the annals of the parish-第32部分

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ts　that　had　ever　been　seen　in　our　country　side。　It　weighed　as　much　as　a　well…fed　calf；　and　had　three　kinds　of　meat　in　its　body；　fish；　flesh；　and　fowl；　and　it　had　four　water…wings；　for　they　could　not　be　properly　called　fins；　but　what　was　little　short　of　a　miracle　about　the　creature；　happened　after　the　head　was　cutted　off；　when；　if　a　finger　was　offered　to　it；　it　would　open　its　mouth　and　snap　at　it；　and　all　this　after　the　carcass　was　divided　for　dressing。

Mr　Cayenne　made　a　feast　on　the　occasion　to　many　of　the　neighbouring　gentry；　to　the　which　I　was　invited；　and　we　drank　lime…punch　as　we　ate　the　turtle；　which；　as　I　understand；　is　the　fashion　in　practice　among　the　Glasgow　West　Indy　merchants；　who　are　famed　as　great　hands　with　turtles　and　lime…punch。　　But　it　is　a　sort　of　food　that　I　should　not　like　to　fare　long　upon。　　I　was　not　right　the　next　day；　and　I　have　heard　it　said；　that　when　eaten　too　often；　it　has　a　tendency　to　harden　the　heart　and　make　it　crave　for　greater　luxuries。

But　the　story　of　the　turtle　is　nothing　to　that　of　the　Mass；　which；　with　all　its　mummeries　and　abominations；　was　brought　into　Cayenneville　by　an　Irish　priest　of　the　name　of　Father　O'Grady；　who　was　confessor　to　some　of　the　poor　deluded　Irish　labourers　about　the　new　houses　and　the　cotton…mill。　　How　he　had　the　impudence　to　set　up　that　memento　of　Satan；　the　crucifix；　within　my　parish　and　jurisdiction；　was　what　I　never　could　get　to　the　bottom　of；　but　the　soul　was　shaken　within　me；　when；　on　the　Monday　after；　one　of　the　elders　came　to　the　manse；　and　told　me　that　the　old　dragon　of　Popery；　with　its　seven　heads　and　ten　horns；　had　been　triumphing　in　Cayenneville　on　the　foregoing　Lord's　day！　　I　lost　no　time　in　convening　the　session　to　see　what　was　to　be　done；　much；　however；　to　my　surprise；　the　elders　recommended　no　step　to　be　taken；　but　only　a　zealous　endeavour　to　greater　Christian　excellence　on　our　part；　by　which　we　should　put　the　beast　and　his　worshippers　to　shame　and　flight。　　I　am　free　to　confess；　that；　at　the　time；　I　did　not　think　this　the　wisest　counsel　which　they　might　have　given；　for；　in　the　heat　of　my　alarm；　I　was　for　attacking　the　enemy　in　his　camp。　　But　they　prudently　observed；　that　the　days　of　religious　persecution　were　past；　and　it　was　a　comfort　to　see　mankind　cherishing　any　sense　of　religion　at　all；　after　the　vehement　infidelity　that　had　been　sent　abroad　by　the　French　Republicans；　and　to　this　opinion；　now　that　I　have　had　years　to　sift　its　wisdom；　I　own　myself　a　convert　and　proselyte。

Fortunately；　however；　for　my　peace　of　mind；　there　proved　to　be　but　five　Roman　Catholics　in　Cayenneville；　and　Father　O'Grady　not　being　able　to　make　a　living　there；　packed　up　his　Virgin　Marys；　saints；　and　painted　Agneses　in　a　portmanteau；　and　went　off　in　the　Ayr　fly　one　morning　for　Glasgow；　where　I　hear　he　has　since　met　with　all　the　encouragement　that　might　be　expected　from　the　ignorant　and　idolatrous　inhabitants　of　that　great　city。

