chronicles of the canongate-第11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！


　intimation　were　given；　the　bill　in　question　might　passwould　passor　might；　could；　would；　or　should　passall　expenses　being　defrayed。　（Laughter。）　　He　was　the　advocate　of　neither　champion；　and　would　neither　avail　himself　of　the　absence　of　the　Right　Hon。　the　Lord　Provost；　nor　take　advantage　of　the　non…appearance　of　his　friend；　Mr。　Cockburn。　　（Laughter。）　But　in　the　midst　of　these　civic　broils　there　had　been　elicited　a　ray　of　hope　that；　at　some　future　period；　in　Bereford　Park；　or　some　other　place；　if　all　parties　were　consulted　and　satisfied；　and　if　intimation　were　duly　made　at　the　kirk　doors　of　all　the　parishes　in　Scotland；　in　terms　of　the　statute　in　that　behalf　providedthe　people　of　Edinburgh　might　by　possibility　get　a　new　Theatre。　　（Cheers　and　laughter。）　　But　wherever　the　belligerent　powers　might　be　pleased　to　set　down　this　new　Theatre；　he　was　sure　they　all　hoped　to　meet　the　Old　Company　in　it。　　He　should　therefore　propose　〃Better　Accommodation　to　the　Old　Company　in　the　new　Theatre；　site　unknown。〃Mr。　Robertson's　speech　was　most　humorously　given；　and　he　sat　down　amidst　loud　cheers　and　laughter。

Sir　WALTER　SCOTT。Wherever　the　new　Theatre　is　built；　I　hope　it　will　not　be　large。　　There　are　two　errors　which　we　commonly　committhe　one　arising　from　our　pride；　the　other　from　our　poverty。　　If　there　are　twelve　plans；　it　is　odds　but　the　largest；　without　any　regard　to　comfort；　or　an　eye　to　the　probable　expense；　is　adopted。　　There　was　the　College　projected　on　this　scale；　and　undertaken　in　the　same　manner；　and　who　shall　see　the　end　of　it？　It　has　been　building　all　my　life；　and　may　probably　last　during　the　lives　of　my　children；　and　my　children's　children。　　Let　not　the　same　prophetic　hymn　be　sung　when　we　commence　a　new　Theatre；　which　was　performed　on　the　occasion　of　laying　the　foundation…　stone　of　a　certain　edifice；　〃Behold　the　endless　work　begun。〃　Playgoing　folks　should　attend　somewhat　to　convenience。　　The　new　Theatre　should；　in　the　first　place；　be　such　as　may　be　finished　in　eighteen　months　or　two　years；　and；　in　the　second　place；　it　should　be　one　in　which　we　can　hear　our　old　friends　with　comfort。　　It　is　better　that　a　moderate…sized　house　should　be　crowded　now　and　then；　than　to　have　a　large　theatre　with　benches　continually　empty；　to　the　discouragement　of　the　actors　and　the　discomfort　of　the　spectators。　　（Applause。）　　He　then　commented　in　flattering　terms　on　the　genius　of　Mackenzie　and　his　private　worth；　and　concluded　by　proposing　〃The　Health　of　Henry　Mackenzie；　Esq。〃

Immediately　afterwards　he　said：Gentlemen；　it　is　now　wearing　late；　and　I　shall　request　permission　to　retire。　　Like　Partridge；　I　may　say；　〃NON　SUM　QUALIS　ERAM。〃　　At　my　time　of　day　I　can　agree　with　Lord　Ogilvie　as　to　his　rheumatism；　and　say；　〃There's　a　twinge。〃　　I　hope；　therefore；　you　will　excuse　me　for　leaving　the　chair。The　worthy　Baronet　then　retired　amidst　long；　loud；　and　rapturous　cheering。

Mr。　PATRICK　ROBERTSON　was　then　called　to　the　chair　by　common　acclamation。

Gentlemen；　said　Mr。　Robertson；　I　take　the　liberty　of　asking　you　to　fill　a　bumper　to　the　very　brim。　　There　is　not　one　of　us　who　will　not　remember；　while　he　lives；　being　present　at　this　day's　festival；　and　the　declaration　made　this　night　by　the　gentleman　who　has　just　left　the　chair。　　That　declaration　has　rent　the　veil　from　the　features　of　the　Great　Unknowna　name　which　must　now　merge　in　the　name　of　the　Great　Known。　　It　will　be　henceforth　coupled　with　the　name　of　SCOTT；　which　will　become　familiar　like　a　household　word。　　We　have　heard　the　confession　from　his　own　immortal　lips（cheering）and　we　cannot　dwell　with　too　much　or　too　fervent　praise　on　the　merits　of　the　greatest　man　whom　Scotland　has　produced。

After　which　several　other　toasts　were　given；　and　Mr。　Robertson　left　the　room　about　half…past　eleven。　　A　few　choice　spirits；　however；　rallied　round　Captain　Broadhead　of　the　7th　Hussars；　who　was　called　to　the　chair；　and　the　festivity　was　prolonged　till　an　early　hour　on　Saturday　morning。

