a journey to-第6章

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length　under　a　cloister；　or　portico；　which　is　now　indeed　frequently
broken；　because　the　new　houses　have　another　form；　but　seems　to　have
been　uniformly　continued　in　the　old　city。



FORES。　　CALDER。　　FORT　GEORGE



We　went　forwards　the　same　day　to　Fores；　the　town　to　which　Macbeth
was　travelling；　when　he　met　the　weird　sisters　in　his　way。　　This　to
an　Englishman　is　classic　ground。　　Our　imaginations　were　heated；　and
our　thoughts　recalled　to　their　old　amusements。

We　had　now　a　prelude　to　the　Highlands。　　We　began　to　leave　fertility
and　culture　behind　us；　and　saw　for　a　great　length　of　road　nothing
but　heath；　yet　at　Fochabars；　a　seat　belonging　to　the　duke　of
Gordon；　there　is　an　orchard；　which　in　Scotland　I　had　never　seen
before；　with　some　timber　trees；　and　a　plantation　of　oaks。

At　Fores　we　found　good　accommodation；　but　nothing　worthy　of
particular　remark；　and　next　morning　entered　upon　the　road；　on　which
Macbeth　heard　the　fatal　prediction；　but　we　travelled　on　not
interrupted　by　promises　of　kingdoms；　and　came　to　Nairn；　a　royal
burgh；　which；　if　once　it　flourished；　is　now　in　a　state　of　miserable
decay；　but　I　know　not　whether　its　chief　annual　magistrate　has　not
still　the　title　of　Lord　Provost。

At　Nairn　we　may　fix　the　verge　of　the　Highlands；　for　here　I　first
saw　peat　fires；　and　first　heard　the　Erse　language。　　We　had　no
motive　to　stay　longer　than　to　breakfast；　and　went　forward　to　the
house　of　Mr。　Macaulay；　the　minister　who　published　an　account　of　St。
Kilda；　and　by　his　direction　visited　Calder　Castle；　from　which
Macbeth　drew　his　second　title。　　It　has　been　formerly　a　place　of
strength。　　The　draw…bridge　is　still　to　be　seen；　but　the　moat　is　now
dry。　　The　tower　is　very　ancient：　　Its　walls　are　of　great　thickness；
arched　on　the　top　with　stone；　and　surrounded　with　battlements。　　The
rest　of　the　house　is　later；　though　far　from　modern。

We　were　favoured　by　a　gentleman；　who　lives　in　the　castle；　with　a
letter　to　one　of　the　officers　at　Fort　George；　which　being　the　most
regular　fortification　in　the　island；　well　deserves　the　notice　of　a
traveller；　who　has　never　travelled　before。　　We　went　thither　next
day；　found　a　very　kind　reception；　were　led　round　the　works　by　a
gentleman；　who　explained　the　use　of　every　part；　and　entertained　by
Sir　Eyre　Coote；　the　governour；　with　such　elegance　of　conversation
as　left　us　no　attention　to　the　delicacies　of　his　table。

Of　Fort　George　I　shall　not　attempt　to　give　any　account。　　I　cannot
delineate　it　scientifically；　and　a　loose　and　popular　description　is
of　use　only　when　the　imagination　is　to　be　amused。　　There　was　every
where　an　appearance　of　the　utmost　neatness　and　regularity。　　But　my
suffrage　is　of　little　value；　because　this　and　Fort　Augustus　are　the
only　garrisons　that　I　ever　saw。

We　did　not　regret　the　time　spent　at　the　fort；　though　in　consequence
of　our　delay　we　came　somewhat　late　to　Inverness；　the　town　which　may
properly　be　called　the　capital　of　the　Highlands。　　Hither　the
inhabitants　of　the　inland　parts　come　to　be　supplied　with　what　they
cannot　make　for　themselves：　　Hither　the　young　nymphs　of　the
mountains　and　valleys　are　sent　for　education；　and　as　far　as　my
observation　has　reached；　are　not　sent　in　vain。



INVERNESS



Inverness　was　the　last　place　which　had　a　regular　communication　by
high　roads　with　the　southern　counties。　　All　the　ways　beyond　it
have；　I　believe；　been　made　by　the　soldiers　in　this　century。　　At
Inverness　therefore　Cromwell；　when　he　subdued　Scotland；　stationed　a
garrison；　as　at　the　boundary　of　the　Highlands。　　The　soldiers　seem
to　have　incorporated　afterwards　with　the　inhabitants；　and　to　have
peopled　the　place　with　an　English　race；　for　the　language　of　this
town　has　been　long　considered　as　peculiarly　elegant。

Here　is　a　castle；　called　the　castle　of　Macbeth；　the　walls　of　which
are　yet　standing。　　It　was　no　very　capacious　edifice；　but　stands
upon　a　rock　so　high　and　steep；　that　I　think　it　was　once　not
accessible；　but　by　the　help　of　ladders；　or　a　bridge。　　Over　against
it；　on　another　hill；　was　a　fort　built　by　Cromwell；　now　totally
demolished；　for　no　faction　of　Scotland　loved　the　name　of　Cromwell；
or　had　any　desire　to　continue　his　memory。

