the annals of the parish-第27章

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ghout　the　world。　　The　conflagration　of　the　French　Revolution　was　indeed　not　extinguished；　but　it　was　evidently　burning　out；　and　their　old　reverence　for　the　Grand　Monarque　was　beginning　to　revive　among　them；　though　they　only　called　him　a　consul。　　Upon　the　king's　fast　I　preached　on　this　subject；　and　when　the　peace　was　concluded；　I　got　great　credit　for　my　foresight；　but　there　was　no　merit　in't。　　I　had　only　lived　longer　than　the　most　of　those　around　me；　and　had　been　all　my　days　a　close　observer　of　the　signs　of　the　times；　so　that　what　was　lightly　called　prophecy　and　prediction；　were　but　a　probability　that　experience　had　taught　me　to　discern。

In　the　affairs　of　the　parish；　the　most　remarkable　generality　（for　we　had　no　particular　catastrophe）　was　a　great　death　of　old　people　in　the　spring。　　Among　others；　Miss　Sabrina；　the　school　mistress；　paid　the　debt　of　nature；　but　we　could　now　better　spare　her　than　we　did　her　predecessor；　for　at　Cayenneville　there　was　a　broken　manufacturer's　wife；　an　excellent　teacher；　and　a　genteel　and　modernised　woman；　who　took　the　better　order　of　children；　and　Miss　Sabrina　having　been　long　frail　（for　she　was　never　stout）；　a　decent　and　discreet　carlin；　Mrs　M'Caffie；　the　widow　of　a　custom…house　officer；　that　was　a　native　of　the　parish；　set　up　another　for　plainer　work。　　Her　opposition　Miss　Sabrina　did　not　mind；　but　she　was　sorely　displeased　at　the　interloping　of　Mrs　Pirn　at　Cayenneville；　and　some　said　it　helped　to　kill　herof　that；　however；　I　am　not　so　certain；　for　Dr。　Tanzey　had　told　me　in　the　winter；　that　he　thought　the　sharp　winds　in　March　would　blow　out　her　candle；　as　it　was　burnt　to　the　snuff；　accordingly；　she　took　her　departure　from　this　life；　on　the　twenty…fifth　day　of　that　month；　after　there　had；　for　some　days　prior；　been　a　most　cold　and　piercing　east　wind。

Miss　Sabrina；　who　was　always　an　oddity　and　aping　grandeur；　it　was　found；　had　made　a　will；　leaving　her　gatherings　to　her　favourites；　with　all　regular　formality。　　To　one　she　bequeathed　a　gown；　to　another　this；　and　a　third　that；　and　to　me　a　pair　of　black　silk　stockings。　　I　was　amazed　when　I　heard　this；　but　judge　what　I　felt；　when　a　pair　of　old　marrowless　stockings；　darned　in　the　heel；　and　not　whole　enough　in　the　legs　to　make　a　pair　of　mittens　to　Mrs　Balwhidder；　were　delivered　to　me　by　her　executor；　Mr　Caption；　the　lawyer。　　Saving；　however；　this　kind　of　flummery；　Miss　Sabrina　was　a　harmless　creature；　and　could　quote　poetry　in　discourse　more　glibly　than　texts　of　Scriptureher　father　having　spared　no　pains　on　her　mind：　　as　for　her　body；　it　could　not　be　mended；　but　that　was　not　her　fault。

After　her　death；　the　session　held　a　consultation；　and　we　agreed　to　give　the　same　salary　that　Miss　Sabrina　enjoyed　to　Mrs　M'Caffie；　which　angered　Mr　Cayenne；　who　thought　it　should　have　been　given　to　the　head　mistress；　and　it　made　him　give　Mrs　Pirn；　out　of　his　own　pocket；　double　the　sum。　　But　we　considered　that　the　parish　funds　were　for　the　poor　of　the　parish；　and　therefore　it　was　our　duty　to　provide　for　the　instruction　of　the　poor　children。　　Saving；　therefore；　those　few　notations；　I　have　nothing　further　to　say　concerning　the　topics　and　progress　of　this　Ann。　Dom。



CHAPTER　XLII　　YEAR　1801



It　is　often　to　me　very　curious　food　for　meditation；　that　as　the　parish　increased　in　population；　there　should　have　been　less　cause　for　matter　to　record。　　Things　that　in　former　days　would　have　occasioned　great　discourse　and　cogitation；　are　forgotten　with　the　day　in　which　they　happen；　and　there　is　no　longer　that　searching　into　personalities　which　was　so　much　in　vogue　during　the　first　epoch　of　my　ministry；　which　I　reckon　the　period　before　the　American　war；　nor　has　there　been　any　such　germinal　changes　among　us；　as　those　which　took　place　in　the　second　epoch；　counting　backward　from　the　building　of　the　cotton…mill　that　gave　rise　to　the　town　of　Cayenneville。　　But　still　we　were　not；　even　at　this　era；　of　which　this　Ann。　Dom。　is　the　beginning；　without　occasional　personality；　or　an　event　that　deserved　to　be　called　a　germinal。

