an autobiography-第4节

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In　doing　this　she　adopted　a　mode　of　supplementing　the　power　of　spectacles　in　restoring　the　receding　power　of　the　eyes。　　She　was　in　all　respects　scientifically　correct。　　She　increased　the　magnifying　power　of　the　glasses；　a　practice　which　is　preferable　to　using　single　glasses　of　the　same　power；　and　which　I　myself　often　follow。　　Notwithstanding　this　improved　method　of　reading　her　Bible；　and　her　four　black　cats；　she　was　condemned　to　be　burned　alive！　　She　was　about　the　last　victim　in　Scotland　to　the　disgraceful　superstition　of　witchcraft。

The　Naesmyths　of　Netherton　having　lost　their　ancestral　property；　had　to　begin　the　world　again。　　They　had　to　begin　at　the　beginning。　But　they　had　plenty　of　pluck　and　energy。　　I　go　back　to　my　great…great…grandfather；　Michael　Naesmyth；　who　was　born　in　1652。　He　occupied　a　house　in　the　Grassmarket；　Edinburgh；　which　was　afterwards　rebuilt；　in　1696。　　His　business　was　that　of　a　builder　and　architect。　His　chief　employment　was　in　designing　and　erecting　new　mansions；　principally　for　the　landed　gentry　and　nobility。　　Their　old　castellated　houses　or　towers　were　found　too　dark　and　dreary　for　modern　uses。　The　drawbridges　were　taken　down；　and　the　moats　were　filled　up。　Sometimes　they　built　the　new　mansions　as　an　addition　to　the　old。　But　oftener　they　left　the　old　castles　to　go　to　ruin；　or；　what　was　worse；　they　made　use　of　the　stone　and　other　materials　of　the　old　romantic　buildings　for　the　construction　of　their　new　residences。

Michael　Naesmyth　acquired　a　high　reputation　for　the　substantiality　of　his　work。　　His　masonry　was　excellent；　as　well　as　his　woodwork。　The　greater　part　of　the　latter　was　executed　in　his　own　workshops　at　the　back　of　his　house　in　the　Grassmarket。　　His　large　yard　was　situated　between　the　back　of　the　house　and　the　high　wall　that　bounded　the　Greyfriars　Churchyard；to　the　east　of　the　flight　of　steps　which　forms　the　main　approach　to　George　Heriot's　Hospital。

＇Image＇　Michael　Naesmyth's　House；　Grassmarket。The　lower　building　at　the　　　　　　　　　right　hand　corner　of　the　engraving；　with　the　three　projecting　　　　　　　　　gable　ends

The　last　work　that　Michael　Naesmyth　was　engaged　in　cost　him　his　life。　He　had　contracted　with　the　Government　to　build　a　fort　at　Inversnaid；　at　the　northern　end　of　Loch　Lomond。　　It　was　intended　to　guard　the　Lowlands；　and　keep　Rob　Roy　and　his　caterans　within　the　Highland　Border。　A　promise　was　given　by　the　Government　that　during　the　progress　of　the　work　a　suitable　force　of　soldiers　should　be　quartered　close　at　hand　to　protect　the　builder　and　his　workmen。

＇Image＇　Inversnaid　Fort。　　After　a　drawing　by　Alexander　Nasmyth

Notwithstanding　many　whispered　warnings　as　to　the　danger　of　undertaking　such　a　hazardous　work；　Michael　Naesmyth　and　his　men　encamped　upon　the　spot；　though　without　the　protection　of　the　Government　force。　　Having　erected　a　temporary　residence　for　their　accommodation；　he　proceeded　with　the　building　of　the　fort。　　The　work　was　well　advanced　by　the　end　of　1703；　although　the　Government　had　treated　all　Naesmyth's　appeals　for　protection　with　evasion　or　contempt。

Winter　set　in　with　its　usual　force　in　those　northern　regions。　One　dark　and　snowy　night；　when　Michael　and　his　men　had　retired　to　rest；　a　loud　knocking　was　heard　at　the　door。　　〃Who's　there？〃　　asked　Michael。　A　man　outside　replied；　〃A　benighted　traveller　overt　aken　by　the　storm〃　He　proceeded　to　implore　help；　and　begged　for　God's　sake　that　he　might　have　shelter　for　the　night。　　Naesmyth；　in　the　full　belief　that　the　traveller's　tale　was　true；　unbolted　and　unbarred　the　door；　when　in　rushed　Rob　Roy　and　his　desperate　gang。　　The　men；　with　the　dirks　of　the　Macgregors　at　their　throats；　begged　hard　for　their　lives。　　This　was　granted　on　condition　that　they　should　instantly　depart；　and　take　an　oath　that　they　should　never　venture　within　the　Highland　border　again。

Michael　Naesmyth　and　his　men　had　no　alternative　but　to　submit；　and　they　at　once　left　the　bothy　with　such　scanty　clothing　as　the　Macgregors　would　allow　them　to　carry　away。　　They　were　marched　under　an　armed　escort　through　the　snowstorm　to　the　Highland　border；　and　were　there　left　with　the　murderous　threat　that；　if　they　ever　returned　to　the　fort；　they　would　meet　with　certain　death。

Another　attempt　was　made　to　build　the　fort　at　Inversnaid。　　But　Rob　Roy　again　surprised　the　small　party　of　soldiers　who　were　in　charge。　They　were　disarmed　and　sent　about　their　business。　　Finally；　the　fort　was　rebuilt；　and　placed　under　the　command　of　Captain　（afterwards　General）　Wolfe。　　When　peace　fell　upon　the　Highlands　and　Rob　Roy's　country　became　the　scene　of　picnics；　the　fort　was　abandoned　and　allowed　to　go　to　ruin。

