the annals of the parish-第23部分

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le　that　old　time…honoured　functionary；　as　she　herself　called　it；　the　spinning…wheel；　proving；　as　she　did　one　night　to　Mr　Kibbock　and　me；　that；　if　more　money　could　be　made　by　a　woman　tambouring　than　by　spinning；　it　was　better　for　her　to　tambour　than　to　spin。

But；　in　the　midst　of　all　this　commercing　and　manufacturing；　I　began　to　discover　signs　of　decay　in　the　wonted　simplicity　of　our　country　ways。　　Among　the　cotton…spinners　and　muslin　weavers　of　Cayenneville　were　several　unsatisfied　and　ambitious　spirits；　who　clubbed　together；　and　got　a　London　newspaper　to　the　Cross…Keys；　where　they　were　nightly　in　the　habit　of　meeting　and　debating　about　the　affairs　of　the　French；　which　were　then　gathering　towards　a　head。　　They　were　represented　to　me　as　lads　by　common　in　capacity；　but　with　unsettled　notions　of　religion。　　They　were；　however；　quiet　and　orderly；　and　some　of　them　since；　at　Glasgow；　Paisley；　and　Manchester；　even；　I　am　told；　in　London；　have　grown　into　a　topping　way。

It　seems　they　did　not　like　my　manner　of　preaching；　and　on　that　account　absented　themselves　from　public　worship；　which；　when　I　heard；　I　sent　for　some　of　them；　to　convince　them　of　their　error　with　regard　to　the　truth　of　divers　points　of　doctrine；　but　they　confounded　me　with　their　objections；　and　used　my　arguments；　which　were　the　old　and　orthodox　proven　opinions　of　the　Divinity　Hall；　as　if　they　had　been　the　light　sayings　of　a　vain　man。　　So　that　I　was　troubled；　fearing　that　some　change　would　ensue　to　my　people；　who　had　hitherto　lived　amidst　the　boughs　and　branches　of　the　gospel　unmolested　by　the　fowler's　snare；　and　I　set　myself　to　watch　narrowly；　and　with　a　vigilant　eye；　what　would　come　to　pass。

There　was　a　visible　increase　among　us　of　worldly　prosperity　in　the　course　of　this　year；　insomuch　that　some　of　the　farmers；　who　were　in　the　custom　of　taking　their　vendibles　to　the　neighbouring　towns　on　the　Tuesdays；　the　Wednesdays；　and　Fridays；　were　led　to　open　a　market　on　the　Saturdays　in　our　own　clachan；　the　which　proved　a　great　convenience。　　But　I　cannot　take　it　upon　me　to　say；　whether　this　can　be　said　to　have　well　begun　in　the　present　Ann。　Dom。；　although　I　know　that　in　the　summer　of　the　ensuing　year　it　was　grown　into　a　settled　custom；　which　I　well　recollect　by　the　Macadams　coming　with　their　bairns　to　see　Mrs　Malcolm；　their　mother；　suddenly　on　a　Saturday　afternoon；　on　which　occasion　me　and　Mrs　Balwhidder　were　invited　to　dine　with　them；　and　Mrs　Malcolm　bought　in　the　market　for　the　dinner　that　day；　both　mutton　and　fowls；　such　as　twenty　years　before　could　not　have　been　got　for　love　or　money　on　such　a　pinch。　　Besides；　she　had　two　bottles　of　red　and　white　wine　from　the　Cross…Keys；　luxuries　which；　saving　in　the　Breadland　House　in　its　best　days；　could　not　have　been　had　in　the　whole　parish；　but　must　have　been　brought　from　a　borough　town；　for　Eaglesham　Castle　is　not　within　the　bounds　of　Dalmailing；　and　my　observe　does　not　apply　to　the　stock　and　stores　of　that　honourable　mansion；　but　only　to　the　dwellings　of　our　own　heritors；　who　were　in　general　straitened　in　their　circumstances；　partly　with　upsetting；　and　partly　by　the　eating　rust　of　family　pride；　which　hurt　the　edge　of　many　a　clever　fellow　among　them；　that　would　have　done　well　in　the　way　of　trade；　but　sunk　into　divors　for　the　sake　of　their　genteelity。



