the annals of the parish-第30部分

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Some　years　before；　I　had　noted　among　the　callans　at　Mr　Lorimore's　school　a　long　soople　laddie；　who；　like　all　bairns　that　grow　fast　and　tall；　had　but　little　smeddum。　　He　could　not　be　called　a　dolt；　for　he　was　observant　and　thoughtful；　and　giving　to　asking　sagacious　questions；　but　there　was　a　sleepiness　about　him；　especially　in　the　kirk；　and　he　gave；　as　the　master　said；　but　little　application　to　his　lessons；　so　that　folk　thought　he　would　turn　out　a　sort　of　gaunt…at…　the…door；　more　mindful　of　meat　than　work。　　He　was；　however；　a　good…　natured　lad；　and；　when　I　was　taking　my　solitary　walks　of　meditation；　I　sometimes　fell　in　with　him　sitting　alone　on　the　brae　by　the　water…　side；　and　sometimes　lying　on　the　grass；　with　his　hands　under　his　head；　on　the　sunny　green　knolls　where　Mr　Cylinder；　the　English　engineer　belonging　to　the　cotton…work；　has　built　the　bonny　house　that　he　calls　Diryhill　Cottage。　　This　was　when　Colin　Mavis　was　a　laddie　at　the　school；　and　when　I　spoke　to　him；　I　was　surprised　at　the　discretion　of　his　answers；　so　that　gradually　I　began　to　think　and　say；　that　there　was　more　about　Colin　than　the　neighbours　knew。　Nothing；　however；　for　many　a　day；　came　out　to　his　advantage；　so　that　his　mother；　who　was　by　this　time　a　widow　woman；　did　not　well　know　what　to　do　with　him；　and　folk　pitied　her　heavy　handful　of　such　a　droud。

By…and…by；　however；　it　happened　that　one　of　the　young　clerks　at　the　cotton…mill　shattered　his　right…hand　thumb　by　a　gun　bursting；　and；　being　no　longer　able　to　write；　was　sent　into　the　army　to　be　an　ensign；　which　caused　a　vacancy　in　the　office；　and；　through　the　help　of　Mr　Cayenne；　I　got　Colin　Mavis　into　the　place；　where；　to　the　surprise　of　everybody；　he　proved　a　wonderful　eident　and　active　lad；　and；　from　less　to　more；　has　come　at　the　head　of　all　the　clerks；　and　deep　in　the　confidentials　of　his　employers。　　But　although　this　was　a　great　satisfaction　to　me；　and　to　the　widow　woman　his　mother；　it　somehow　was　not　so　much　so　to　the　rest　of　the　parish；　who　seemed；　as　it　were；　angry　that　poor　Colin　had　not　proved　himself　such　a　dolt　as　they　had　expected　and　foretold。

Among　other　ways　that　Colin　had　of　spending　his　leisure；　was　that　of　playing　music　on　an　instrument；　in　which　it　was　said　he　made　a　wonderful　proficiency；　but　being　long　and　thin；　and　of　a　delicate　habit　of　body；　he　was　obligated　to　refrain　from　this　recreation；　so　he　betook　himself　to　books；　and　from　reading　he　began　to　try　writing；　but；　as　this　was　done　in　a　corner；　nobody　jealoused　what　he　was　about；　till　one　evening　in　this　year　he　came　to　the　manse；　and　asked　a　word　in　private　with　me。　　I　thought　that　perhaps　he　had　fallen　in　with　a　lass；　and　was　come　to　consult　me　anent　matrimony；　but　when　we　were　by　ourselves；　in　my　study；　he　took　out　of　his　pocket　a　number　of　the　Scots　Magazine；　and　said；　〃Sir；　you　have　been　long　pleased　to　notice　me　more　than　any　other　body；　and　when　I　got　this；　I　could　not　refrain　from　bringing　it；　to　let　you　see't。　　Ye　maun　ken；　sir；　that　I　have　been　long　in　secret　given　to　trying　my　hand　at　rhyme；　and；　wishing　to　ascertain　what　others　thought　of　my　power　in　that　way；　I　sent　by　the　post　twa　three　verses　to　the　Scots　Magazine；　and　they　have　not　only　inserted　them；　but　placed　them　in　the　body　of　the　book；　in　such　a　way　that　I　kenna　what　to　think。〃　　So　I　looked　at　the　Magazine；　and　read　his　verses；　which　were　certainly　very　well…made　verses　for　one　who　had　no　regular　education。　　But　I　said　to　him；　as　the　Greenock　magistrates　said　to　John　Wilson；　the　author　of　〃Clyde；〃　when　they　stipulated　with　him　to　give　up　the　art；　that　poem…making　was　a　profane　and　unprofitable　trade；　and　he　would　do　well　to　turn　his　talent　to　something　of　more　solidity；　which　he　promised　to　do；　but　he　has　since　put　out　a　book；　whereby　he　has　angered　all　those　that　had　foretold　he　would　be　a　do…nae…gude。　　Thus　has　our　parish　walked　sidy　for　sidy　with　all　the　national　improvements；　having　an　author　of　its　own；　and　getting　a　literary　character　in　the　ancient　and　famous　republic　of　letters。