The　band　of　the　Theatre　occupied　the　gallery；　and　that　of　the　7th　Hussars　the　end　of　the　room；　opposite　the　chair；　whose　performances　were　greatly　admired。　　It　is　but　justice　to　Mr。　Gibb　to　state　that　the　dinner　was　very　handsome　（though　slowly　served　in）；　and　the　wines　good。　　The　attention　of　the　stewards　was　exemplary。　　Mr。　Murray　and　Mr。　Vandenhoff；　with　great　good　taste；　attended　on　Sir　Walter　Scott's　right　and　left；　and　we　know　that　he　has　expressed　himself　much　gratified　by　their　anxious　politeness　and　sedulity。


*


CHRONICLES　OF　THE　CANONGATE　…　INTRODUCTORY。



CHAPTER　I。

MR。　CHRYSTAL　CROFTANGRY'S　ACCOUNT　OF　HIMSELF。

Sic　itur　ad　astra。

〃This　is　the　path　to　heaven。〃　　Such　is　the　ancient　motto　attached　to　the　armorial　bearings　of　the　Canongate；　and　which　is　inscribed；　with　greater　or　less　propriety；　upon　all　the　public　buildings；　from　the　church　to　the　pillory；　in　the　ancient　quarter　of　Edinburgh　which　bears；　or　rather　once　bore；　the　same　relation　to　the　Good　Town　that　Westminster　does　to　London；　being　still　possessed　of　the　palace　of　the　sovereign；　as　it　formerly　was　dignified　by　the　residence　of　the　principal　nobility　and　gentry。　I　may　therefore；　with　some　propriety；　put　the　same　motto　at　the　head　of　the　literary　undertaking　by　which　I　hope　to　illustrate　the　hitherto　undistinguished　name　of　Chrystal　Croftangry。

The　public　may　desire　to　know　something　of　an　author　who　pitches　at　such　height　his　ambitious　expectations。　　The　gentle　reader；　thereforefor　I　am　much　of　Captain　Bobadil's　humour；　and　could　to　no　other　extend　myself　so　farthe　GENTLE　reader；　then；　will　be　pleased　to　understand　that　I　am　a　a　Scottish　gentleman　of　the　old　school；　with　a　fortune；　temper；　and　person；　rather　the　worse　for　wear。　　I　have　known　the　world　for　these　forty　years；　having　written　myself　man　nearly　since　that　periodand　I　do　not　think　it　is　much　mended。　　But　this　is　an　opinion　which　I　keep　to　myself　when　I　am　among　younger　folk；　for　I　recollect；　in　my　youth；　quizzing　the　Sexagenarians　who　carried　back　their　ideas　of　a　perfect　state　of　society　to　the　days　of　laced　coats　and　triple　ruffles；　and　some　of　them　to　the　blood　and　blows　of　the　Forty…　five。　　Therefore　I　am　cautious　in　exercising　the　right　of　censorship；　which　is　supposed　to　be　acquired　by　men　arrived　at；　or　approaching；　the　mysterious　period　of　life；　when　the　numbers　of　seven　and　nine　multiplied　into　each　other；　form　what　sages　have　termed　the　Grand　Climacteric。

Of　the　earlier　part　of　my　life　it　is　only　necessary　to　say；　that　I　swept　the　boards　of　the　Parliament…House　with　the　skirts　of　my　gown　for　the　usual　number　of　years　during　which　young　Lairds　were　in　my　time　expected　to　keep　termgot　no　feeslaughed；　and　made　others　laughdrank　claret　at　Bayle's；　Fortune's；　and　Walker's　and　ate　oysters　in　the　Covenant　Close。

Becoming　my　own　master；　I　flung　my　gown　at　the　bar…keeper；　and　commenced　gay　man　on　my　own　account。　　In　Edinburgh；　I　ran　into　all　the　expensive　society　which　the　place　then　afforded。　　When　I　went　to　my　house　in　the　shire　of　Lanark；　I　emulated　to　the　utmost　the　expenses　of　men　of　large　fortune；　and　had　my　hunters；　my　first…rate　pointers；　my　game…cocks；　and　feeders。　　I　can　more　easily　forgive　myself　for　these　follies；　than　for　others　of　a　still　more　blamable　kind；　so　indifferently　cloaked　over；　that　my　poor　mother　thought　herself　obliged　to　leave　my　habitation；　and　betake　herself　to　a　small　inconvenient　jointure…house；　which　she　occupied　till　her　death。　　I　think；　however；　I　was　not　exclusively　to　blame　in　this　separation；　and　I　believe　my　mother　afterwards　condemned　herself　for　being　too　hasty。　　Thank　God；　the　adversity　which　destroyed　the　means　of　continuing　my　dissipation；　restored　me　to　the　affections　of　my　surviving　parent。

My　course　of　life　could　not　last。　　I　ran　too　fast　to　run　long；　and　when　I　would　have　checked　my　career；　I　was　perhaps　too　near　the　brink　of　the　precipice。　　Some　mishaps　I　prepared　by　my　own　folly；　others　came　upon　me　unawares。　　I　put　my　estate　out　to　nurse　to　a　fat　man　of　business；　who　smothered　the　babe　he　should　have　brought　back　to　me　in　health　and　strength；　and；　in　dispute　with　this　honest　gentleman；　I　found；　like　a　skilful　general；　that　my　position　would　be　most　judiciously　assumed　by　taking　it　up　near　the　Abbey　of　Holyrood。　　＇See　Note　1。Holyr