the annals of the parish-第5章

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o　make　it　in　Latin；　for　assuredly　his　dead　parent；　if　he　could　have　seen　it；　could　not　have　read　a　single　word　o't；　notwithstanding　it　was　so　vaunty　about　his　virtues；　and　other　civil　and　hospitable　qualifications。

The　coming　of　the　laird's　monumental　stone　had　a　great　effect　on　me；　then　in　a　state　of　deep　despondency　for　the　loss　of　the　first　Mrs　Balwhidder；　and　I　thought　I　could　not　do　a　better　thing；　just　by　way　of　diversion　in　my　heavy　sorrow；　than　to　get　a　well…shapen　headstone　made　for　herwhich；　as　I　have　hinted　at　in　the　record　of　the　last　year；　was　done　and　set　up。　　But　a　headstone　without　an　epitaph；　is　no　better　than　a　body　without　the　breath　of　life　in't；　and　so　it　behoved　me　to　make　a　poesy　for　the　monument；　the　which　I　conned　and　pondered　upon　for　many　days。　　I　thought　as　Mrs　Balwhidder；　worthy　woman　as　she　was；　did　not　understand　the　Latin　tongue；　it　would　not　do　to　put　on　what　I　had　to　say　in　that　language；　as　the　laird　had　donenor　indeed　would　it　have　been　easy；　as　I　found　upon　the　experimenting；　to　tell　what　I　had　to　tell　in　Latin；　which　is　naturally　a　crabbed　language；　and　very　difficult　to　write　properly。　I　therefore；　after　mentioning　her　age　and　the　dates　of　her　birth　and　departure；　composed　in　sedate　poetry　the　following　epitaph；　which　may　yet　be　seen　on　the　tombstone。


EPITAPH

A　lovely　Christian；　spouse；　and　friend；　Pleasant　in　life；　and　at　her　end。　…　A　pale　consumption　dealt　the　blow　That　laid　her　here；　with　dust　below。　Sore　was　the　cough　that　shook　her　frame；　That　cough　her　patience　did　proclaim　…　And　as　she　drew　her　latest　breath；　She　said；　〃The　Lord　is　sweet　in　death。〃　O　pious　reader！　standing　by；　Learn　like　this　gentle　one　to　die。　The　grass　doth　grow　and　fade　away；　And　time　runs　out　by　night　and　day；　The　King　of　Terrors　has　command　To　strike　us　with　his　dart　in　hand。　Go　where　we　will　by　flood　or　field；　He　will　pursue　and　make　us　yield。　But　though　to　him　we　must　resign　The　vesture　of　our　part　divine；　There　is　a　jewel　in　our　trust；　That　will　not　perish　in　the　dust；　A　pearl　of　price；　a　precious　gem；　Ordained　for　Jesus'　diadem；　Therefore；　be　holy　while　you　can；　And　think　upon　the　doom　of　man。　Repent　in　time　and　sin　no　more；　That　when　the　strife　of　life　is　o'er；　On　wings　of　love　your　soul　may　rise；　To　dwell　with　angels　in　the　skies；　Where　psalms　are　sung　eternally；　And　martyrs　ne'er　again　shall　die；　But　with　the　saints　still　bask　in　bliss；　And　drink　the　cup　of　blessedness。


This　was　greatly　thought　of　at　the　time；　and　Mr　Lorimore；　who　had　a　nerve　for　poesy　himself　in　his　younger　years；　was　of　opinion　that　it　was　so　much　to　the　purpose；　and　suitable　withal；　that　he　made　his　scholars　write　it　out　for　their　examination　copies；　at　the　reading　whereof　before　the　heritors；　when　the　examination　of　the　school　came　round；　the　tear　came　into　my　eye；　and　every　one　present　sympathized　with　me　in　my　great　affliction　for　the　loss　of　the　first　Mrs　Balwhidder。

Andrew　Langshaw；　as　I　have　recorded；　having　come　from　the　Glasgow　College　to　the　burial　of　his　sister；　my　wife　that　was；　stayed　with　me　a　month　to　keep　me　company；　and　staying　with　me；　he　was　a　great　cordial；　for　the　weather　was　wet　and　sleety；　and　the　nights　were　stormy；　so　that　I　could　go　little　out；　and　few　of　the　elders　came　in；　they　being　at　that　time　old　men　in　a　feckless　condition；　not　at　all　qualified　to　warsle　with　the　blasts　of　winter。　　But　when　Andrew　left　me　to　go　back　to　his　classes；　I　was　eerie　and　lonesome；　and　but　for　the　getting　of　the　monument　ready；　which　was　a　blessed　entertainment　to　me　in　those　dreary　nights；　with　consulting　anent　the　shape　of　it　with　John　Truel；　and　meditating　on　the　verse　for　the　epitaph；　I　might　have　gone　altogether　demented。　　However；　it　pleased　Him；　who　is　the　surety　of　the　sinner；　to　help　me　through　the　Slough　of　Despond；　and　to　set　my　feet　on　firm　land；　establishing　my　way　thereon。