Some　years　before；　I　had　noted　among　the　callans　at　Mr　Lorimore's　school　a　long　soople　laddie；　who；　like　all　bairns　that　grow　fast　and　tall；　had　but　little　smeddum。　　He　could　not　be　called　a　dolt；　for　he　was　observant　and　thoughtful；　and　giving　to　asking　sagacious　questions；　but　there　was　a　sleepiness　about　him；　especially　in　the　kirk；　and　he　gave；　as　the　master　said；　but　little　application　to　his　lessons；　so　that　folk　thought　he　would　turn　out　a　sort　of　gaunt…at…　the…door；　more　mindful　of　meat　than　work。　　He　was；　however；　a　good…　natured　lad；　and；　when　I　was　taking　my　solitary　walks　of　meditation；　I　sometimes　fell　in　with　him　sitting　alone　on　the　brae　by　the　water…　side；　and　sometimes　lying　on　the　grass；　with　his　hands　under　his　head；　on　the　sunny　green　knolls　where　Mr　Cylinder；　the　English　engineer　belonging　to　the　cotton…work；　has　built　the　bonny　house　that　he　calls　Diryhill　Cottage。　　This　was　when　Colin　Mavis　was　a　laddie　at　the　school；　and　when　I　spoke　to　him；　I　was　surprised　at　the　discretion　of　his　answers；　so　that　gradually　I　began　to　think　and　say；　that　there　was　more　about　Colin　than　the　neighbours　knew。　Nothing；　however；　for　many　a　day；　came　out　to　his　advantage；　so　that　his　mother；　who　was　by　this　time　a　widow　woman；　did　not　well　know　what　to　do　with　him；　and　folk　pitied　her　heavy　handful　of　such　a　droud。

By…and…by；　however；　it　happened　that　one　of　the　young　clerks　at　the　cotton…mill　shattered　his　right…hand　thumb　by　a　gun　bursting；　and；　being　no　longer　able　to　write；　was　sent　into　the　army　to　be　an　ensign；　which　caused　a　vacancy　in　the　office；　and；　through　the　help　of　Mr　Cayenne；　I　got　Colin　Mavis　into　the　place；　where；　to　the　surprise　of　everybody；　he　proved　a　wonderful　eident　and　active　lad；　and；　from　less　to　more；　has　come　at　the　head　of　all　the　clerks；　and　deep　in　the　confidentials　of　his　employers。　　But　although　this　was　a　great　satisfaction　to　me；　and　to　the　widow　woman　his　mother；　it　somehow　was　not　so　much　so　to　the　rest　of　the　parish；　who　seemed；　as　it　were；　angry　that　poor　Colin　had　not　proved　himself　such　a　dolt　as　they　had　expected　and　foretold。

Among　other　ways　that　Colin　had　of　spending　his　leisure；　was　that　of　playing　music　on　an　instrument；　in　which　it　was　said　he　made　a　wonderful　proficiency；　but　being　long　and　thin；　and　of　a　delicate　habit　of　body；　he　was　obligated　to　refrain　from　this　recreation；　so　he　betook　himself　to　books；　and　from　reading　he　began　to　try　writing；　but；　as　this　was　done　in　a　corner；　nobody　jealoused　what　he　was　about；　till　one　evening　in　this　year　he　came　to　the　manse；　and　asked　a　word　in　private　with　me。　　I　thought　that　perhaps　he　had　fallen　in　with　a　lass；　and　was　come　to　consult　me　anent　matrimony；　but　when　we　were　by　ourselves；　in　my　study；　he　took　out　of　his　pocket　a　number　of　the　Scots　Magazine；　and　said；　〃Sir；　you　have　been　long　pleased　to　notice　me　more　than　any　other　body；　and　when　I　got　this；　I　could　not　refrain　from　bringing　it；　to　let　you　see't。　　Ye　maun　ken；　sir；　that　I　have　been　long　in　secret　given　to　trying　my　hand　at　rhyme；　and；　wishing　to　ascertain　what　others　thought　of　my　power　in　that　way；　I　sent　by　the　post　twa　three　verses　to　the　Scots　Magazine；　and　they　have　not　only　inserted　them；　but　placed　them　in　the　body　of　the　book；　in　such　a　way　that　I　kenna　what　to　think。〃　　So　I　looked　at　the　Magazine；　and　read　his　verses；　which　were　certainly　very　well…made　verses　for　one　who　had　no　regular　education。　　But　I　said　to　him；　as　the　Greenock　magistrates　said　to　John　Wilson；　the　author　of　〃Clyde；〃　when　they　stipulated　with　him　to　give　up　the　art；　that　poem…making　was　a　profane　and　unprofitable　trade；　and　he　would　do　well　to　turn　his　talent　to　something　of　more　solidity；　which　he　promised　to　do；　but　he　has　since　put　out　a　book；　whereby　he　has　angered　all　those　that　had　foretold　he　would　be　a　do…nae…gude。　　Thus　has　our　parish　walked　sidy　for　sidy　with　all　the　national　improvements；　having　an　author　of　its　own；　and　getting　a　literary　character　in　the　ancient　and　famous　republic　of　letters。



