memories and portraits-第14章

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far　to　cleanse　himself　in　the　pool　behind　Kirk　Yetton。



A　trade　that　touches　nature；　one　that　lies　at　the　foundations　of　

life；　in　which　we　have　all　had　ancestors　employed；　so　that　on　a　

hint　of　it　ancestral　memories　revive；　lends　itself　to　literary　use；　

vocal　or　written。　　The　fortune　of　a　tale　lies　not　alone　in　the　

skill　of　him　that　writes；　but　as　much；　perhaps；　in　the　inherited　

experience　of　him　who　reads；　and　when　I　hear　with　a　particular　

thrill　of　things　that　I　have　never　done　or　seen；　it　is　one　of　that　

innumerable　army　of　my　ancestors　rejoicing　in　past　deeds。　　Thus　

novels　begin　to　touch　not　the　fine　DILETTANTI　but　the　gross　mass　of　

mankind；　when　they　leave　off　to　speak　of　parlours　and　shades　of　

manner　and　still…born　niceties　of　motive；　and　begin　to　deal　with　

fighting；　sailoring；　adventure；　death　or　childbirth；　and　thus　

ancient　outdoor　crafts　and　occupations；　whether　Mr。　Hardy　wields　

the　shepherd's　crook　or　Count　Tolstoi　swings　the　scythe；　lift　

romance　into　a　near　neighbourhood　with　epic。　　These　aged　things　

have　on　them　the　dew　of　man's　morning；　they　lie　near；　not　so　much　

to　us；　the　semi…artificial　flowerets；　as　to　the　trunk　and　

aboriginal　taproot　of　the　race。　　A　thousand　interests　spring　up　in　

the　process　of　the　ages；　and　a　thousand　perish；　that　is　now　an　

eccentricity　or　a　lost　art　which　was　once　the　fashion　of　an　empire；　

and　those　only　are　perennial　matters　that　rouse　us　to…day；　and　that　

roused　men　in　all　epochs　of　the　past。　　There　is　a　certain　critic；　

not　indeed　of　execution　but　of　matter；　whom　I　dare　be　known　to　set　

before　the　best：　a　certain　low…browed；　hairy　gentleman；　at　first　a　

percher　in　the　fork　of　trees；　next　（as　they　relate）　a　dweller　in　

caves；　and　whom　I　think　I　see　squatting　in　cave…mouths；　of　a　

pleasant　afternoon；　to　munch　his　berries　…　his　wife；　that　

accomplished　lady；　squatting　by　his　side：　his　name　I　never　heard；　

but　he　is　often　described　as　Probably　Arboreal；　which　may　serve　for　

recognition。　　Each　has　his　own　tree　of　ancestors；　but　at　the　top　of　

all　sits　Probably　Arboreal；　in　all　our　veins　there　run　some　minims　

of　his　old；　wild；　tree…top　blood；　our　civilised　nerves　still　tingle　

with　his　rude　terrors　and　pleasures；　and　to　that　which　would　have　

moved　our　common　ancestor；　all　must　obediently　thrill。



We　have　not　so　far　to　climb　to　come　to　shepherds；　and　it　may　be　I　

had　one　for　an　ascendant　who　has　largely　moulded　me。　　But　yet　I　

think　I　owe　my　taste　for　that　hillside　business　rather　to　the　art　

and　interest　of　John　Todd。　　He　it　was　that　made　it　live　for　me；　as　

the　artist　can　make　all　things　live。　　It　was　through　him　the　simple　

strategy　of　massing　sheep　upon　a　snowy　evening；　with　its　attendant　

scampering　of　earnest；　shaggy　aides…de…champ；　was　an　affair　that　I　

never　wearied　of　seeing；　and　that　I　never　weary　of　recalling　to　

mind：　the　shadow　of　the　night　darkening　on　the　hills；　inscrutable　

black　blots　of　snow　shower　moving　here　and　there　like　night　already　

come；　huddles　of　yellow　sheep　and　dartings　of　black　dogs　upon　the　

snow；　a　bitter　air　that　took　you　by　the　throat；　unearthly　harpings　

of　the　wind　along　the　moors；　and　for　centre　piece　to　all　these　

features　and　influences；　John　winding　up　the　brae；　keeping　his　

captain's　eye　upon　all　sides；　and　breaking；　ever　and　again；　into　a　

spasm　of　bellowing　that　seemed　to　make　the　evening　bleaker。　　It　is　

thus　that　I　still　see　him　in　my　mind's　eye；　perched　on　a　hump　of　

the　declivity　not　far　from　Halkerside；　his　staff　in　airy　flourish；　

his　great　voice　taking　hold　upon　the　hills　and　echoing　terror　to　

the　lowlands；　I；　meanwhile；　standing　somewhat　back；　until　the　fit　

should　be　over；　and；　with　a　pinch　of　snuff；　my　friend　relapse　into　

his　easy；　even　conversation。









CHAPTER　VII。　THE　MANSE





I　HAVE　named；　among　many　rivers　that　make　music　in　my　memory；　that　

dirty　Water　of　Leith。　　Often　and　often　I　desire　to　look　upon　it　