CHAPTER　XXX　　YEAR　1789



This　I　have　always　reflected　upon　as　one　of　our　blessed　years。　　It　was　not　remarkable　for　any　extraordinary　occurrence；　but　there　was　a　hopefulness　in　the　minds　of　men；　and　a　planning　of　new　undertakings；　of　which；　whatever　may　be　the　upshot；　the　devising　is　ever　rich　in　the　cheerful　anticipations　of　good。

Another　new　line　of　road　was　planned；　for　a　shorter　cut　to　the　cotton…mill；　from　the　main　road　to　Glasgow；　and　a　public…house　was　opened　in　Cayenneville：　　the　latter；　however；　was　not　an　event　that　gave　me　much　satisfaction；　but　it　was　a　convenience　to　the　inhabitants；　and　the　carriers　that　brought　the　cotton…bags　and　took　away　the　yarn　twice　a…week；　needed　a　place　of　refreshment。　　And　there　was　a　stage…coach　set　up　thrice　every　week　from　Ayr；　that　passed　through　the　town；　by　which　it　was　possible　to　travel　to　Glasgow　between　breakfast　and　dinner　time；　a　thing　that　could　not；　when　I　came　to　the　parish；　have　been　thought　within　the　compass　of　man。

This　stage…coach　I　thought　one　of　the　greatest　conveniences　that　had　been　established　among　us；　and　it　enabled　Mrs　Balwhidder　to　send　a　basket　of　her　fresh　butter　into　the　Glasgow　market；　by　which；　in　the　spring　and　the　fall　of　the　year；　she　got　a　great　price；　for　the　Glasgow　merchants　are　fond　of　excellent　eatables；　and　the　payment　was　aye　ready　moneyTam　Whirlit　the　driver　paying　for　the　one　basket　when　he　took　up　the　other。

In　this　year　William　Malcolm；　the　youngest　son　of　the　widow；　having　been　some　time　a　tutor　in　a　family　in　the　east　country；　came　to　see　his　mother；　as　indeed　he　had　done　every　year　from　the　time　he　went　to　the　college；　but　this　occasion　was　made　remarkable　by　his　preaching　in　my　pulpit。　　His　old　acquaintance　were　curious　to　hear　him；　and　I　myself　had　a　sort　of　a　wish　likewise；　being　desirous　to　know　how　far　he　was　orthodox；　so　I　thought　fit；　on　the　suggestion　of　one　of　the　elders；　to　ask　him　to　preach　one　day　for　me；　which；　after　some　fleeching；　he　consented　to　do。　　I　think；　however；　there　was　a　true　modesty　in　his　diffidence；　although　his　reason　was　a　weak　one；　being　lest　he　might　not　satisfy　his　mother；　who　had　as　yet　never　heard　him。　　Accordingly；　on　the　Sabbath　after；　he　did　preach；　and　the　kirk　was　well　packed；　and　I　was　not　one　of　the　least　attentive　of　the　congregation。　　His　sermon　assuredly　was　well　put　together　and　there　was　nothing　to　object　to　in　his　doctrine；　but　the　elderly　people　thought　his　language　rather　too　Englified；　which　I　thought　likewise；　for　I　never　could　abide　that　the　plain　auld　Kirk　of　Scotland；　with　her　sober　presbyterian　simplicity；　should　borrow；　either　in　word　or　in　deed；　from　the　language　of　the　prelatic　hierarchy　of　England。　　Nevertheless；　the　younger　part　of　the　congregation　were　loud　in　his　praise；　saying；　there　had　not　been　heard　before　such　a　style　of　language　in　our　side　of　the　country。　As　for　Mrs　Malcolm；　his　mother；　when　I　spoke　to　her　anent　the　same；　she　said　but　little；　expressing　only　her　hope　that　his　example　would　be　worthy　of　his　precepts；　so　that；　upon　the　whole；　it　was　a　satisfaction　to　us　all；　that　he　was　likely　to　prove　a　stoop　and　upholding　pillar　to　the　Kirk　of　Scotland。　　And　his　mother　had　the　satisfaction；　before　she　died；　to　see　him　a　placed　minister；　and　his　name　among　the　authors　of　his　country；　for　he　published　at　Edinburgh　a　volume　of　Moral　Essays；　of　which　he　sent　me　a　pretty　bound　copy；　and　they　were　greatly　creditable　to　his　pen；　though　lacking　somewhat　of　that　birr　and　smeddum　that　is　the　juice　and　flavour　of　books　of　that　sort。



