the annals of the parish-第5部分

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e　parish；　been　schoolmaster；　session　clerk；　and　precentora　man　of　great　mildness　and　extraordinary　particularity。　　He　was　then　a　very　young　man；　and　some　objection　was　made；　on　account　of　his　youth；　to　his　being　session…clerk；　especially　as　the　smuggling　immorality　still　gave　us　much　trouble　in　the　making　up　of　irregular　marriages；　but　his　discretion　was　greater　than　could　have　been　hoped　for　from　his　years；　and；　after　a　twelvemonth's　probation　in　the　capacity　of　schoolmaster；　he　was　installed　in　all　the　offices　that　had　belonged　to　his　predecessor；　old　Mr　Patrick　Dilworth　that　was。

But　the　most　memorable　thing　that　befell　among　my　people　this　year；　was　the　burning　of　the　lint…mill　on　the　Lugton　water；　which　happened；　of　all　the　days　of　the　year；　on　the　very　selfsame　day　that　Miss　Girzie　Gilchrist；　better　known　as　Lady　Skimmilk；　hired　the　chaise　from　Mrs　Watts　of　the　New　Inns　of　Irville；　to　go　with　her　brother；　the　major；　to　consult　the　faculty　in　Edinburgh　concerning　his　complaints。　　For；　as　the　chaise　was　coming　by　the　mill；　William　Huckle；　the　miller　that　was；　came　flying　out　of　the　mill　like　a　demented　man；　crying　fire！and　it　was　the　driver　that　brought　the　melancholy　tidings　to　the　clachanand　melancholy　they　were；　for　the　mill　was　utterly　destroyed；　and　in　it　not　a　little　of　all　that　year's　crop　of　lint　in　our　parish。　　The　first　Mrs　Balwhidder　lost　upwards　of　twelve　stone；　which　we　had　raised　on　the　glebe　with　no　small　pains；　watering　it　in　the　drouth；　as　it　was　intended　for　sarking　to　ourselves；　and　sheets　and　napery。　　A　great　loss　indeed　it　was；　and　the　vexation　thereof　had　a　visible　effect　on　Mrs　Balwhidder's　health；　which　from　the　spring　had　been　in　a　dwining　way。　　But　for　it；　I　think　she　might　have　wrestled　through　the　winter：　　however；　it　was　ordered　otherwise；　and　she　was　removed　from　mine　to　Abraham's　bosom　on　Christmas…day；　and　buried　on　Hogmanay；　for　it　was　thought　uncanny　to　have　a　dead　corpse　in　the　house　on　the　new…year's　day。　　She　was　a　worthy　woman；　studying　with　all　her　capacity　to　win　the　hearts　of　my　people　towards　mein　the　which　good　work　she　prospered　greatly；　so　that；　when　she　died；　there　was　not　a　single　soul　in　the　parish　that　was　not　contented　with　both　my　walk　and　conversation。　　Nothing　could　be　more　peaceable　than　the　way　we　lived　together。　　Her　brother　Andrew；　a　fine　lad；　I　had　sent　to　the　college　at　Glasgow；　at　my　own　cost；　and　when　he　came　out　to　the　burial；　he　stayed　with　me　a　month；　for　the　manse　after　her　decease　was　very　dull；　and　it　was　during　this　visit　that　he　gave　me　an　inkling　of　his　wish　to　go　out　to　India　as　a　cadet；　but　the　transactions　anent　that　fall　within　the　scope　of　another　yearas　well　as　what　relates　to　her　headstone；　and　the　epitaph　in　metre；　which　I　indicated　myself　thereon；　John　Truel　the　mason　carving　the　same；　as　may　be　seen　in　the　kirkyard；　where　it　wants　a　little　reparation　and　setting　upright；　having　settled　the　wrong　way　when　the　second　Mrs　Balwhidder　was　laid　by　her　side。But　I　must　not　here　enter　upon　an　anticipation。