CHAPTER　XLIII　　YEAR　1802



〃Experience　teaches　fools；〃　was　the　first　moral　apothegm　that　I　wrote　in　small　text；　when　learning　to　write　at　the　school；　and　I　have　ever　since　thought　it　was　a　very　sensible　reflection。　　For　assuredly；　as　year　after　year　has　flown　away　on　the　swift　wings　of　time；　I　have　found　my　experience　mellowing；　and　my　discernment　improving；　by　which　I　have；　in　the　afternoon　of　life；　been　enabled　to　foresee　what　kings　and　nations　would　do；　by　the　symptoms　manifested　within　the　bounds　of　the　society　around　me。　　Therefore；　at　the　beginning　of　the　spring　in　this　Ann。　Dom。；　I　had　misgivings　at　the　heart；　a　fluttering　in　my　thoughts；　and　altogether　a　strange　uneasiness　as　to　the　stability　of　the　peace　and　harmony　that　was　supposed　to　be　founded　upon　a　steadfast　foundation　between　us　and　the　French　people。　　What　my　fears　principally　took　their　rise　from；　was　a　sort　of　compliancy；　on　the　part　of　those　in　power　and　authority；　to　cultivate　the　old　relations　and　parts　between　them　and　the　commonalty。　　It　did　not　appear　to　me　that　this　proceeded　from　any　known　or　decided　event；　for　I　read　the　papers　at　this　period　daily；　but　from　some　general　dread　and　fear；　that　was　begotten；　like　a　vapour　out　of　the　fermentation　of　all　sorts　of　opinions；　most　people　of　any　sagacity　thinking　that　the　state　of　things　in　France　being　so　much　of　an　antic；　poetical；　and　playactor…like　guise；　that　it　would　never　obtain　that　respect；　far　less　that　reverence　from　the　world；　which　is　necessary　to　the　maintenance　of　all　beneficial　government。　　The　consequence　of　this　was　a　great　distrust　between　man　and　man；　and　an　aching　restlessness　among　those　who　had　their　bread　to　bake　in　the　world；　persons　possessing　the　power　to　provide　for　their　kindred；　forcing　them；　as　it　were；　down　the　throats　of　those　who　were　dependent　on　them　in　business；　a　bitter　morsel。

But　the　pith　of　these　remarks　chiefly　applies　to　the　manufacturing　concerns　of　the　new　town　of　Cayenneville；　for　in　the　clachan　we　lived　in　the　lea　of　the　dike；　and　were　more　taken　up　with　our　own　natural　rural　affairs；　and　the　markets　for　victual；　than　the　craft　of　merchandise。　　The　only　man　interested　in　business；　who　walked　in　a　steady　manner　at　his　old　pace；　though　he　sometimes　was　seen；　being　of　a　spunkie　temper；　grinding　the　teeth　of　vexation；　was　Mr　Cayenne　himself。