CHAPTER　XXXI　　YEAR　1790



The　features　of　this　Ann。　Dom。　partook　of　the　character　of　its　predecessor。　　Several　new　houses　were　added　to　the　clachan；　Cayenneville　was　spreading　out　with　weavers'　shops；　and　growing　up　fast　into　a　town。　　In　some　respects　it　got　the　start　of　ours；　for　one　day；　when　I　was　going　to　dine　with　Mr　Cayenne　at　Wheatrig　House；　not　a　little　to　my　amazement；　did　I　behold　a　bookseller's　shop　opened　there；　with　sticks　of　red　and　black　wax；　pouncet…boxes；　pens；　pocket…books；　and　new　publications；　in　the　window；　such　as　the　like　of　was　only　to　be　seen　in　cities　and　borough　towns。　　And　it　was　lighted　at　night　by　a　patent　lamp；　which　shed　a　wonderful　beam；　burning　oil；　and　having　no　smoke。　　The　man　sold　likewise　perfumery；　powder…puffs；　trinkets；　and　Dublin　dolls；　besides　penknives；　Castile　soap；　and　walking…sticks；　together　with　a　prodigy　of　other　luxuries　too　tedious　to　mention。

Upon　conversing　with　the　man；　for　I　was　enchanted　to　go　into　this　phenomenon；　for　as　no　less　could　I　regard　it；　he　told　me　that　he　had　a　correspondence　with　London；　and　could　get　me　down　any　book　published　there　within　the　same　month　in　which　it　came　out；　and　he　showed　me　divers　of　the　newest　come　out；　of　which　I　did　not　read　even　in　the　Scots　Magazine　till　more　than　three　months　after；　although　I　had　till　then　always　considered　that　work　as　most　interesting　for　its　early　intelligence。　　But　what　I　was　most　surprised　to　hear；　was；　that　he　took　in　a　daily　London　newspaper　for　the　spinners　and　weavers；　who　paid　him　a　penny　a…week　a…piece　for　the　same；　they　being　all　greatly　taken　up　with　what；　at　the　time；　was　going　on　in　France。

This　bookseller　in　the　end；　however；　proved　a　whawp　in　our　nest；　for　he　was　in　league　with　some　of　the　English　reformers；　and　when　the　story　took　wind　three　years　after；　concerning　the　plots　and　treasons　of　the　corresponding　societies　and　democrats；　he　was　fain　to　make　a　moonlight　flitting；　leaving　his　wife　for　a　time　to　manage　his　affairs。　　I　could　not；　however；　think　any　ill　of　the　man　notwithstanding；　for　he　had　very　correct　notions　of　right　and　justice；　in　a　political　sense；　and　when　he　came　into　the　parish　he　was　as　orderly　and　well…behaved　as　any　other　body；　and　conduct　is　a　test　that　I　have　always　found　as　good　for　a　man's　principles　as　professions。　　Nor；　at　the　time　of　which　I　am　speaking；　was　there　any　of　that　dread　or　fear　of　reforming　the　government　that　has　since　been　occasioned　by　the　wild　and　wasteful　hand　which　the　French　employed　in　their　revolution。

But；　among　other　improvements；　I　should　mention　that　a　Doctor　Marigold　came　and　settled　in　Cayenneville；　a　small；　round；　happy…　tempered　man；　whose　funny　stories　were　far　better　liked　than　his　drugs。　　There　was　a　doubt　among　some　of　the　weavers　if　he　was　a　skilful　Esculapian；　and　this　doubt　led　to　their　holding　out　an　inducement　to　another　medical　man；　Dr。　Tanzey；　to　settle　there　likewise；　by　which　it　grew　into　a　saying；　that　at　Cayenneville　there　was　a　doctor　for　health　as　well　as　sickness；　for　Dr。　Marigold　was　one　of　the　best　hands　in　the　country　at　a　pleasant　punch…bowl；　while　Dr。　Tanzey　had　all　the　requisite　knowledge　for　the　faculty　for　the　bedside。

It　was　in　this　year　that　the　hour…plate　and　hand　on　the　kirk　steeple　were　renewed；　as　indeed；　may　yet　be　seen　by　the　date；　though　it　be　again　greatly　in　want　of　fresh　gilding；　for　it　was　by　my　advice　that　the　figures　of　the　Ann。　Dom。　were　placed　one　in　eac