a journey to-第40章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


and　down　the　hill　with　great　convenience。

From　Glencroe　we　passed　through　a　pleasant　country　to　the　banks　of
Loch　Lomond；　and　were　received　at　the　house　of　Sir　James　Colquhoun；
who　is　owner　of　almost　all　the　thirty　islands　of　the　Loch；　which　we
went　in　a　boat　next　morning　to　survey。　　The　heaviness　of　the　rain
shortened　our　voyage；　but　we　landed　on　one　island　planted　with　yew；
and　stocked　with　deer；　and　on　another　containing　perhaps　not　more
than　half　an　acre；　remarkable　for　the　ruins　of　an　old　castle；　on
which　the　osprey　builds　her　annual　nest。　　Had　Loch　Lomond　been　in　a
happier　climate；　it　would　have　been　the　boast　of　wealth　and　vanity
to　own　one　of　the　little　spots　which　it　incloses；　and　to　have
employed　upon　it　all　the　arts　of　embellishment。　　But　as　it　is；　the
islets；　which　court　the　gazer　at　a　distance；　disgust　him　at　his
approach；　when　he　finds；　instead　of　soft　lawns；　and　shady　thickets；
nothing　more　than　uncultivated　ruggedness。

Where　the　Loch　discharges　itself　into　a　river；　called　the　Leven；　we
passed　a　night　with　Mr。　Smollet；　a　relation　of　Doctor　Smollet；　to
whose　memory　he　has　raised　an　obelisk　on　the　bank　near　the　house　in
which　he　was　born。　　The　civility　and　respect　which　we　found　at
every　place；　it　is　ungrateful　to　omit；　and　tedious　to　repeat。　　Here
we　were　met　by　a　post…chaise；　that　conveyed　us　to　Glasgow。

To　describe　a　city　so　much　frequented　as　Glasgow；　is　unnecessary。
The　prosperity　of　its　commerce　appears　by　the　greatness　of　many
private　houses；　and　a　general　appearance　of　wealth。　　It　is　the　only
episcopal　city　whose　cathedral　was　left　standing　in　the　rage　of
Reformation。　　It　is　now　divided　into　many　separate　places　of
worship；　which；　taken　all　together；　compose　a　great　pile；　that　had
been　some　centuries　in　building；　but　was　never　finished；　for　the
change　of　religion　intercepted　its　progress；　before　the　cross　isle
was　added；　which　seems　essential　to　a　Gothick　cathedral。

The　college　has　not　had　a　sufficient　share　of　the　increasing
magnificence　of　the　place。　　The　session　was　begun；　for　it　commences
on　the　tenth　of　October　and　continues　to　the　tenth　of　June；　but　the
students　appeared　not　numerous；　being；　I　suppose；　not　yet　returned
from　their　several　homes。　　The　division　of　the　academical　year　into
one　session；　and　one　recess；　seems　to　me　better　accommodated　to　the
present　state　of　life；　than　that　variegation　of　time　by　terms　and
vacations　derived　from　distant　centuries；　in　which　it　was　probably
convenient；　and　still　continued　in　the　English　universities。　　So
many　solid　months　as　the　Scotch　scheme　of　education　joins　together；
allow　and　encourage　a　plan　for　each　part　of　the　year；　but　with　us；
he　that　has　settled　himself　to　study　in　the　college　is　soon　tempted
into　the　country；　and　he　that　has　adjusted　his　life　in　the　country；
is　summoned　back　to　his　college。

Yet　when　I　have　allowed　to　the　universities　of　Scotland　a　more
rational　distribution　of　time；　I　have　given　them；　so　far　as　my
inquiries　have　informed　me；　all　that　they　can　claim。　　The　students；
for　the　most　part；　go　thither　boys；　and　depart　before　they　are　men；
they　carry　with　them　little　fundamental　knowledge；　and　therefore
the　superstructure　cannot　be　lofty。　　The　grammar　schools　are　not
generally　well　supplied；　for　the　character　of　a　school…master　being
there　less　honourable　than　in　England；　is　seldom　accepted　by　men
who　are　capable　to　adorn　it；　and　where　the　school　has　been
deficient；　the　college　can　effect　little。

Men　bred　in　the　universities　of　Scotland　cannot　be　expected　to　be
often　decorated　with　the　splendours　of　ornamental　erudition；　but
they　obtain　a　mediocrity　of　knowledge；　between　learning　and
ignorance；　not　inadequate　to　the　purposes　of　common　life；　which　is；
I　believe；　very　widely　diffused　among　them；　and　which　countenanced
in　general　by　a　national　combination　so　invidious；　that　their
friends　cannot　defend　it；　and　actuated　in　particulars　by　a　spirit
of　enterprise；　so　vigorous；　that　their　enemies　are　constrained　to
praise　it；　enables　them　to　find；　or　to　make　their　way　to
employment；　riches；　and　distinction。

