the lady of the lake-第22节

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e　present　day；　very　unlikely　to　interfere　with　their　success。

I　had　also　read　a　great　deal；　seen　much；　and　heard　more；　of　that　romantic　country　where　I　was　in　the　habit　of　spending　some　time　every　autumn；　and　the　scenery　of　Lock　Katrine　was　connected　with　the　recollection　of　many　a　dear　friend　and　merry　expedition　of　former　days。　　This　poem；　the　action　of　which　lay　among　scenes　so　beautiful　and　so　deeply　imprinted　on　my　recollections；　was　a　labour　of　love；　and　it　was　no　less　so　to　recall　the　manners　and　incidents　introduced。　　The　frequent　custom　of　James　IV。；　and　particularly　of　James　V。；　to　walk　through　their　kingdom　in　disguise；　afforded　me　the　hint　of　an　incident　which　never　fails　to　be　interesting　if　managed　with　the　slightest　address　or　dexterity。

I　may　now　confess；　however；　that　the　employment；　though　attended　with　great　pleasure；　was　not　without　its　doubts　and　anxieties。　A　lady；　to　whom　I　was　nearly　related；　and　with　whom　I　lived；　during　her　whole　life；　on　the　most　brotherly　terms　of　affection；　was　residing　with　me　at　the　time　when　the　work　was　in　progress；　and　used　to　ask　me；　what　I　could　possibly　do　to　rise　so　early　in　the　morning　（that　happening　to　be　the　most　convenient　to　me　for　composition）。　　At　last　I　told　her　the　subject　of　my　meditations；　and　I　can　never　forget　the　anxiety　and　affection　expressed　in　her　reply。　　〃Do　not　be　so　rash；〃　she　said；　〃my　dearest　cousin。＇FN#2＇　You　are　already　popular；more　so；　perhaps；　than　you　yourself　will　believe；　or　than　even　I；　or　other　partial　friends；　can　fairly　allow　to　your　merit。　　You　stand　high；do　not　rashly　attempt　to　climb　higher；　and　incur　the　risk　of　a　fall；　for；　depend　upon　it；　a　favourite　will　not　be　permitted　even　to　stumble　with　impunity。〃　I　replied　to　this　affectionate　expostulation　in　the　words　of　Montrose；

　　　〃'He　either　fears　his　fate　too　much；　　　　　　　　　Or　his　deserts　are　small；　　　　　　　Who　dares　not　put　it　to　the　touch　　　　　　　　　To　gain　or　lose　it　all。'

〃If　I　fail；〃　I　said；　for　the　dialogue　is　strong　in　my　recollection；　〃it　is　a　sign　that　I　ought　never　to　have　succeeded；　and　I　will　write　prose　for　life：　you　shall　see　no　change　in　my　temper；　nor　will　I　eat　a　single　meal　the　worse。　　But　if　I　succeed；

　　　'Up　with　the　bonnie　blue　bonnet；　　　　　　　　The　dirk；　and　the　feather；　and　a'！'〃

Afterwards　I　showed　my　affectionate　and　anxious　critic　the　first　canto　of　the　poem；　which　reconciled　her　to　my　imprudence。　Nevertheless；　although　I　answered　thus　confidently；　with　the　obstinacy　often　said　to　be　proper　to　those　who　bear　my　surname；　I　acknowledge　that　my　confidence　was　considerably　shaken　by　the　warning　of　her　excellent　taste　and　unbiased　friendship。　　Nor　was　I　much　comforted　by　her　retraction　of　the　unfavourable　judgment；　when　I　recollected　how　likely　a　natural　partiality　was　to　effect　that　change　of　opinion。　　In　such　cases；　affection　rises　like　a　light　on　the　canvas；　improves　any　favourable　tints　which　it　formerly　exhibited；　and　throws　its　defects　into　the　shade。