Scarcely　were　we　well　rid　of　Father　O'Grady；　when　another　interloper　entered　the　parish。　　He　was　more　dangerous；　in　the　opinion　of　the　session；　than　even　the　Pope　of　Rome　himself；　for　he　came　to　teach　the　flagrant　heresy　of　Universal　Redemption；　a　most　consolatory　doctrine　to　the　sinner　that　is　loth　to　repent；　and　who　loves　to　troll　his　iniquity　like　a　sweet　morsel　under　his　tongue。　　Mr　Martin　Siftwell；　who　was　the　last　ta'en　on　elder；　and　who　had　received　a　liberal　and　judicious　education；　and　was；　moreover；　naturally　possessed　of　a　quick　penetration；　observed；　in　speaking　of　this　new　doctrine；　that　the　grossest　papist　sinner　might　have　some　qualms　of　fear　after　he　had　bought　the　Pope's　pardon；　and　might　thereby　be　led　to　a　reformation　of　life；　but　that　the　doctrine　of　universal　redemption　was　a　bribe　to　commit　sin；　the　wickedest　mortal；　according　to　it；　being　only　liable　to　a　few　thousand　years；　more　or　less；　of　suffering；　which；　compared　with　eternity；　was　but　a　momentary　pang；　like　having　a　tooth　drawn　for　the　toothache。　　Mr　Siftwell　is　a　shrewd　and　clear…seeing　man　in　points　of　theology；　and　I　would　trust　a　great　deal　to　what　he　says；　as　I　have　not；　at　my　advanced　age；　such　a　mind　for　the　kittle　crudities　of　polemical　investigation　that　I　had　in　my　younger　years；　especially　when　I　was　a　student　in　the　Divinity　Hall　of　Glasgow。

It　will　be　seen　from　all　I　have　herein　recorded；　that；　in　the　course　of　this　year；　there　was　a　general　resuscitation　of　religious　sentiments；　for　what　happened　in　my　parish　was　but　a　type　and　index　to　the　rest　of　the　world。　　We　had；　however；　one　memorable　that　must　stand　by　itself；　for　although　neither　death　nor　bloodshed　happened；　yet　was　it　cause　of　the　fear　of　both。

A　rumour　reached　us　from　the　Clyde；　that　a　French　man…of…war　had　appeared　in　a　Highland　loch；　and　that　all　the　Greenock　volunteers　had　embarked　in　merchant　vessels　to　bring　her　in　for　a　prize。　　Our　volunteers　were　just　jumping　and　yowling；　like　chained　dogs；　to　be　at　her　too；　but　the　colonel；　Sir　Hugh；　would　do　nothing　without　orders　from　his　superiors。　　Mr　Cayenne；　though　an　aged　man　above　seventy；　was　as　bold　as　a　lion；　and　came　forth　in　the　old　garb　of　an　American　huntsman；　like；　as　I　was　told；　a　Robin　Hood　in　the　play　is；　and　it　was　just　a　sport　to　see　him；　feckless　man；　trying　to　march　so　crousely　with　his　lean；　shaking　hands。　　But　the　whole　affair　proved　a　false　alarm；　and　our　men；　when　they　heard　it；　were　as　well　pleased　that　they　had　been　constrained　to　sleep　in　their　warm　beds　at　home；　instead　of　lying　on　coils　of　cables；　like　the　gallant　Greenock　sharp…shooters。



CHAPTER　XLVI　　YEAR　1805



For　some　time　I　had　meditated　a　reformation　in　the　parish；　and　this　year　I　carried　the　same　into　effect。　　I　had　often　noticed　with　concern；　that；　out　of　a　mistaken　notion　of　paying　respect　to　the　dead；　my　people　were　wont　to　go　to　great　lengths　at　their　burials；　and　dealt　round　short…bread　and　sugar…biscuit；　with　wine　and　other　confections；　as　if　there　had　been　no　ha'd　in　their　hands；　which　straitened　many　a　poor　family；　making　the　dispensation　of　the　Lord　a　heavier　temporal　calamity　than　it　should　naturally　have　been。　Accordingly；　on　consulting　with　Mrs　Balwhidder；　who　has　a　most　judicious　judgment；　it　was　thought　that　my　interference　would　go　a　great　way　to　lighten　the　evil。　　I　therefore　advised　with　those　whose　friends　were　taken　from　them；　not　to　make　that　amplitude　of　preparation　which　used　to　be　the　fashion；　nor　to　continue　handing　about　as　long　as　the　folk　would　take；　but　only　at　the　very　most　to　go　no　more　than　three　times　round　with　the　service。　　Objections　were　made　to　this；　as　if　it　would　be　thought　mean；　but　I　put　on　a　stern　visage；　and　told　them；　that　if　they　did　more　I　would　rise　up；　and　rebuke　and　forbid　the　extravagance。　　So　three　services　became　the　uttermost　modicum　at　all　burials。　　This　was　doing　much；　but　it　was　not　all　that　I　wished　to　do。