But　the　work　of　the　monument；　and　the　epitaph；　could　not　endure　for　a　constancy；　and　after　it　was　done；　I　was　again　in　great　danger　of　sinking　into　the　hypochonderies　a　second　time。　　However；　I　was　enabled　to　fight　with　my　affliction；　and　by…and…by；　as　the　spring　began　to　open　her　green　lattice；　and　to　set　out　her　flower…pots　to　the　sunshine；　and　the　time　of　the　singing　of　birds　was　come；　I　became　more　composed；　and　like　myself；　so　I　often　walked　in　the　fields；　and　held　communion　with　nature；　and　wondered　at　the　mysteries　thereof。

On　one　of　these　occasions；　as　I　was　sauntering　along　the　edge　of　Eaglesham…wood；　looking　at　the　industrious　bee　going　from　flower　to　flower；　and　the　idle　butterfly；　that　layeth　up　no　store；　but　perisheth　ere　it　is　winter；　I　felt　as　it　were　a　spirit　from　on　high　descending　upon　me；　a　throb　at　my　heart；　and　a　thrill　in　my　brain；　and　I　was　transported　out　of　myself；　and　seized　with　the　notion　of　writing　a　bookbut　what　it　should　be　about；　I　could　not　settle　to　my　satisfaction。　　Sometimes　I　thought　of　an　orthodox　poem；　like　PARADISE　LOST；　by　John　Milton；　wherein　I　proposed　to　treat　more　at　large　of　Original　Sin；　and　the　great　mystery　of　Redemption；　at　others；　I　fancied　that　a　connect　treatise　on　the　efficacy　of　Free　Grace　would　be　more　taking；　but　although　I　made　divers　beginnings　in　both　subjects；　some　new　thought　ever　came　into　my　head；　and　the　whole　summer　passed　away　and　nothing　was　done。　　I　therefore　postponed　my　design　of　writing　a　book　till　the　winter；　when　I　would　have　the　benefit　of　the　long　nights。　　Before　that；　however；　I　had　other　things　of　　more　importance　to　think　about。　　My　servant　lasses；　having　no　eye　of　a　mistress　over　them；　wastered　every　thing　at　such　a　rate；　and　made　such　a　galravitching　in　the　house；　that；　long　before　the　end　of　the　year；　the　year's　stipend　was　all　spent；　and　I　did　not　know　what　to　do。　　At　lang　and　length　I　mustered　courage　to　send　for　Mr　Auld；　who　was　then　living；　and　an　elder。　　He　was　a　douce　and　discreet　man；　fair　and　well…doing　in　the　world；　and　had　a　better　handful　of　strong　common　sense　than　many　even　of　the　heritors。　　So　I　told　him　how　I　was　situated；　and　conferred　with　him；　and　he　advised　me；　for　my　own　sake；　to　look　out　for　another　wife　as　soon　as　decency　would　allow；　which　he　thought　might　very　properly　be　after　the　turn　of　the　year；　by　which　time　the　first　Mrs　Balwhidder　would　be　dead　more　than　twelve　months；　and　when　I　mentioned　my　design　to　write　a　book；　he　said；　（and　he　was　a　man　of　good　discretion）；　that　the　doing　of　the　book　was　a　thing　that　would　keep；　but　masterful　servants　were　a　growing　evil；　so；　upon　his　counselling；　I　resolved　not　to　meddle　with　the　book　till　I　was　married　again；　but　employ　the　interim；　between　then　and　the　turn　of　the　year；　in　looking　out　for　a　prudent　woman　to　be　my　second　wife；　strictly　intending；　as　I　did　perform；　not　to　mint　a　word　about　my　choice；　if　I　made　one；　till　the　whole　twelve　months　and　a　day；　from　the　date　of　the　first　Mrs　Balwhidder's　interment；　had　run　out。

