a journey to-第3章

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author　of　the　fictions；　is　a　fault　for　which　no　apology　can　be
made；　but　his　credulity　may　be　excused　in　an　age；　when　all　men　were
credulous。　　Learning　was　then　rising　on　the　world；　but　ages　so　long
accustomed　to　darkness；　were　too　much　dazzled　with　its　light　to　see
any　thing　distinctly。　　The　first　race　of　scholars；　in　the　fifteenth
century；　and　some　time　after；　were；　for　the　most　part；　learning　to
speak；　rather　than　to　think；　and　were　therefore　more　studious　of
elegance　than　of　truth。　　The　contemporaries　of　Boethius　thought　it
sufficient　to　know　what　the　ancients　had　delivered。　　The
examination　of　tenets　and　of　facts　was　reserved　for　another
generation。


Boethius；　as　president　of　the　university；　enjoyed　a　revenue　of
forty　Scottish　marks；　about　two　pounds　four　shillings　and　sixpence
of　sterling　money。　　In　the　present　age　of　trade　and　taxes；　it　is
difficult　even　for　the　imagination　so　to　raise　the　value　of　money；
or　so　to　diminish　the　demands　of　life；　as　to　suppose　four　and　forty
shillings　a　year；　an　honourable　stipend；　yet　it　was　probably　equal；
not　only　to　the　needs；　but　to　the　rank　of　Boethius。　　The　wealth　of
England　was　undoubtedly　to　that　of　Scotland　more　than　five　to　one；
and　it　is　known　that　Henry　the　eighth；　among　whose　faults　avarice
was　never　reckoned；　granted　to　Roger　Ascham；　as　a　reward　of　his
learning；　a　pension　of　ten　pounds　a　year。

The　other；　called　the　Marischal　College；　is　in　the　new　town。　　The
hall　is　large　and　well　lighted。　　One　of　its　ornaments　is　the
picture　of　Arthur　Johnston；　who　was　principal　of　the　college；　and
who　holds　among　the　Latin　poets　of　Scotland　the　next　place　to　the
elegant　Buchanan。

In　the　library　I　was　shewn　some　curiosities；　a　Hebrew　manuscript　of
exquisite　penmanship；　and　a　Latin　translation　of　Aristotle's
Politicks　by　Leonardus　Aretinus；　written　in　the　Roman　character
with　nicety　and　beauty；　which；　as　the　art　of　printing　has　made　them
no　longer　necessary；　are　not　now　to　be　found。　　This　was　one　of　the
latest　performances　of　the　transcribers；　for　Aretinus　died　but
about　twenty　years　before　typography　was　invented。　　This　version
has　been　printed；　and　may　be　found　in　libraries；　but　is　little
read；　for　the　same　books　have　been　since　translated　both　by
Victorius　and　Lambinus；　who　lived　in　an　age　more　cultivated；　but
perhaps　owed　in　part　to　Aretinus　that　they　were　able　to　excel　him。
Much　is　due　to　those　who　first　broke　the　way　to　knowledge；　and　left
only　to　their　successors　the　task　of　smoothing　it。

In　both　these　colleges　the　methods　of　instruction　are　nearly　the
same；　the　lectures　differing　only　by　the　accidental　difference　of
diligence；　or　ability　in　the　professors。　　The　students　wear　scarlet
gowns　and　the　professors　black；　which　is；　I　believe；　the　academical
dress　in　all　the　Scottish　universities；　except　that　of　Edinburgh；
where　the　scholars　are　not　distinguished　by　any　particular　habit。
In　the　King's　College　there　is　kept　a　public　table；　but　the
scholars　of　the　Marischal　College　are　boarded　in　the　town。　　The
expence　of　living　is　here；　according　to　the　information　that　I
could　obtain；　somewhat　more　than　at　St。　Andrews。

The　course　of　education　is　extended　to　four　years；　at　the　end　of
which　those　who　take　a　degree；　who　are　not　many；　become　masters　of
arts；　and　whoever　is　a　master　may；　if　he　pleases；　immediately
commence　doctor。　　The　title　of　doctor；　however；　was　for　a
considerable　time　bestowed　only　on　physicians。　　The　advocates　are
examined　and　approved　by　their　own　body；　the　ministers　were　not
ambitious　of　titles；　or　were　afraid　of　being　censured　for　ambition；
and　the　doctorate　in　every　faculty　was　commonly　given　or　sold　into
other　countries。　　The　ministers　are　now　reconciled　to　distinction；
and　as　it　must　always　happen　that　some　will　excel　others；　have
thought　graduation　a　proper　testimony　of　uncommon　abilities　or
acquisitions。