Yet　what　the　Romans　did　to　other　nations；　was　in　a　great　degree
done　by　Cromwell　to　the　Scots；　he　civilized　them　by　conquest；　and
introduced　by　useful　violence　the　arts　of　peace。　　I　was　told　at
Aberdeen　that　the　people　learned　from　Cromwell's　soldiers　to　make
shoes　and　to　plant　kail。

How　they　lived　without　kail；　it　is　not　easy　to　guess：　　They
cultivate　hardly　any　other　plant　for　common　tables；　and　when　they
had　not　kail　they　probably　had　nothing。　　The　numbers　that　go
barefoot　are　still　sufficient　to　shew　that　shoes　may　be　spared：
They　are　not　yet　considered　as　necessaries　of　life；　for　tall　boys；
not　otherwise　meanly　dressed；　run　without　them　in　the　streets；　and
in　the　islands　the　sons　of　gentlemen　pass　several　of　their　first
years　with　naked　feet。

I　know　not　whether　it　be　not　peculiar　to　the　Scots　to　have　attained
the　liberal；　without　the　manual　arts；　to　have　excelled　in
ornamental　knowledge；　and　to　have　wanted　not　only　the　elegancies；
but　the　conveniences　of　common　life。　　Literature　soon　after　its
revival　found　its　way　to　Scotland；　and　from　the　middle　of　the
sixteenth　century；　almost　to　the　middle　of　the　seventeenth；　the
politer　studies　were　very　diligently　pursued。　　The　Latin　poetry　of
Deliciae　Poetarum　Scotorum　would　have　done　honour　to　any　nation；　at
least　till　the　publication　of　May's　Supplement　the　English　had　very
little　to　oppose。

Yet　men　thus　ingenious　and　inquisitive　were　content　to　live　in
total　ignorance　of　the　trades　by　which　human　wants　are　supplied；
and　to　supply　them　by　the　grossest　means。　　Till　the　Union　made　them
acquainted　with　English　manners；　the　culture　of　their　lands　was
unskilful；　and　their　domestick　life　unformed；　their　tables　were
coarse　as　the　feasts　of　Eskimeaux；　and　their　houses　filthy　as　the
cottages　of　Hottentots。

Since　they　have　known　that　their　condition　was　capable　of
improvement；　their　progress　in　useful　knowledge　has　been　rapid　and
uniform。　　What　remains　to　be　done　they　will　quickly　do；　and　then
wonder；　like　me；　why　that　which　was　so　necessary　and　so　easy　was　so
long　delayed。　　But　they　must　be　for　ever　content　to　owe　to　the
English　that　elegance　and　culture；　which；　if　they　had　been　vigilant
and　active；　perhaps　the　English　might　have　owed　to　them。

Here　the　appearance　of　life　began　to　alter。　　I　had　seen　a　few　women
with　plaids　at　Aberdeen；　but　at　Inverness　the　Highland　manners　are
common。　　There　is　I　think　a　kirk；　in　which　only　the　Erse　language
is　used。　　There　is　likewise　an　English　chapel；　but　meanly　built；
where　on　Sunday　we　saw　a　very　decent　congregation。

We　were　now　to　bid　farewel　to　the　luxury　of　travelling；　and　to
enter　a　country　upon　which　perhaps　no　wheel　has　ever　rolled。　　We
could　indeed　have　used　our　post…chaise　one　day　longer；　along　the
military　road　to　Fort　Augustus；　but　we　could　have　hired　no　horses
beyond　Inverness；　and　we　were　not　so　sparing　of　ourselves；　as　to
lead　them；　merely　that　we　might　have　one　day　longer　the　indulgence
of　a　carriage。

At　Inverness　therefore　we　procured　three　horses　for　ourselves　and　a
servant；　and　one　more　for　our　baggage；　which　was　no　very　heavy
load。　　We　found　in　the　course　of　our　journey　the　convenience　of
having　disencumbered　ourselves；　by　laying　aside　whatever　we　could
spare；　for　it　is　not　to　be　imagined　without　experience；　how　in
climbing　crags；　and　treading　bogs；　and　winding　through　narrow　and
obstructed　passages；　a　little　bulk　will　hinder；　and　a　little　weight
will　burthen；　or　how　often　a　man　that　has　pleased　himself　at　home
with　his　own　resolution；　will；　in　the　hour　of　darkness　and　fatigue；
be　content　to　leave　behind　him　every　thing　but　himself。



LOUGH　NESS



We　took　two　Highlanders　to　run　beside　us；　partly　to　shew　us　the
way；　and　partly　to　take　back　from　the　sea…side　the　horses；　of　which
they　were　the　owners。　　One　of　them　was　a　man　of　great　liveliness
and　activity；　of　whom　his　companion　said；　that　he　would　tire　any
horse　in　Inverness。　　Both　of　them　were　civil　and　ready…handed。
Civility　seems　part　of　the　national　character　of　Highlanders。