In　this　the　hand　of　Providence　was　very　visible；　and　lucky　for　me　it　was　that　I　had　sent　for　Mr　Auld　when　I　did　send；　as　the　very　week　following；　a　sound　began　to　spread　in　the　parish；　that　one　of　my　lassies　had　got　herself　with　bairn；　which　was　an　awful　thing　to　think　had　happened　in　the　house　of　her　master；　and　that　master　a　minister　of　the　gospel。　　Some　there　were；　for　backbiting　appertaineth　to　all　conditions；　that　jealoused　and　wondered　if　I　had　not　a　finger　in　the　pie；　which；　when　Mr　Auld　heard；　he　bestirred　himself　in　such　a　manful　and　godly　way　in　my　defence；　as　silenced　the　clash；　telling　that　I　was　utterly　incapable　of　any　such　thing；　being　a　man　of　a　guileless　heart；　and　a　spiritual　simplicity；　that　would　be　ornamental　in　a　child。　　We　then　had　the　latheron　summoned　before　the　session；　and　was　not　long　of　making　her　confess　that　the　father　was　Nichol　Snipe；　Lord　Glencairn's　gamekeeper；　and　both　her　and　Nichol　were　obligated　to　stand　in　the　kirk：　　but　Nichol　was　a　graceless　reprobate；　for　he　came　with　two　coats；　one　buttoned　behind　him；　and　another　buttoned　before　him；　and　two　wigs　of　my　lord's；　lent　him　by　the　valet…de…chamer；　the　one　over　his　face；　and　the　other　in　the　right　way；　and　he　stood　with　his　face　to　the　church…　wall。　　When　I　saw　him　from　the　poopit；　I　said　to　him〃Nichol；　you　must　turn　your　face　towards　me！〃　　At　the　which；　he　turned　round　to　be　sure；　but　there　he　presented　the　same　show　as　his　back。　　I　was　confounded；　and　did　not　know　what　to　say；　but　cried　out　with　a　voice　of　anger〃Nichol；　Nichol！　if　ye　had　been　a'　back；　ye　wouldna　hae　been　there　this　day；〃　which　had　such　an　effect　on　the　whole　congregation；　that　the　poor　fellow　suffered　afterwards　more　derision；　than　if　I　had　rebuked　him　in　the　manner　prescribed　by　the　session。

This　affair；　with　the　previous　advice　of　Mr　Auld；　was；　however；　a　warning　to　me；　that　no　pastor　of　his　parish　should　be　long　without　a　helpmate。　　Accordingly；　as　soon　as　the　year　was　out；　I　set　myself　earnestly　about　the　search　for　one；　but　as　the　particulars　fall　properly　within　the　scope　and　chronicle　of　the　next　year；　I　must　reserve　them　for　it；　and　I　do　not　recollect　that　any　thing　more　particular　befell　in　this；　excepting　that　William　Mutchkins；　the　father　of　Mr　Mutchkins；　the　great　spirit…dealer　in　Glasgow；　set　up　a　change…house　in　the　clachan；　which　was　the　first　in　the　parish；　and　which；　if　I　could　have　helped；　would　have　been　the　last；　for　it　was　opening　a　howf　to　all　manner　of　wickedness；　and　was　an　immediate　get　and　offspring　of　the　smuggling　trade；　against　which　I　had　so　set　my　countenance。　　But　William　Mutchkins　himself　was　a　respectable　man；　and　no　house　could　be　better　ordered　than　his　change。　　At　a　stated　hour　he　made　family　worship；　for　he　brought　up　his　children　in　the　fear　of　God　and　the　Christian　religion；　and　although　the　house　was　full；　he　would　go　in　to　the　customers；　and　ask　them　if　they　would　want　anything　for　half　an　hour；　for　that　he　was　going　to　make　exercise　with　his　family；　and　many　a　wayfaring　traveller　has　joined　in　the　prayer。　　There　is　no　such　thing；　I　fear；　nowadays；　of　publicans　entertaining　travellers　in　this　manner。



CHAPTER　VI　　YEAR　1765



As　there　was　little　in　the　last　year　that　concerned　the　parish；　but　only　myself；　so　in　this　the　like　fortune　continued；　and　saving　a　rise　in　the　price　of　barley；　occasioned；　as　was　thought；　by　the　establishment　of　a　house　for　brewing　whisky　in　a　neighbouring　parish；　it　could　not　be　said　that　my　people　were　exposed　to　the　mutations　and　influences　of　the　stars；　which　ruled　in　the　seasons　of　Ann。　Dom。　1765。　　In　the　winter　there　was　a　dearth　of　fuel；　such　as　has　not　been　since；　for　when　the　spring　loosened　the　bonds　of　the　ice；　three　new　coal…heughs　were　shanked　in　the　Douray　moor；　and　ever　since　there　has　been　a　great　plenty　of　that　necessary　article。　Truly；　it　is　very　wonderful　to　see　how　things　come　round。　　When　the　talk　was　about　the　shanking　of　their　heughs；　and　a　paper　to　get　folk　to　take　shares　in　them；　was　carried　through　the　circumjacent　parishes；　it　was　thought　a　gowk's　errand；　but　no　sooner　was　the　coal　reached；　but　up　sprung　such　a　traffic；　that　it　was　a　godsend　to　the　parish；　and　the　opening　of　a　trade　and　commerce；　that　has；　to　use　an　old　byword；　brought　gold　in　gowpins　amang　us。　　From　that　time　my　stipend　has　been　on　the　regular　increase；　and　therefore　I　think　that　the　incoming　of　the　heritors　must　have　been　in　like　manner　au