CHAPTER　V　　YEAR　1764



This　year　well　deserved　the　name　of　the　monumental　year　in　our　parish；　for　the　young　laird　of　the　Breadland；　that　had　been　my　pupil；　being　learning　to　be　an　advocate　among　the　faculty　in　Edinburgh；　with　his　lady　mother；　who　had　removed　thither　with　the　young　ladies　her　daughters；　for　the　benefit　of　education；　sent　out　to　be　put　up　in　the　kirk；　under　the　loft　over　the　family　vault；　an　elegant　marble　headstone；　with　an　epitaph　engraven　thereon；　in　fair　Latin；　setting　forth　many　excellent　qualities　which　the　old　laird；　my　patron　that　was；　the　inditer　thereof　said　he　possessed。　　I　say　the　inditer；　because　it　couldna　have　been　the　young　laird　himself；　although　he　got　the　credit　o't　on　the　stone；　for　he　was　nae　daub　in　my　aught　at　the　Latin　or　any　other　language。　　However；　he　might　improve　himself　at　Edinburgh；　where　a'　manner　of　genteel　things　were　then　to　be　got　at　an　easy　rate；　and　doubtless　the　young　laird　got　a　probationer　at　the　College　to　write　the　epitaph；　but　I　have　often　wondered　sin'　syne；　how　he　came　to　make　it　in　Latin；　for　assuredly　his　dead　parent；　if　he　could　have　seen　it；　could　not　have　read　a　single　word　o't；　notwithstanding　it　was　so　vaunty　about　his　virtues；　and　other　civil　and　hospitable　qualifications。

The　coming　of　the　laird's　monumental　stone　had　a　great　effect　on　me；　then　in　a　state　of　deep　despondency　for　the　loss　of　the　first　Mrs　Balwhidder；　and　I　thought　I　could　not　do　a　better　thing；　just　by　way　of　diversion　in　my　heavy　sorrow；　than　to　get　a　well…shapen　headstone　made　for　herwhich；　as　I　have　hinted　at　in　the　record　of　the　last　year；　was　done　and　set　up。　　But　a　headstone　without　an　epitaph；　is　no　better　than　a　body　without　the　breath　of　life　in't；　and　so　it　behoved　me　to　make　a　poesy　for　the　monument；　the　which　I　conned　and　pondered　upon　for　many　days。　　I　thought　as　Mrs　Balwhidder；　worthy　woman　as　she　was；　did　not　understand　the　Latin　tongue；　it　would　not　do　to　put　on　what　I　had　to　say　in　that　language；　as　the　laird　had　donenor　indeed　would　it　have　been　easy；　as　I　found　upon　the　experimenting；　to　tell　what　I　had　to　tell　in　Latin；　which　is　naturally　a　crabbed　language；　and　very　difficult　to　write　properly。　I　therefore；　after　mentioning　her　age　and　the　dates　of　her　birth　and　departure；　composed　in　sedate　poetry　the　following　epitaph；　which　may　yet　be　seen　on　the　tombstone。


EPITAPH

A　lovely　Christian；　spouse；　and　friend；　Pleasant　in　life；　and　at　her　end。　…　A　pale　consumption　dealt　the　blow　That　laid　her　here；　with　dust　below。　Sore　was　the　cough　that　shook　her　frame；　That　cough　her　patience　did　proclaim　…　And　as　she　drew　her　latest　breath；　She　said；　〃The　Lord　is　sweet　in　death。〃　O　pious　reader！　standing　by；　Learn　like　this　gentle　one　to　die。　The　grass　doth　grow　and　fade　away；　And　time　runs　out　by　night　and　day；　The　King　of　Terrors　has　command　To　strike　us　with　his　dart　in　hand。　Go　where　we　will　by　flood　or　field；　He　will　pursue　and　make　us　yield。　But　though　to　him　we　must　resign　The　vesture　of　our　part　divine；　There　is　a　jewel　in　our　trust；　That　will　not　perish　in　the　dust；　A　pearl　of　price；　a　precious　gem；　Ordained　for　Jesus'　diadem；　Therefore；　be　holy　while　you　can；　And　think　upon　the　doom　of　man。　Repent　in　time　and　sin　no　more；　That　when　the　strife　of　life　is　o'er；　On　wings　of　love　your　soul　may　rise；　To　dwell　with　angels　in　the　skies；　Where　psalms　are　sung　eternally；　And　martyrs　ne'er　again　shall　die；　But　with　the　saints　still　bask　in　bliss；　And　drink　the　cup　of　blessedness。


This　was　greatly　thought　of　at　the　time；　and　Mr　Lorimore；　who　had　a　nerve　for　poesy　himself　in　his　younger　years；　was　of　opinion　that　it　was　so　much　to　the　purpose；　and　suitable　withal；　that　he　made　his　scholars　write　it　out　for　their　examination　copies；　at　the　reading　whereof　before　the　heritors；　when　the　examination　of　the　school　came　round；　the　tear　came　into　my　eye；　and　every　one　present　sympathized　with　me　in　my　great　affliction　for　the　loss　of　the　first　Mrs　Balwhidder。

