an autobiography-第9节
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My father was so much impressed with the scene that； while Burns was standing under the arch； he took out his pencil and a scrap of paper and made a hasty sketch of the subject。 This sketch was highly treasured by my father； in remembrance of what must have been one of the most memorable days of his life。
Talking of clubs reminds me that there was a good deal of club life in Edinburgh in those days。 The most notable were those in which the members were drawn together by occupations； habits； or tastes。 They met in the evenings； and conversed upon congenial subjects。 The clubs were generally held in one or other of the taverns situated in or near the High Street。 Every one will remember the Lawyers' Club； held in an Edinburgh close； presided over by Pleydell； so well described by Scott in Guy Mannering。
In my father's early days he was a member of a very jovial club； called the Poker Club。 It was so…called because the first chairman； immediately on his election； in a spirit of drollery； laid hold of the poker at the fireplace； and adopted it as his insignia of office。 He made a humorous address from the chair； or 〃the throne；〃 as he called it； with sceptre or poker in hand； and the club was thereupon styled by acclamation 〃The Poker Club。〃 I have seen my father's diploma of membership； it was tastefully drawn on parchment； with the poker duly emblazoned on it as the regalia of the club。
In my own time； the club that he was most connected with was the Dilettanti Club。 Its meetings were held every fortnight； on Thursday evenings； in a commodious tavern in the High Street。 The members were chiefly artists； or men known for their love of art。 Among then were Henry Raeburn； Hugh Williams （the Grecian）； Andrew Geddes； William Thomson； John Shetkay； William Nicholson； William Allan； Alexander Nasmyth； the Rev。 John Thomson of Duddingston； George Thomson； Sir Walter Scott； John Lockhart； Dr。 Brewster； David Wilkie； Henry Cockburn； Francis Jeffrey； John A。 Murray； Professor Wilson； John Ballantyne； James Ballantyne； James Hogg （the Ettrick Shepherd）； and David Bridges； the secretary。* ＇footnote。。。 Davie Bridges was a character。 In my early days he was a cloth merchant in the High Street。 His shop was very near that gigantic lounge； the old Parliament House； and was often resorted to by non…business visitors。 Bridges had a good taste for pictures。 He had a small but choice collection by the Old Masters； which he kept arranged in the warehouse under his shop。 He took great pride in exhibiting them to his visitors； and expatiating upon their excellence。 I remember being present in his warehouse with my father when a very beautiful small picture by Richard Wilson was under review。 Davie burst out emphatically with； 〃Eh； man； did ye ever see such glorious buttery touches as on these clouds！〃 His joking friends clubbed him 〃Director…General of the Fine Arts for Scotland；〃 a title which he complacently accepted。 Besides showing off his pictures； Davie was an art critic； and wrote articles for the newspapers and magazines。 Unfortunately； however； his attention to pictures prevented him from attending to his shop； and his customers （who were not artists） forsook him； and bought their clothes elsewhere。 He accordingly shut up his shop； and devoted himself to art criticism； in which； for a time； he possessed a monopoly。 。。。＇
The drinks were restricted to Edinburgh ale and whisky toddy。
An admirable picture of the club in full meeting was painted by William Allan； in which characteristic portraits of all the leading members were introduced in full social converse。 Among the more prominent portraits is one of my father； who is represented as illustrating some subject he is describing； by drawing it on the part of the table before him； with his finger dipped in toddy。 Other marked and well…known characteristics of the members are skilfully introduced in the picture。 The artist afterwards sold it to Mr。 Horrocks of Preston； in Lancashire。
Besides portrait painting； my father was much employed in assisting the noblemen and landed gentry of Scotland in improving the landscape appearance of their estates； especially when seen from their mansion windows。 His fine taste； and his love of natural scenery； gave him great advantages in this respect。 He selected the finest sites for the new mansions； when they were erected in lieu of the old towers and crenellated castles。 Or； he designed alterations of the old buildings so as to preserve their romantic features； and at the same time to fit them for the requirements of modern domestic life。
In those early days of art…knowledge； there scarcely existed any artistic feeling for the landscape beauty of nature。 There was an utter want of appreciation of the dignified beauty of the old castles and mansions； the remnants of which were in too many instances carted away as material for now buildings。 There was also at that time an utter ignorance of the beauty and majesty of old trees。 A forest of venerable oaks or beeches was a thing to be done away with。 They were merely cut down as useless timber； even when they so finely embellished the landscape。 My father exerted himself successfully to preserve these grand old forest trees。 His fine sketches served to open the eyes of their possessors to the priceless treasures they were about to destroy； and he thus preserved the existence of many a picturesque old tree。 He even took the pains in many cases to model the part of the estate he was dealing with； and he also modelled the old trees he wished to preserve。 Thus； by a judicious clearing out of the intercepting young timber； he opened out distant views of the landscape； and at the same time preserved many a monarch of the forest。* ＇footnote。。。 It is even now to be deeply deplored that those who inherit or come into possession of landed estates do not feel sufficiently impressed with the possession of such grand memorials of the past。 Alas！ how often have we to lament the want of taste that leads to the sacrifice of these venerable treasures。 Would that the young men at our universities especially those likely to inherit estateswere impressed with the importance of preserving them。 They would thus confer an inestimable benefit to thousands。 About forty years ago Lord Cockburn published a pamphlet on How to Destroy the Beauty of Edinburgh！ He enforced the charm of green foliage in combination with street architecture。 The burgesses were then cutting down trees。 His lordship went so far as to say 〃that he would as soon cut down a burgess as a tree！〃 Since then the growth of trees in Edinburgh； especially in what was once the North Loch； has been greatly improved； and might be still further improved if that famous tree； 〃The London plane；〃 were employed。 。。。＇
＇Image＇ The Family Tree
My father modelled old castles； old trees； and such like objects as he wished to introduce into his landscapes。 The above illustration； may perhaps give a slight idea of his artistic skill as a modeller。 I specially refer to this； which he called 〃The Family Tree；〃 as he required each member of his family to assist in its production。 We each made a twig or small branch； which he cleverly fixed into its place as a part of the whole。 The model tree in question was constructed of wire slightly twisted together； so as to form the main body of a branch。 It was then subdivided into branchlets； and finally into individual twigs。 All these； combined together by his dexterous hand； resulted in the model of an old leafless tree； so true and correct； that any one would have thought that it had been modelled direct from nature。
The Duke of Athol consulted my father as to the improvements which he desired to make in his woodland scenery near Dunkeld。 The Duke was desirous that a rocky crag； called Craigybarns； should be planted with trees； to relieve the grim barrenness of its appearance。 But it was impossible for any man to climb the crag in order to set seeds or plants in the clefts of the rocks。 A happy idea struck my father。 Having observed in front of the castle a pair of small cannon used for firing salutes； it occurred to him to turn them to account。 His object was to deposit the seeds of the various trees amongst the soil in the clefts of the crag。 A tinsmith in the village was ordered to make a number of canisters with covers。 The canisters were filled with all sorts of suitable tree seeds。 A cannon was loaded； and the canisters were fired up against the high face of the rock。 They burst and scattered the seed in all directions。 Some years after； when my father revisited the place； he was delighted to find that his scheme of planting by artillery had proved completely successful； for the trees were flourishing luxuriantly in all the recesses of the cliff。 This was another instance of my father's happy faculty of resourcefulness。
Certain circumstances about this time compelled my father almost entirely to give up portrait painting and betake himself to another branch of the fine arts。 The earnest and lively interest which he took in the state of public affairs； and the necessity which then existed for reforming the glaring abuses of the State； led him to speak out his mind