The　indiscriminate　collation　of　degrees　has　justly　taken　away　that
respect　which　they　originally　claimed　as　stamps；　by　which　the
literary　value　of　men　so　distinguished　was　authoritatively　denoted。
That　academical　honours；　or　any　others　should　be　conferred　with
exact　proportion　to　merit；　is　more　than　human　judgment　or　human
integrity　have　given　reason　to　expect。　　Perhaps　degrees　in
universities　cannot　be　better　adjusted　by　any　general　rule　than　by
the　length　of　time　passed　in　the　public　profession　of　learning。　　An
English　or　Irish　doctorate　cannot　be　obtained　by　a　very　young　man；
and　it　is　reasonable　to　suppose；　what　is　likewise　by　experience
commonly　found　true；　that　he　who　is　by　age　qualified　to　be　a
doctor；　has　in　so　much　time　gained　learning　sufficient　not　to
disgrace　the　title；　or　wit　sufficient　not　to　desire　it。

The　Scotch　universities　hold　but　one　term　or　session　in　the　year。
That　of　St。　Andrews　continues　eight　months；　that　of　Aberdeen　only
five；　from　the　first　of　November　to　the　first　of　April。

In　Aberdeen　there　is　an　English　Chapel；　in　which　the　congregation
was　numerous　and　splendid。　　The　form　of　public　worship　used　by　the
church　of　England　is　in　Scotland　legally　practised　in　licensed
chapels　served　by　clergymen　of　English　or　Irish　ordination；　and　by
tacit　connivance　quietly　permitted　in　separate　congregations
supplied　with　ministers　by　the　successors　of　the　bishops　who　were
deprived　at　the　Revolution。

We　came　to　Aberdeen　on　Saturday　August　21。　　On　Monday　we　were
invited　into　the　town…hall；　where　I　had　the　freedom　of　the　city
given　me　by　the　Lord　Provost。　　The　honour　conferred　had　all　the
decorations　that　politeness　could　add；　and　what　I　am　afraid　I
should　not　have　had　to　say　of　any　city　south　of　the　Tweed；　I　found
no　petty　officer　bowing　for　a　fee。

The　parchment　containing　the　record　of　admission　is；　with　the　seal
appending；　fastened　to　a　riband　and　worn　for　one　day　by　the　new
citizen　in　his　hat。

By　a　lady　who　saw　us　at　the　chapel；　the　Earl　of　Errol　was　informed
of　our　arrival；　and　we　had　the　honour　of　an　invitation　to　his　seat；
called　Slanes　Castle；　as　I　am　told；　improperly；　from　the　castle　of
that　name；　which　once　stood　at　a　place　not　far　distant。

The　road　beyond　Aberdeen　grew　more　stony；　and　continued　equally
naked　of　all　vegetable　decoration。　　We　travelled　over　a　tract　of
ground　near　the　sea；　which；　not　long　ago；　suffered　a　very　uncommon；
and　unexpected　calamity。　　The　sand　of　the　shore　was　raised　by　a
tempest　in　such　quantities；　and　carried　to　such　a　distance；　that　an
estate　was　overwhelmed　and　lost。　　Such　and　so　hopeless　was　the
barrenness　superinduced；　that　the　owner；　when　he　was　required　to
pay　the　usual　tax；　desired　rather　to　resign　the　ground。



SLANES　CASTLE；　THE　BULLER　OF　BUCHAN



We　came　in　the　afternoon　to　Slanes　Castle；　built　upon　the　margin　of
the　sea；　so　that　the　walls　of　one　of　the　towers　seem　only　a
continuation　of　a　perpendicular　rock；　the　foot　of　which　is　beaten
by　the　waves。　　To　walk　round　the　house　seemed　impracticable。　　From
the　windows　the　eye　wanders　over　the　sea　that　separates　Scotland
from　Norway；　and　when　the　winds　beat　with　violence　must　enjoy　all
the　terrifick　grandeur　of　the　tempestuous　ocean。　　I　would　not　for
my　amusement　wish　for　a　storm；　but　as　storms；　whether　wished　or
not；　will　sometimes　happen；　I　may　say；　without　violation　of
humanity；　that　I　should　willingly　look　out　upon　them　from　Slanes
Castle。

When　we　were　about　to　take　our　leave；　our　departure　was　prohibited
by　the　countess　till　we　should　have　seen　two　places　upon　the　coast；
which　she　rightly　considered　as　worthy　of　curiosity；　Dun　Buy；　and
the　Buller　of　Buchan；　to　which　Mr。　Boyd　very　kindly　conducted　us。

