friend　Lord　Gardenstone。　　The　design　consists　of　a　graceful　circular　temple；　built　over　a　spring　of　mineral　water；　which　issues　from　the　rock　below。　　It　was　dedicated　to　Hygeia；　the　Goddess　of　Health。　　The　whole　of　the　details　are　beautifully　finished；　and　the　basement　of　the　design　will　be　admired　by　every　true　artist。　　It　is　regarded　as　a　great