Andrew　Langshaw；　as　I　have　recorded；　having　come　from　the　Glasgow　College　to　the　burial　of　his　sister；　my　wife　that　was；　stayed　with　me　a　month　to　keep　me　company；　and　staying　with　me；　he　was　a　great　cordial；　for　the　weather　was　wet　and　sleety；　and　the　nights　were　stormy；　so　that　I　could　go　little　out；　and　few　of　the　elders　came　in；　they　being　at　that　time　old　men　in　a　feckless　condition；　not　at　all　qualified　to　warsle　with　the　blasts　of　winter。　　But　when　Andrew　left　me　to　go　back　to　his　classes；　I　was　eerie　and　lonesome；　and　but　for　the　getting　of　the　monument　ready；　which　was　a　blessed　entertainment　to　me　in　those　dreary　nights；　with　consulting　anent　the　shape　of　it　with　John　Truel；　and　meditating　on　the　verse　for　the　epitaph；　I　might　have　gone　altogether　demented。　　However；　it　pleased　Him；　who　is　the　surety　of　the　sinner；　to　help　me　through　the　Slough　of　Despond；　and　to　set　my　feet　on　firm　land；　establishing　my　way　thereon。

But　the　work　of　the　monument；　and　the　epitaph；　could　not　endure　for　a　constancy；　and　after　it　was　done；　I　was　again　in　great　danger　of　sinking　into　the　hypochonderies　a　second　time。　　However；　I　was　enabled　to　fight　with　my　affliction；　and　by…and…by；　as　the　spring　began　to　open　her　green　lattice；　and　to　set　out　her　flower…pots　to　the　sunshine；　and　the　time　of　the　singing　of　birds　was　come；　I　became　more　composed；　and　like　myself；　so　I　often　walked　in　the　fields；　and　held　communion　with　nature；　and　wondered　at　the　mysteries　thereof。

On　one　of　these　occasions；　as　I　was　sauntering　along　the　edge　of　Eaglesham…wood；　looking　at　the　industrious　bee　going　from　flower　to　flower；　and　the　idle　butterfly；　that　layeth　up　no　store；　but　perisheth　ere　it　is　winter；　I　felt　as　it　were　a　spirit　from　on　high　descending　upon　me；　a　throb　at　my　heart；　and　a　thrill　in　my　brain；　and　I　was　transported　out　of　myself；　and　seized　with　the　notion　of　writing　a　bookbut　what　it　should　be　about；　I　could　not　settle　to　my　satisfaction。　　Sometimes　I　thought　of　an　orthodox　poem；　like　PARADISE　LOST；　by　John　Milton；　wherein　I　proposed　to　treat　more　at　large　of　Original　Sin；　and　the　great　mystery　of　Redemption；　at　others；　I　fancied　that　a　connect　treatise　on　the　efficacy　of　Free　Grace　would　be　more　taking；　but　although　I　made　divers　beginnings　in　both　subjects；　some　new　thought　ever　came　into　my　head；　and　the　whole　summer　passed　away　and　nothing　was　done。　　I　therefore　postponed　my　design　of　writing　a　book　till　the　winter；　when　I　would　have　the　benefit　of　the　long　nights。　　Before　that；　however；　I　had　other　things　of　　more　importance　to　think　about。　　My　servant　lasses；　having　no　eye　of　a　mistress　over　them；　wastered　every　thing　at　such　a　rate；　and　made　such　a　galravitching　in　the　house；　that；　long　before　the　end　of　the　year；　the　year's　stipend　was　all　spent；　and　I　did　not　know　what　to　do。　　At　lang　and　length　I　mustered　courage　to　send　for　Mr　Auld；　who　was　then　living；　and　an　elder。　　He　was　a　douce　and　discreet　man；　fair　and　well…doing　in　the　world；　and　had　a　better　handful　of　strong　common　sense　than　many　even　of　the　heritors。　　So　I　told　him　how　I　was　situated；　and　conferred　with　him；　and　he　advised　me；　for　my　own　sake；　to　look　out　for　another　wife　as　soon　as　decency　would　allow；　which　he　thought　might　very　properly　be　after　the　turn　of　the　year；　by　which　time　th