CHAPTER　XLIII　　YEAR　1802



〃Experience　teaches　fools；〃　was　the　first　moral　apothegm　that　I　wrote　in　small　text；　when　learning　to　write　at　the　school；　and　I　have　ever　since　thought　it　was　a　very　sensible　reflection。　　For　assuredly；　as　year　after　year　has　flown　away　on　the　swift　wings　of　time；　I　have　found　my　experience　mellowing；　and　my　discernment　improving；　by　which　I　have；　in　the　afternoon　of　life；　been　enabled　to　foresee　what　kings　and　nations　would　do；　by　the　symptoms　manifested　within　the　bounds　of　the　society　around　me。　　Therefore；　at　the　beginning　of　the　spring　in　this　Ann。　Dom。；　I　had　misgivings　at　the　heart；　a　fluttering　in　my　thoughts；　and　altogether　a　strange　uneasiness　as　to　the　stability　of　the　peace　and　harmony　that　was　supposed　to　be　founded　upon　a　steadfast　foundation　between　us　and　the　French　people。　　What　my　fears　principally　took　their　rise　from；　was　a　sort　of　compliancy；　on　the　part　of　those　in　power　and　authority；　to　cultivate　the　old　relations　and　parts　between　them　and　the　commonalty。　　It　did　not　appear　to　me　that　this　proceeded　from　any　known　or　decided　event；　for　I　read　the　papers　at　this　period　daily；　but　from　some　general　dread　and　fear；　that　was　begotten；　like　a　vapour　out　of　the　fermentation　of　all　sorts　of　opinions；　most　people　of　any　sagacity　thinking　that　the　state　of　things　in　France　being　so　much　of　an　antic；　poetical；　and　playactor…like　guise；　that　it　would　never　obtain　that　respect；　far　less　that　reverence　from　the　world；　which　is　necessary　to　the　maintenance　of　all　beneficial　government。　　The　consequence　of　this　was　a　great　distrust　between　man　and　man；　and　an　aching　restlessness　among　those　who　had　their　bread　to　bake　in　the　world；　persons　possessing　the　power　to　provide　for　their　kindred；　forcing　them；　as　it　were；　down　the　throats　of　those　who　were　dependent　on　them　in　business；　a　bitter　morsel。

But　the　pith　of　these　remarks　chiefly　applies　to　the　manufacturing　concerns　of　the　new　town　of　Cayenneville；　for　in　the　clachan　we　lived　in　the　lea　of　the　dike；　and　were　more　taken　up　with　our　own　natural　rural　affairs；　and　the　markets　for　victual；　than　the　craft　of　merchandise。　　The　only　man　interested　in　business；　who　walked　in　a　steady　manner　at　his　old　pace；　though　he　sometimes　was　seen；　being　of　a　spunkie　temper；　grinding　the　teeth　of　vexation；　was　Mr　Cayenne　himself。

One　day；　however；　he　came　to　me　at　the　manse。　　〃Doctor；〃　says　he；　for　so　he　always　called　me；　〃I　want　your　advice。　　I　never　choose　to　trouble　others　with　my　private　affairs；　but　there　are　times　when　the　word　of　an　honest　man　may　do　good。　　I　need　not　tell　you；　that　when　I　declared　myself　a　Royalist　in　America；　it　was　at　a　considerable　sacrifice。　　I　have；　however；　nothing　to　complain　of　against　government　on　that　score；　but　I　think　it　damn'd　hard　that　those　personal　connexions；　whose　interests　I　preserved　to　the　detriment　of　my　own；　should　in　my　old　age　make　such　an　ungrateful　return。　　By　the　steps　I　took　prior　to　quitting　America；　I　saved　the　property　of　a　great　mercantile　concern　in　London。　　In　return　for　that；　they　took　a　share　with　me；　and　for　me；　in　the　cotton…mill；　and　being　here　on　the　spot；　as　manager；　I　have　both　made　and　saved　them　money。　　I　have；　no　doubt；　bettered　my　own　fortune　in　the　mean　time。　　Would　you　be