a journey to-第2节

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board；　lodging；　and　instruction　are　all　included。

The　chief　magistrate　resident　in　the　university；　answering　to　our
vice…chancellor；　and　to　the　rector　magnificus　on　the　continent；　had
commonly　the　title　of　Lord　Rector；　but　being　addressed　only　as　Mr。
Rector　in　an　inauguratory　speech　by　the　present　chancellor；　he　has
fallen　from　his　former　dignity　of　style。　　Lordship　was　very
liberally　annexed　by　our　ancestors　to　any　station　or　character　of
dignity：　　They　said；　the　Lord　General；　and　Lord　Ambassador；　so　we
still　say；　my　Lord；　to　the　judge　upon　the　circuit；　and　yet　retain
in　our　Liturgy　the　Lords　of　the　Council。

In　walking　among　the　ruins　of　religious　buildings；　we　came　to　two
vaults　over　which　had　formerly　stood　the　house　of　the　sub…prior。
One　of　the　vaults　was　inhabited　by　an　old　woman；　who　claimed　the
right　of　abode　there；　as　the　widow　of　a　man　whose　ancestors　had
possessed　the　same　gloomy　mansion　for　no　less　than　four
generations。　　The　right；　however　it　began；　was　considered　as
established　by　legal　prescription；　and　the　old　woman　lives
undisturbed。　　She　thinks　however　that　she　has　a　claim　to　something
more　than　sufferance；　for　as　her　husband's　name　was　Bruce；　she　is
allied　to　royalty；　and　told　Mr。　Boswell　that　when　there　were
persons　of　quality　in　the　place；　she　was　distinguished　by　some
notice；　that　indeed　she　is　now　neglected；　but　she　spins　a　thread；
has　the　company　of　her　cat；　and　is　troublesome　to　nobody。

Having　now　seen　whatever　this　ancient　city　offered　to　our
curiosity；　we　left　it　with　good　wishes；　having　reason　to　be　highly
pleased　with　the　attention　that　was　paid　us。　　But　whoever　surveys
the　world　must　see　many　things　that　give　him　pain。　　The　kindness　of
the　professors　did　not　contribute　to　abate　the　uneasy　remembrance
of　an　university　declining；　a　college　alienated；　and　a　church
profaned　and　hastening　to　the　ground。

St。　Andrews　indeed　has　formerly　suffered　more　atrocious　ravages　and
more　extensive　destruction；　but　recent　evils　affect　with　greater
force。　　We　were　reconciled　to　the　sight　of　archiepiscopal　ruins。
The　distance　of　a　calamity　from　the　present　time　seems　to　preclude
the　mind　from　contact　or　sympathy。　　Events　long　past　are　barely
known；　they　are　not　considered。　　We　read　with　as　little　emotion　the
violence　of　Knox　and　his　followers；　as　the　irruptions　of　Alaric　and
the　Goths。　　Had　the　university　been　destroyed　two　centuries　ago；　we
should　not　have　regretted　it；　but　to　see　it　pining　in　decay　and
struggling　for　life；　fills　the　mind　with　mournful　images　and
ineffectual　wishes。



ABERBROTHICK



As　we　knew　sorrow　and　wishes　to　be　vain；　it　was　now　our　business　to
mind　our　way。　　The　roads　of　Scotland　afford　little　diversion　to　the
traveller；　who　seldom　sees　himself　either　encountered　or　overtaken；
and　who　has　nothing　to　contemplate　but　grounds　that　have　no　visible
boundaries；　or　are　separated　by　walls　of　loose　stone。　　From　the
bank　of　the　Tweed　to　St。　Andrews　I　had　never　seen　a　single　tree；
which　I　did　not　believe　to　have　grown　up　far　within　the　present
century。　　Now　and　then　about　a　gentleman's　house　stands　a　small
plantation；　which　in　Scotch　is　called　a　policy；　but　of　these　there
are　few；　and　those　few　all　very　young。　　The　variety　of　sun　and
shade　is　here　utterly　unknown。　　There　is　no　tree　for　either　shelter
or　timber。　　The　oak　and　the　thorn　is　equally　a　stranger；　and　the
whole　country　is　extended　in　uniform　nakedness；　except　that　in　the
road　between　Kirkaldy　and　Cowpar；　I　passed　for　a　few　yards　between
two　hedges。　　A　tree　might　be　a　show　in　Scotland　as　a　horse　in
Venice。　　At　St。　Andrews　Mr。　Boswell　found　only　one；　and　recommended
it　to　my　notice；　I　told　him　that　it　was　rough　and　low；　or　looked　as
if　I　thought　so。　　This；　said　he；　is　nothing　to　another　a　few　miles
off。　　I　was　still　less　delighted　to　hear　that　another　tree　was　not
to　be　seen　nearer。　　Nay；　said　a　gentleman　that　stood　by；　I　know　but
of　this　and　that　tree　in　the　county。

The　Lowlands　of　Scotland　had　once　undoubtedly　an　equal　portion　of
woods　with　other　countries。　　Forests　are　every　where　gradually
diminished；　as　architecture　and　cultivation　prevail　by　the　increase
of　people　and　the　introduction　of　arts。　　But　I　believe　few　regions
have　been　denuded　like　this；　where　many　centuries　must　have　passed
in　waste　without　the　least　thought　of　future　supply。　　Davies
observes　in　his　account　of　Ireland；　that　no　Irishman　had　ever
planted　an　orchard。　　For　that　negligence　some　excuse　might　be　drawn
from　an　unsettled　state　of　life；　and　the　instability　of　property；
but　in　Scotland　possession　has　long　been　secure；　and　inheritance
regular；　yet　it　may　be　doubted　whether　before　the　Union　any　man
between　Edinburgh　and　England　had　ever　set　a　tree。