Poor　Michael　never　recovered　from　the　cold　which　he　caught　during　his　forced　retreat　from　Inversnaid。　　The　effects　of　this；　together　with　the　loss　and　distress　of　mind　which　he　experienced　from　the　Government's　refusal　to　pay　for　his　worknotwithstanding　their　promise　to　protect　him　and　his　workmen　from　the　Highland　freebootersso　preyed　upon　his　mind　that　he　was　never　again　able　to　devote　himself　to　business。　One　evening；　whilst　sitting　at　his　fireside　with　his　grandchild　on　his　knee；　a　death…like　faintness　came　over　him；　he　set　the　child　down　carefully　by　the　side　of　his　chair；　and　then　fell　forward　dead　on　his　hearthstone。

Thus　ended　the　life　of　Michael　Naesmyth　in　1705；　at　the　age　of　fifty…three。　　He　was　buried　by　the　side　of　his　ancestors　in　the　old　family　tomb　in　the　Greyfriars　Churchyard。

＇Image＇　The　Naesmyth　Tomb　in　Greyfriars　Churchyard

This　old　tomb；　dated　1614；　though　much　defaced；　is　one　of　the　most　remarkable　of　the　many　which　surround　the　walls　of　that　ancient　and　memorable　burying…place。

Greyfriars　Churchyard　is　one　of　the　most　interesting　places　in　Edinburgh。　　The　National　Covenant　was　signed　there　by　the　Protestant　nobles　and　gentry　of　Scotland　in　1638。　　The　prisoners　taken　at　the　battle　of　Bothwell　Brig　were　shut　up　there　in　1679；　and；　after　enduring　great　privations；　a　portion　of　the　survivors　were　sent　off　to　Barbadoes。　　When　I　first　saw　the　tombstone；　an　ash　tree　was　growing　out　of　the　top　of　the　main　body　of　it；　though　that　has　since　been　removed。　In　growing；　the　roots　had　pushed　out　the　centre　stone；　which　has　not　been　replaced。　　The　tablet　over　it　contains　the　arms　of　the　family；　the　broken　hammer…shafts；　and　the　motto　〃Non　arte　sed　marte。〃　　There　are　the　remains　of　a　very　impressive　figure；　apparently　rising　from　her　cerements。　　The　body　and　extremities　remain；　but　the　head　has　been　broken　away。　　There　is　also　a　remarkable　motto　on　the　tablet　above　the　tombstone〃Ars　mihi　vim　contra　Fortunce；　which　I　take　to　be；　〃Art　is　my　strength　in　contending　against　Fortune；〃a　motto　which　is　appropriate　to　my　ancestors　as　well　as　to　myself。

The　business　was　afterwards　carried　on　by　Michael's　son；　my　great…grandfather。　　He　was　twenty…seven　years　old　at　the　time　of　his　father's　death；　and　lived　to　the　age　of　seventy…three。　　He　was　a　man　of　much　ability　and　of　large　experience。

One　of　his　great　advantages　in　carrying　on　his　business　was　the　support　of　a　staff　of　able　and　trustworthy　foremen　and　workmen。　　The　times　were　very　different　then　from　what　they　are　now。　　Masters　and　men　lived　together　in　mutual　harmony。　　There　was　a　kind　of　loyal　family　attachment　among　them；　which　extended　through　many　generations。　Workmen　had　neither　the　desire　nor　the　means　to　shift　about　from　place　to　place。　　On　the　contrary；　they　settled　down　with　their　wives　and　families　in　houses　of　their　own；　close　to　the　workshops　of　their　employers。　　Work　was　found　for　them　in　the　dull　seasons　when　trade　was　slack；　and　in　summer　they　sometimes　removed　to　jobs　at　a　distance　from　headquarters。　　Much　of　this　feeling　of　attachment　and　loyalty　between　workmen　and　their　employers　has　now　expired。　　Men　rapidly　remove　from　place　to　place。　　Character　is　of　little　consequence。　　The　mutual　feeling　of　goodwill　and　zealous　attention　to　work　seems　to　have　passed　away。

My　grandfather；　Michael　Naesmyth；　succeeded　to　the　business　in　1751。　He　more　than　maintained　the　reputation　of　his　predecessors。　The　collection　of　first…class　works　on　architecture　which　he　possessed；　such　as　the　folio　editions　of　Vitruvius　and　Palladio；　which　were　at　that　time　both　rare　and　dear；　showed　the　regard　he　had　for　impressing　into　his　designs　the　best　standards　of　taste。　　The　buildings　he　designed　and　erected　for　the　Scotch　nobility　and　gentry　were　well　arranged；　carefully　executed；　and　thoroughly　substantial。　　He　was　also　a　large　builder　in　Edinburgh。　　Amongst　the　houses　he　erected　in　the　Old　Town　were　the　principal　number　of　those　in　George　Square。　　In　one　of　these；　No。　25；　Sir　Walter　Scott　spent　his　boyhood　and　youth。　They　still　exist；　and　exhibit　the　care　which　he　took　in　the　elegance　and　substantiality　of　his　works。

I　remember　my　father　pointing　out　to　me　the　extreme　care　and　attention　with　which　he　finished　his　buildings。　　He　inserted　small　fragments　of　basalt　into　the　mortar　of　the　external　joints　of　the　stones；　at　close　and　regular　distances；　in　order　to　protect　the　mortar　from　the　adverse　action　of　the　weather。　　And　to　this　day　they　give　proof　of　their　efficiency。　　The　basalt　protects　the　joints；　and　at　the　same　time　gives　a　neat　and　pleasing　effect　to　what　would　otherwise　have　been　merely　the　monotonous　line　of　mason…