From　Glasgow　we　directed　our　course　to　Auchinleck；　an　estate
devolved；　through　a　long　series　of　ancestors；　to　Mr。　Boswell's
father；　the　present　possessor。　　In　our　way　we　found　several　places
remarkable　enough　in　themselves；　but　already　described　by　those　who
viewed　them　at　more　leisure；　or　with　much　more　skill；　and　stopped
two　days　at　Mr。　Campbell's；　a　gentleman　married　to　Mr。　Boswell's
sister。

Auchinleck；　which　signifies　a　stony　field；　seems　not　now　to　have
any　particular　claim　to　its　denomination。　　It　is　a　district
generally　level；　and　sufficiently　fertile；　but　like　all　the　Western
side　of　Scotland；　incommoded　by　very　frequent　rain。　　It　was；　with
the　rest　of　the　country；　generally　naked；　till　the　present
possessor　finding；　by　the　growth　of　some　stately　trees　near　his　old
castle；　that　the　ground　was　favourable　enough　to　timber；　adorned　it
very　diligently　with　annual　plantations。

Lord　Auchinleck；　who　is　one　of　the　Judges　of　Scotland；　and
therefore　not　wholly　at　leisure　for　domestick　business　or　pleasure；
has　yet　found　time　to　make　improvements　in　his　patrimony。　　He　has
built　a　house　of　hewn　stone；　very　stately；　and　durable；　and　has
advanced　the　value　of　his　lands　with　great　tenderness　to　his
tenants。

I　was；　however；　less　delighted　with　the　elegance　of　the　modern
mansion；　than　with　the　sullen　dignity　of　the　old　castle。　　I
clambered　with　Mr。　Boswell　among　the　ruins；　which　afford　striking
images　of　ancient　life。　　It　is；　like　other　castles；　built　upon　a
point　of　rock；　and　was；　I　believe；　anciently　surrounded　with　a
moat。　　There　is　another　rock　near　it；　to　which　the　drawbridge；　when
it　was　let　down；　is　said　to　have　reached。　　Here；　in　the　ages　of
tumult　and　rapine；　the　Laird　was　surprised　and　killed　by　the
neighbouring　Chief；　who　perhaps　might　have　extinguished　the　family；
had　he　not　in　a　few　days　been　seized　and　hanged；　together　with　his
sons；　by　Douglas；　who　came　with　his　forces　to　the　relief　of
Auchinleck。

At　no　great　distance　from　the　house　runs　a　pleasing　brook；　by　a　red
rock；　out　of　which　has　been　hewn　a　very　agreeable　and　commodious
summer…house；　at　less　expence；　as　Lord　Auchinleck　told　me；　than
would　have　been　required　to　build　a　room　of　the　same　dimensions。
The　rock　seems　to　have　no　more　dampness　than　any　other　wall。　　Such
opportunities　of　variety　it　is　judicious　not　to　neglect。

We　now　returned　to　Edinburgh；　where　I　passed　some　days　with　men　of
learning；　whose　names　want　no　advancement　from　my　commemoration；　or
with　women　of　elegance；　which　perhaps　disclaims　a　pedant's　praise。

The　conversation　of　the　Scots　grows　every　day　less　unpleasing　to
the　English；　their　peculiarities　wear　fast　away；　their　dialect　is
likely　to　become　in　half　a　century　provincial　and　rustick；　even　to
themselves。　　The　great；　the　learned；　the　ambitious；　and　the　vain；
all　cultivate　the　English　phrase；　and　the　English　pronunciation；
and　in　splendid　companies　Scotch　is　not　much　heard；　except　now　and
then　from　an　old　Lady。

There　is　one　subject　of　philosophical　curiosity　to　be　found　in
Edinburgh；　which　no　other　city　has　to　shew；　a　college　of　the　deaf
and　dumb；　who　are　taught　to　speak；　to　read；　to　write；　and　to
practice　arithmetick；　by　a　gentleman；　whose　name　is　Braidwood。　　The
number　which　attends　him　is；　I　think；　about　twelve；　which　he　brings
together　into　a　little　school；　and　instructs　according　to　their
several　degrees　of　proficiency。

I　do　not　mean　to　mention　the　instruction　of　the　deaf　as　new。
Having　been　first　practised　upon　the　son　of　a　constable　of　Spain；
it　was　afterwards　cultivated　with　much　emulation　in　England；　by
Wallis　and　Holder；　and　was　lately　professed　by　Mr。　Baker；　who　once
flattered　me　with　hopes　of　seeing　his　method　published。　　How　far
any　former　teachers　have　succeeded；　it　is　not　easy　to　know；　the
improvement　of　Mr。　Braidwood's　pupils　is　wonderful。　　They　not　only
speak；　write；　and　understand　what　is　written；　but　if　he　that　speaks
looks　towards　them；　and　modifies　his　organs　by　distinct　and　full
utterance；　they　know　so　well　what　is　spoken；　that　it　is　an
expression　scarcely　figurative　to　say；　they　hear　with　the