One　day；　however；　he　came　to　me　at　the　manse。　　〃Doctor；〃　says　he；　for　so　he　always　called　me；　〃I　want　your　advice。　　I　never　choose　to　trouble　others　with　my　private　affairs；　but　there　are　times　when　the　word　of　an　honest　man　may　do　good。　　I　need　not　tell　you；　that　when　I　declared　myself　a　Royalist　in　America；　it　was　at　a　considerable　sacrifice。　　I　have；　however；　nothing　to　complain　of　against　government　on　that　score；　but　I　think　it　damn'd　hard　that　those　personal　connexions；　whose　interests　I　preserved　to　the　detriment　of　my　own；　should　in　my　old　age　make　such　an　ungrateful　return。　　By　the　steps　I　took　prior　to　quitting　America；　I　saved　the　property　of　a　great　mercantile　concern　in　London。　　In　return　for　that；　they　took　a　share　with　me；　and　for　me；　in　the　cotton…mill；　and　being　here　on　the　spot；　as　manager；　I　have　both　made　and　saved　them　money。　　I　have；　no　doubt；　bettered　my　own　fortune　in　the　mean　time。　　Would　you　believe　it；　doctor；　they　have　written　a　letter　to　me；　saying　that　they　wish　to　provide　for　a　relation；　and　requiring　me　to　give　up　to　him　a　portion　of　my　share　in　the　concerna　pretty　sort　of　providing　this；　at　another　man's　expense！　　But　I'll　be　damn'd　if　I　do　any　such　thing！　　If　they　want　to　provide　for　their　friend；　let　them　do　so　from　themselves；　and　not　at　my　costWhat　is　your　opinion？〃

This　appeared　to　me　a　very　weighty　concern；　and；　not　being　versed　in　mercantile　dealing；　I　did　not　well　know　what　to　say；　but　I　reflected　for　some　time；　and　then　I　replied；　〃As　far；　Mr　Cayenne；　as　my　observation　has　gone　in　this　world；　I　think　that　the　giffs　and　the　gaffs　nearly　balance　one　another；　and　when　they　do　not；　there　is　a　moral　defect　on　the　failing　side。　　If　a　man　long　gives　his　labour　to　his　employer；　and　is　paid　for　that　labour；　it　might　be　said　that　both　are　equal；　but　I　say　no。　　For　it's　in　human　nature　to　be　prompt　to　change；　and　the　employer；　having　always　more　in　his　power　than　his　servant　or　agent；　it　seems　to　me　a　clear　case；　that　in　the　course　of　a　number　of　years；　the　master　of　the　old　servant　is　the　obligated　of　the　two；　and　therefore　I　say；　in　the　first　place；　in　your　case　there　is　no　tie　or　claim；　by　which　you　may；　in　a　moral　sense；　be　called　upon　to　submit　to　the　dictates　of　your　London　correspondents；　but　there　is　a　reason；　in　the　nature　of　the　thing　and　case；　by　which　you　may　ask　a　favour　from　themSo；　the　advice　I　would　give　you　would　be　this：　　write　an　answer　to　their　letter；　and　tell　them　that　you　have　no　objection　to　the　taking　in　of　a　new　partner；　but　you　think　it　would　be　proper　to　revise　all　the　copartnery；　especially　as　you　have；　considering　the　manner　in　which　you　have　advanced　the　business；　been　of　opinion；　that　your　share　should　be　considerably　enlarged。〃

I　thought　Mr　Cayenne　would　have　louped　out　of　his　skin　with　mirth　at　this　notion；　and；　being　a　prompt　man；　he　sat　down　at　my　scrutoire；　and　answered　the　letter　which　gave　him　so　much　uneasiness。　　No　notice　was　taken　of　it　for　some　time；　but　in　the　course　of　a　month　he　was　informed；　that　it　was　not　considered　expedient　at　that　time　to　make　any　change　in　the　company。　　I　thought　the　old　man　was　gone　by　himself　when　he　got　this　letter。　　He　came　over　instantly　in　his　chariot；　from　the　cotton…mill　office　to　the　manse；　and　swore　an　oath；　by　some　dreadful　name；　that　I　was　a　Solomon。　　However；　I　only　mention　this　to　show　how　experience　had　instructed　me；　and　as　a　sample　of　that　sinister　provisioning　of　friends　that　was　going　on　in　the　world　at　this　timeall　owing；　as　I　do　verily　believe；　to　the　uncertain　state　of　governments　and　national　affairs。

Besides　these　generalities；　I　observed　another　thing　working　to　effectmankind　read　more；　and　the　spirit　of　reflection　and　reasoning　was　more　awake　than　at　any　time　within　my　remembrance。　Not　only　was　there　a　handsome　bookseller's　shop　in　Cayenneville；　with　a　London　newspaper　daily；　but　magazines；　and　reviews；　and　other　new　publications。

Till　thi