I　remember　that　about　the　same　time　a　friend　started　in　to　〃heeze　up　my　hope；〃　like　the　〃sportsman　with　his　cutty　gun；〃　in　the　old　song。　He　was　bred　a　farmer；　but　a　man　of　powerful　understanding；　natural　good　taste；　and　warm　poetical　feeling；　perfectly　competent　to　supply　the　wants　of　an　imperfect　or　irregular　education。　　He　was　a　passionate　admirer　of　field…sports；　which　we　often　pursued　together。

As　this　friend　happened　to　dine　with　me　at　Ashestiel　one　day；　I　took　the　opportunity　of　reading　to　him　the　first　canto　of　The　Lady　of　the　Lake；　in　order　to　ascertain　the　effect　the　poem　was　likely　to　produce　upon　a　person　who　was　but　too　favourable　a　representative　of　readers　at　large。　　It　is　of　course　to　be　supposed　that　I　determined　rather　to　guide　my　opinion　by　what　my　friend　might　appear　to　feel；　than　by　what　he　might　think　fit　to　say。　　His　reception　of　my　recitation；　or　prelection；　was　rather　singular。　　He　placed　his　hand　across　his　brow；　and　listened　with　great　attention　through　the　whole　account　of　the　stag…hunt；　till　the　dogs　threw　themselves　into　the　lake　to　follow　their　master；　who　embarks　with　Ellen　Douglas。　He　then　started　up　with　a　sudden　exclamation；　struck　his　hand　on　the　table；　and　declared；　in　a　voice　of　censure　calculated　for　the　occasion；　that　the　dogs　must　have　been　totally　ruined　by　being　permitted　to　take　the　water　after　such　a　severe　chase。　　I　own　I　was　much　encouraged　by　the　species　of　revery　which　had　possessed　so　zealous　a　follower　of　the　sports　of　the　ancient　Nimrod；　who　had　been　completely　surprised　out　of　all　doubts　of　the　reality　of　the　tale。　Another　of　his　remarks　gave　me　less　pleasure。　　He　detected　the　identity　of　the　King　with　the　wandering　knight；　Fitz…James；　when　he　winds　his　bugle　to　summon　his　attendants。　　He　was　probably　thinking　of　the　lively；　but　somewhat　licentious；　old　ballad；　in　which　the　denouement　of　a　royal　intrigue　takes　place　as　follows：

　　　〃He　took　a　bugle　frae　his　side；　　　　　　　　He　blew　both　loud　and　shrill；　　　　　　And　four　and　twenty　belted　knights　　　　　　　　Came　skipping　over　the　hill；　　　　　　Then　he　took　out　a　little　knife；　　　　　　　　Let　a'　his　duddies　fa'；　　　　　　And　he　was　the　brawest　gentleman　　　　　　　　That　was　amang　them　a'。　　　　　　　　　　　　And　we'll　go　no　more　a　roving；〃　etc。

This　discovery；　as　Mr。　Pepys　says　of　the　rent　in　his　camlet　cloak；　was　but　a　trifle；　yet　it　troubled　me；　and　I　was　at　a　good　deal　of　pains　to　efface　any　marks　by　which　I　thought　my　secret　could　be　traced　before　the　conclusion；　when　I　relied　on　it　with　the　same　hope　of　producing　effect；　with　which　the　Irish　post…boy　is　said　to　reserve　a　〃trot　for　the　avenue。〃

I　took　uncommon　pains　to　verify　the　accuracy　of　the　local　circumstances　of　this　story。　　I　recollect；　in　particular；　that　to　ascertain　whether　I　was　telling　a　probable　tale；　I　went　into　Perthshire；　to　see　whether　King　James　could　actually　have　ridden　from　the　banks　of　Loch　Vennachar　to　Stirling　Castle　within　the　time　supposed　in　the　poem；　and　had　the　pleasure　to　satisfy　myself　that　it　was　quite　practicable。