Dun　Buy；　which　in　Erse　is　said　to　signify　the　Yellow　Rock；　is　a
double　protuberance　of　stone；　open　to　the　main　sea　on　one　side；　and
parted　from　the　land　by　a　very　narrow　channel　on　the　other。　　It　has
its　name　and　its　colour　from　the　dung　of　innumerable　sea…fowls；
which　in　the　Spring　chuse　this　place　as　convenient　for　incubation；
and　have　their　eggs　and　their　young　taken　in　great　abundance。　　One
of　the　birds　that　frequent　this　rock　has；　as　we　were　told；　its　body
not　larger　than　a　duck's；　and　yet　lays　eggs　as　large　as　those　of　a
goose。　　This　bird　is　by　the　inhabitants　named　a　Coot。　　That　which
is　called　Coot　in　England；　is　here　a　Cooter。

Upon　these　rocks　there　was　nothing　that　could　long　detain
attention；　and　we　soon　turned　our　eyes　to　the　Buller；　or　Bouilloir
of　Buchan；　which　no　man　can　see　with　indifference；　who　has　either
sense　of　danger　or　delight　in　rarity。　　It　is　a　rock　perpendicularly
tubulated；　united　on　one　side　with　a　high　shore；　and　on　the　other
rising　steep　to　a　great　height；　above　the　main　sea。　　The　top　is
open；　from　which　may　be　seen　a　dark　gulf　of　water　which　flows　into
the　cavity；　through　a　breach　made　in　the　lower　part　of　the
inclosing　rock。　　It　has　the　appearance　of　a　vast　well　bordered　with
a　wall。　　The　edge　of　the　Buller　is　not　wide；　and　to　those　that　walk
round；　appears　very　narrow。　　He　that　ventures　to　look　downward
sees；　that　if　his　foot　should　slip；　he　must　fall　from　his　dreadful
elevation　upon　stones　on　one　side；　or　into　water　on　the　other。　　We
however　went　round；　and　were　glad　when　the　circuit　was　completed。

When　we　came　down　to　the　sea；　we　saw　some　boats；　and　rowers；　and
resolved　to　explore　the　Buller　at　the　bottom。　　We　entered　the　arch；
which　the　water　had　made；　and　found　ourselves　in　a　place；　which；
though　we　could　not　think　ourselves　in　danger；　we　could　scarcely
survey　without　some　recoil　of　the　mind。　　The　bason　in　which　we
floated　was　nearly　circular；　perhaps　thirty　yards　in　diameter。　　We
were　inclosed　by　a　natural　wall；　rising　steep　on　every　side　to　a
height　which　produced　the　idea　of　insurmountable　confinement。　　The
interception　of　all　lateral　light　caused　a　dismal　gloom。　　Round　us
was　a　perpendicular　rock；　above　us　the　distant　sky；　and　below　an
unknown　profundity　of　water。　　If　I　had　any　malice　against　a　walking
spirit；　instead　of　laying　him　in　the　Red…sea；　I　would　condemn　him
to　reside　in　the　Buller　of　Buchan。

But　terrour　without　danger　is　only　one　of　the　sports　of　fancy；　a
voluntary　agitation　of　the　mind　that　is　permitted　no　longer　than　it
pleases。　　We　were　soon　at　leisure　to　examine　the　place　with　minute
inspection；　and　found　many　cavities　which；　as　the　waterman　told　us；
went　backward　to　a　depth　which　they　had　never　explored。　　Their
extent　we　had　not　time　to　try；　they　are　said　to　serve　different
purposes。　　Ladies　come　hither　sometimes　in　the　summer　with
collations；　and　smugglers　make　them　storehouses　for　clandestine
merchandise。　　It　is　hardly　to　be　doubted　but　the　pirates　of　ancient
times　often　used　them　as　magazines　of　arms；　or　repositories　of
plunder。

To　the　little　vessels　used　by　the　northern　rovers；　the　Buller　may
have　served　as　a　shelter　from　storms；　and　perhaps　as　a　retreat　from
enemies；　the　entrance　might　have　been　stopped；　or　guarded　with
little　difficulty；　and　though　the　vessels　that　were　stationed
within　would　have　been　battered　with　stones　showered　on　them　from
above；　yet　the　crews　would　have　lain　safe　in　the　caverns。

Next　morning　we　continued　our　journey；　pleased　with　our　reception
at　Slanes　Castle；　of　which　we　had　now　leisure　to　recount　the
grandeur　and　the　elegance；　for　our　way　afforded　us　few　topics　of
conversation。