I　considered　that　the　best　reformations　are　those　which　proceed　step　by　step；　and　stop　at　that　point　where　the　consent　to　what　has　been　established　becomes　general；　and　so　I　governed　myself；　and　therefore　interfered　no　farther；　but　I　was　determined　to　set　an　example。　Accordingly；　at　the　very　next　dregy；　after　I　partook　of　one　service；　I　made　a　bow　to　the　servitors　and　they　passed　on；　but　all　before　me　had　partaken　of　the　second　service；　some；　however；　of　those　after　me　did　as　I　did；　so　I　foresaw　that　in　a　quiet　canny　way　I　would　bring　in　the　fashion　of　being　satisfied　with　one　service。　　I　therefore；　from　that　time；　always　took　my　place　as　near　as　possible　to　the　door；　where　the　chief　mourner　sat；　and　made　a　point　of　nodding　away　the　second　service；　which　has　now　grown　into　a　custom；　to　the　great　advantage　of　surviving　relations。

But　in　this　reforming　business　I　was　not　altogether　pleased　with　our　poet；　for　he　took　a　pawkie　view　of　my　endeavours；　and　indited　a　ballad　on　the　subject；　in　the　which　he　makes　a　clattering　carlin　describe　what　took　place；　so　as　to　turn　a　very　solemn　matter　into　a　kind　of　derision。　　When　he　brought　his　verse　and　read　it　to　me；　I　told　him　that　I　thought　it　was　overly　natural；　for　I　could　not　find　another　term　to　designate　the　cause　of　the　dissatisfaction　that　I　had　with　it；　but　Mrs　Balwhidder　said　that　it　might　help　my　plan　if　it　were　made　public；　so　upon　her　advice　we　got　some　of　Mr　Lorimore's　best　writers　to　make　copies　of　it　for　distribution；　which　was　not　without　fruit　and　influence。　　But　a　sore　thing　happened　at　the　very　next　burial。　　As　soon　as　the　nodding　away　of　the　second　service　began；　I　could　see　that　the　gravity　of　the　whole　meeting　was　discomposed；　and　some　of　the　irreverent　young　chiels　almost　broke　out　into　even…down　laughter；　which　vexed　me　exceedingly。　　Mrs　Balwhidder；　howsoever；　comforted　me　by　saying；　that　custom　in　time　would　make　it　familiar；　and　by…and…by　the　thing　would　pass　as　a　matter　of　course；　until　one　service　would　be　all　that　folk　would　offer；　and　truly　the　thing　is　coming　to　that；　for　only　two　services　are　now　handed　round；　and　the　second　is　regularly　nodded　by。



CHAPTER　XLVII　　YEAR　1806



Mr　Cayenne　of　Wheatrig　having　for　several　years　been　in　a　declining　way；　partly　brought　on　by　the　consuming　fire　of　his　furious　passion；　and　partly　by　the　decay　of　old　age；　sent　for　me　on　the　evening　of　the　first　Sabbath　of　March　in　this　year。　　I　was　surprised　at　the　message；　and　went　to　the　Wheatrig　House　directly；　where；　by　the　lights　in　the　windows　as　I　gaed　up　through　the　policy　to　the　door；　I　saw　something　extraordinary　was　going　on。　　Sambo；　the　blackamoor　servant；　opened　the　door；　and；　without　speaking；　shook　his　head；　for　it　was　an　affectionate　creature；　and　as　fond　of　his　master　as　if　he　had　been　his　own　father。　　By　this　sign　I　guessed　that　the　old　gentleman　was　thought　to　be　drawing　near　his　latter　end；　so　I　walked　softly　after　Sambo　up　the　stair；　and　was　shown　into　the　chamber　where　Mr　Cayenne；　since　he　had　been　confined　to　the　house；　usually　sat。　　His　wife　had　been　dead　some　years　before。

Mr　Cayenne　was　sitting　in　his　easy　chair；　with　a　white　cotton　nightcap　on　his　head；　and　a　pillow　at　his　shoulders　to　keep　him　straight。　　But　his　head　had　fallen　down　on　his　breast；　and　he　breathed　like　a　panting　baby。　　His　legs　were　swelled；　and　his　feet　rested　on　a　footstool。　　His　face；　which　was　wont　to　be　the　colour　of　a　peony　rose；　was　of　a