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memories and portraits-第12章

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put some ferns into his master's particular corner; and adding; 

〃Though; indeed; Robert; he doesn't deserve them; for he wouldn't 

help me to gather them;〃 〃EH; MEM;〃 replies Robert; 〃BUT I WOULDNAE 

SAY THAT; FOR I THINK HE'S JUST A MOST DESERVIN' GENTLEMAN。〃  

Again; two of our friends; who were on intimate terms; and 

accustomed to use language to each other; somewhat without the 

bounds of the parliamentary; happened to differ about the position 

of a seat in the garden。  The discussion; as was usual when these 

two were at it; soon waxed tolerably insulting on both sides。  

Every one accustomed to such controversies several times a day was 

quietly enjoying this prize…fight of somewhat abusive wit … every 

one but Robert; to whom the perfect good faith of the whole quarrel 

seemed unquestionable; and who; after having waited till his 

conscience would suffer him to wait no more; and till he expected 

every moment that the disputants would fall to blows; cut suddenly 

in with tones of almost tearful entreaty: 〃EH; BUT; GENTLEMEN; I 

WAD HAE NAE MAIR WORDS ABOUT IT!〃  One thing was noticeable about 

Robert's religion: it was neither dogmatic nor sectarian。  He never 

expatiated (at least; in my hearing) on the doctrines of his creed; 

and he never condemned anybody else。  I have no doubt that he held 

all Roman Catholics; Atheists; and Mahometans as considerably out 

of it; I don't believe he had any sympathy for Prelacy; and the 

natural feelings of man must have made him a little sore about 

Free…Churchism; but at least; he never talked about these views; 

never grew controversially noisy; and never openly aspersed the 

belief or practice of anybody。  Now all this is not generally 

characteristic of Scotch piety; Scotch sects being churches 

militant with a vengeance; and Scotch believers perpetual crusaders 

the one against the other; and missionaries the one to the other。  

Perhaps Robert's originally tender heart was what made the 

difference; or; perhaps; his solitary and pleasant labour among 

fruits and flowers had taught him a more sunshiny creed than those 

whose work is among the tares of fallen humanity; and the soft 

influences of the garden had entered deep into his spirit;



〃Annihilating all that's made

To a green thought in a green shade。〃



But I could go on for ever chronicling his golden sayings or 

telling of his innocent and living piety。  I had meant to tell of 

his cottage; with the German pipe hung reverently above the fire; 

and the shell box that he had made for his son; and of which he 

would say pathetically:  〃HE WAS REAL PLEASED WI' IT AT FIRST; BUT 

I THINK HE'S GOT A KIND O' TIRED O' IT NOW〃 … the son being then a 

man of about forty。  But I will let all these pass。  〃'Tis more 

significant: he's dead。〃  The earth; that he had digged so much in 

his life; was dug out by another for himself; and the flowers that 

he had tended drew their life still from him; but in a new and 

nearer way。  A bird flew about the open grave; as if it too wished 

to honour the obsequies of one who had so often quoted Scripture in 

favour of its kind。  〃Are not two sparrows sold for one farthing; 

and yet not one of them falleth to the ground。〃



Yes; he is dead。  But the kings did not rise in the place of death 

to greet him 〃with taunting proverbs〃 as they rose to greet the 

haughty Babylonian; for in his life he was lowly; and a peacemaker 

and a servant of God。









CHAPTER VI。 PASTORAL





TO leave home in early life is to be stunned and quickened with 

novelties; but when years have come; it only casts a more endearing 

light upon the past。  As in those composite photographs of Mr。 

Galton's; the image of each new sitter brings out but the more 

clearly the central features of the race; when once youth has 

flown; each new impression only deepens the sense of nationality 

and the desire of native places。  So may some cadet of Royal 

Ecossais or the Albany Regiment; as he mounted guard about French 

citadels; so may some officer marching his company of the Scots…

Dutch among the polders; have felt the soft rains of the Hebrides 

upon his brow; or started in the ranks at the remembered aroma of 

peat…smoke。  And the rivers of home are dear in particular to all 

men。  This is as old as Naaman; who was jealous for Abana and 

Pharpar; it is confined to no race nor country; for I know one of 

Scottish blood but a child of Suffolk; whose fancy still lingers 

about the lilied lowland waters of that shire。  But the streams of 

Scotland are incomparable in themselves … or I am only the more 

Scottish to suppose so … and their sound and colour dwell for ever 

in the memory。  How often and willingly do I not look again in 

fancy on Tummel; or Manor; or the talking Airdle; or Dee swirling 

in its Lynn; on the bright burn of Kinnaird; or the golden burn 

that pours and sulks in the den behind Kingussie!  I think shame to 

leave out one of these enchantresses; but the list would grow too 

long if I remembered all; only I may not forget Allan Water; nor 

birch…wetting Rogie; nor yet Almond; nor; for all its pollutions; 

that Water of Leith of the many and well…named mills … Bell's 

Mills; and Canon Mills; and Silver Mills; nor Redford Burn of 

pleasant memories; nor yet; for all its smallness; that nameless 

trickle that springs in the green bosom of Allermuir; and is fed 

from Halkerside with a perennial teacupful; and threads the moss 

under the Shearer's Knowe; and makes one pool there; overhung by a 

rock; where I loved to sit and make bad verses; and is then 

kidnapped in its infancy by subterranean pipes for the service of 

the sea…beholding city in the plain。  From many points in the moss 

you may see at one glance its whole course and that of all its 

tributaries; the geographer of this Lilliput may visit all its 

corners without sitting down; and not yet begin to be breathed; 

Shearer's Knowe and Halkerside are but names of adjacent cantons on 

a single shoulder of a hill; as names are squandered (it would seem 

to the in…expert; in superfluity) upon these upland sheepwalks; a 

bucket would receive the whole discharge of the toy river; it would 

take it an appreciable time to fill your morning bath; for the most 

part; besides; it soaks unseen through the moss; and yet for the 

sake of auld lang syne; and the figure of a certain GENIUS LOCI; I 

am condemned to linger awhile in fancy by its shores; and if the 

nymph (who cannot be above a span in stature) will but inspire my 

pen; I would gladly carry the reader along with me。



John Todd; when I knew him; was already 〃the oldest herd on the 

Pentlands;〃 and had been all his days faithful to that curlew…

scattering; sheep…collecting life。  He remembered the droving days; 

when the drove roads; that now lie green and solitary through the 

heather; were thronged thoroughfares。  He had himself often marched 

flocks into England; sleeping on the hillsides with his caravan; 

and by his account it was a rough business not without danger。  The 

drove roads lay apart from habitation; the drovers met in the 

wilderness; as to…day the deep…sea fishers meet off the banks in 

the solitude of the Atlantic; and in the one as in the other case 

rough habits and fist…law were the rule。  Crimes were committed; 

sheep filched; and drovers robbed and beaten; most of which 

offences had a moorland burial and were never heard of in the 

courts of justice。  John; in those days; was at least once 

attacked; … by two men after his watch; … and at least once; 

betrayed by his habitual anger; fell under the danger of the law 

and was clapped into some rustic prison…house; the doors of which 

he burst in the night and was no more heard of in that quarter。  

When I knew him; his life had fallen in quieter places; and he had 

no cares beyond the dulness of his dogs and the inroads of 

pedestrians from town。  But for a

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