After　a　considerable　delay；　The　Lady　of　the　Lake　appeared　in　June；　1810；　and　its　success　was　certainly　so　extraordinary　as　to　induce　me　for　the　moment　to　conclude　that　I　had　at　last　fixed　a　nail　in　the　proverbially　inconstant　wheel　of　Fortune；　whose　stability　in　behalf　of　an　individual　who　had　so　boldly　courted　her　favours　for　three　successive　times　had　not　as　yet　been　shaken。　　I　had　attained；　perhaps；　that　degree　of　reputation　at　which　prudence；　or　certainly　timidity；　would　have　made　a　halt；　and　discontinued　efforts　by　which　I　was　far　more　likely　to　diminish　my　fame　than　to　increase　it。　　But；　as　the　celebrated　John　Wilkes　is　said　to　have　explained　to　his　late　Majesty；　that　he　himself；　amid　his　full　tide　of　popularity；　was　never　a　Wilkite；　so　I　can；　with　honest　truth；　exculpate　myself　from　having　been　at　any　time　a　partisan　of　my　own　poetry；　even　when　it　was　in　the　highest　fashion　with　the　million。　　It　must　not　be　supposed　that　I　was　either　so　ungrateful；　or　so　superabundantly　candid；　as　to　despise　or　scorn　the　value　of　those　whose　voice　had　elevated　me　so　much　higher　than　my　own　opinion　told　me　I　deserved。　I　felt；　on　the　contrary；　the　more　grateful　to　the　public；　as　receiving　that　from　partiality　to　me；　which　I　could　not　have　claimed　from　merit；　and　I　endeavoured　to　deserve　the　partiality；　by　continuing　such　exertions　as　I　was　capable　of　for　their　amusement。

It　may　be　that　I　did　not；　in　this　continued　course　of　scribbling；　consult　either　the　interest　of　the　public　or　my　own。　　But　the　former　had　effectual　means　of　defending　themselves；　and　could；　by　their　coldness；　sufficiently　check　any　approach　to　intrusion；　and　for　myself；　I　had　now　for　several　years　dedicated　my　hours　so　much　to　literary　labour　that　I　should　have　felt　difficulty　in　employing　myself　otherwise；　and　so；　like　Dogberry；　I　generously　bestowed　all　my　tediousness　on　the　public；　comforting　myself　with　the　reflection　that；　if　posterity　should　think　me　undeserving　of　the　favour　with　which　I　was　regarded　by　my　contemporaries；　〃they　could　not　but　say　I　had　the　crown；〃　and　had　enjoyed　for　a　time　that　popularity　which　is　so　much　coveted。

I　conceived；　however；　that　I　held　the　distinguished　situation　I　had　obtained；　however　unworthily；　rather　like　the　champion　of　pugilism；＇FN#3＇　on　the　condition　of　being　always　ready　to　show　proofs　of　my　skill；　than　in　the　manner　of　the　champion　of　chivalry；　who　performs　his　duties　only　on　rare　and　solemn　occasions。　　I　was　in　any　case　conscious　that　I　could　not　long　hold　a　situation　which　the　caprice；　rather　than　the　judgment；　of　the　public；　had　bestowed　upon　me；　and　preferred　being　deprived　of　my　precedence　by　some　more　worthy　rival；　to　sinking　into　contempt　for　my　indolence；　and　losing　my　reputation　by　what　Scottish　lawyers　call　the　negative　prescription。　Accordingly；　those　who　choose　to　look　at　the　Introduction　to　Rokeby；　will　be　able　to　trace　the　steps　by　which　I　declined　as　a　poet　to　figure　as　a　novelist；　as　the　ballad　says；　Queen　Eleanor　sunk　at　Charing　Cross　to　rise　again　at　Queenhithe。

It　only　remains　for　me　to　say　that；　during　my　short　pre…eminence　of　popularity；　I　faithfully　observed　the　rules　of　moderation　which　I　had　resolved　to　follow　before　I　began　my　course　as　a　man　of　letters。　If　a　man　is　determined　to　make　a　noise　in　the　world；