again；　and　the　choice　of　a　point　of　view　is　easy　to　me。　　It　should　

be　at　a　certain　water…door；　embowered　in　shrubbery。　　The　river　is　

there　dammed　back　for　the　service　of　the　flour…mill　just　below；　so　

that　it　lies　deep　and　darkling；　and　the　sand　slopes　into　brown　

obscurity　with　a　glint　of　gold；　and　it　has　but　newly　been　recruited　

by　the　borrowings　of　the　snuff…mill　just　above；　and　these；　tumbling　

merrily　in；　shake　the　pool　to　its　black　heart；　fill　it　with　drowsy　

eddies；　and　set　the　curded　froth　of　many　other　mills　solemnly　

steering　to　and　fro　upon　the　surface。　　Or　so　it　was　when　I　was　

young；　for　change；　and　the　masons；　and　the　pruning…knife；　have　been　

busy；　and　if　I　could　hope　to　repeat　a　cherished　experience；　it　must　

be　on　many　and　impossible　conditions。　　I　must　choose；　as　well　as　

the　point　of　view；　a　certain　moment　in　my　growth；　so　that　the　scale　

may　be　exaggerated；　and　the　trees　on　the　steep　opposite　side　may　

seem　to　climb　to　heaven；　and　the　sand　by　the　water…door；　where　I　am　

standing；　seem　as　low　as　Styx。　　And　I　must　choose　the　season　also；　

so　that　the　valley　may　be　brimmed　like　a　cup　with　sunshine　and　the　

songs　of　birds；　…　and　the　year　of　grace；　so　that　when　I　turn　to　

leave　the　riverside　I　may　find　the　old　manse　and　its　inhabitants　

unchanged。



It　was　a　place　in　that　time　like　no　other：　the　garden　cut　into　

provinces　by　a　great　hedge　of　beech；　and　over…looked　by　the　church　

and　the　terrace　of　the　churchyard；　where　the　tombstones　were　thick；　

and　after　nightfall　〃spunkies〃　might　be　seen　to　dance　at　least　by　

children；　flower…plots　lying　warm　in　sunshine；　laurels　and　the　

great　yew　making　elsewhere　a　pleasing　horror　of　shade；　the　smell　of　

water　rising　from　all　round；　with　an　added　tang　of　paper…mills；　the　

sound　of　water　everywhere；　and　the　sound　of　mills　…　the　wheel　and　

the　dam　singing　their　alternate　strain；　the　birds　on　every　bush　and　

from　every　corner　of　the　overhanging　woods　pealing　out　their　notes　

until　the　air　throbbed　with　them；　and　in　the　midst　of　this；　the　

manse。　　I　see　it；　by　the　standard　of　my　childish　stature；　as　a　

great　and　roomy　house。　　In　truth；　it　was　not　so　large　as　I　

supposed；　nor　yet　so　convenient；　and；　standing　where　it　did；　it　is　

difficult　to　suppose　that　it　was　healthful。　　Yet　a　large　family　of　

stalwart　sons　and　tall　daughters　were　housed　and　reared；　and　came　

to　man　and　womanhood　in　that　nest　of　little　chambers；　so　that　the　

face　of　the　earth　was　peppered　with　the　children　of　the　manse；　and　

letters　with　outlandish　stamps　became　familiar　to　the　local　

postman；　and　the　walls　of　the　little　chambers　brightened　with　the　

wonders　of　the　East。　　The　dullest　could　see　this　was　a　house　that　

had　a　pair　of　hands　in　divers　foreign　places：　a　well…beloved　house　

…　its　image　fondly　dwelt　on　by　many　travellers。



Here　lived　an　ancestor　of　mine；　who　was　a　herd　of　men。　　I　read　him；　

judging　with　older　criticism　the　report　of　childish　observation；　as　

a　man　of　singular　simplicity　of　nature；　unemotional；　and　hating　the　

display　of　what　he　felt；　standing　contented　on　the　old　ways；　a　

lover　of　his　life　and　innocent　habits　to　the　end。　　We　children　

admired　him：　partly　for　his　beautiful　face　and　silver　hair；　for　

none　more　than　children　are　concerned　for　beauty　and；　above　all；　

for　beauty　in　the　old；　partly　for　the　solemn　light　in　which　we　

beheld　him　once　a　week；　the　observed　of　all　observers；　in　the　

pulpit。　　But　his　strictness　and　distance；　the　effect；　I　now　fancy；　

of　old　age；　slow　blood；　and　settled　habit；　oppressed　us　with　a　kind　

of　terror。　　When　not　abroad；　he　sat　much　alone；　writing　sermons　or　

letters　to　his　scattered　family　in　a　dark　and　cold　room　with　a　

library　of　bloodless　books　…　or　so　they　seemed　in　those　days；　

although　I　have　some　of　them　now　on　my　own　shelves　and　like　well　

enough　to　read　them；　and　these　lonely　hours　wrapped　him　in　the　

greater　gloom　for　our　imaginations。　　But　the　study　had　a　redeeming　

grace　in　many　Indian　pictures；　gaudily　coloured　and　dear　to　young　

eyes。　　I　cannot　de