Of　this　improvidence　no　other　account　can　be　given　than　that　it
probably　began　in　times　of　tumult；　and　continued　because　it　had
begun。　　Established　custom　is　not　easily　broken；　till　some　great
event　shakes　the　whole　system　of　things；　and　life　seems　to
recommence　upon　new　principles。　　That　before　the　Union　the　Scots
had　little　trade　and　little　money；　is　no　valid　apology；　for
plantation　is　the　least　expensive　of　all　methods　of　improvement。
To　drop　a　seed　into　the　ground　can　cost　nothing；　and　the　trouble　is
not　great　of　protecting　the　young　plant；　till　it　is　out　of　danger；
though　it　must　be　allowed　to　have　some　difficulty　in　places　like
these；　where　they　have　neither　wood　for　palisades；　nor　thorns　for
hedges。

Our　way　was　over　the　Firth　of　Tay；　where；　though　the　water　was　not
wide；　we　paid　four　shillings　for　ferrying　the　chaise。　　In　Scotland
the　necessaries　of　life　are　easily　procured；　but　superfluities　and
elegancies　are　of　the　same　price　at　least　as　in　England；　and
therefore　may　be　considered　as　much　dearer。

We　stopped　a　while　at　Dundee；　where　I　remember　nothing　remarkable；
and　mounting　our　chaise　again；　came　about　the　close　of　the　day　to
Aberbrothick。

The　monastery　of　Aberbrothick　is　of　great　renown　in　the　history　of
Scotland。　　Its　ruins　afford　ample　testimony　of　its　ancient
magnificence：　　Its　extent　might；　I　suppose；　easily　be　found　by
following　the　walls　among　the　grass　and　weeds；　and　its　height　is
known　by　some　parts　yet　standing。　　The　arch　of　one　of　the　gates　is
entire；　and　of　another　only　so　far　dilapidated　as　to　diversify　the
appearance。　　A　square　apartment　of　great　loftiness　is　yet　standing；
its　use　I　could　not　conjecture；　as　its　elevation　was　very
disproportionate　to　its　area。　　Two　corner　towers；　particularly
attracted　our　attention。　　Mr。　Boswell；　whose　inquisitiveness　is
seconded　by　great　activity；　scrambled　in　at　a　high　window；　but
found　the　stairs　within　broken；　and　could　not　reach　the　top。　　Of
the　other　tower　we　were　told　that　the　inhabitants　sometimes　climbed
it；　but　we　did　not　immediately　discern　the　entrance；　and　as　the
night　was　gathering　upon　us；　thought　proper　to　desist。　　Men　skilled
in　architecture　might　do　what　we　did　not　attempt：　　They　might
probably　form　an　exact　ground…plot　of　this　venerable　edifice。　　They
may　from　some　parts　yet　standing　conjecture　its　general　form；　and
perhaps　by　comparing　it　with　other　buildings　of　the　same　kind　and
the　same　age；　attain　an　idea　very　near　to　truth。　　I　should　scarcely
have　regretted　my　journey；　had　it　afforded　nothing　more　than　the
sight　of　Aberbrothick。



MONTROSE



Leaving　these　fragments　of　magnificence；　we　travelled　on　to
Montrose；　which　we　surveyed　in　the　morning；　and　found　it　well
built；　airy；　and　clean。　　The　townhouse　is　a　handsome　fabrick　with　a
portico。　　We　then　went　to　view　the　English　chapel；　and　found　a
small　church；　clean　to　a　degree　unknown　in　any　other　part　of
Scotland；　with　commodious　galleries；　and　what　was　yet　less
expected；　with　an　organ。

At　our　inn　we　did　not　find　a　reception　such　as　we　thought
proportionate　to　the　commercial　opulence　of　the　place；　but　Mr。
Boswell　desired　me　to　observe　that　the　innkeeper　was　an　Englishman；
and　I　then　defended　him　as　well　as　I　could。

When　I　had　proceeded　thus　far；　I　had　opportunities　of　observing
what　I　had　never　heard；　that　there　are　many　beggars　in　Scotland。
In　Edinburgh　the　proportion　is；　I　think；　not　less　than　in　London；
and　in　the　smaller　places　it　is　far　greater　than　in　English　towns
of　the　same　extent。　　It　must；　however；　be　allowed　that　they　are　not
importunate；　nor　clamorous。　　They　solicit　silently；　or　very
modestly；　and　therefore　though　their　behaviour　may　strike　with　more
force　the　heart　of　a　stranger；　they　are　certainly　in　danger　of
missing　the　attention　of　their　countrymen。　　Novelty　has　always　some
power；　an　unaccustomed　mode　of　begging　excites　an　unaccustomed
degree　of　pity。　　But　the　force　of　novelty　is　by　its　own　nature　soon
at　an　end；　the　efficacy　of　outcry　and　perseverance　is　permanent　and
certain。

The　road　from　Montrose　exhibited　a　continuation　of　the　same
appearances。　　The　country　is　still　naked；　the　hedges　are　of　stone；
and　the　fields　so　generally　plowed　that　it　is　hard　to　imagine　where
grass　is　found　for　the　horses　that　till　them。　　The　harvest；　which
was　almost　ripe；　appeared　very　plentiful。

Early　in　the　afternoon　Mr。　Boswell　observed　that　we　were　at　no
great　distance　from　the　house　of　lord　Monboddo。　　The　magnetism　of
his　conversa