edingburgh picturesque notes-第14节

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himself。



The　district　is　dear　to　the　superstitious。　　Hard　by；　

at　the　back…gate　of　Comiston；　a　belated　carter　beheld　a　

lady　in　white；　'with　the　most　beautiful；　clear　shoes　upon　

her　feet；'　who　looked　upon　him　in　a　very　ghastly　manner　

and　then　vanished；　and　just　in　front　is　the　Hunters'　

Tryst；　once　a　roadside　inn；　and　not　so　long　ago　haunted　

by　the　devil　in　person。　　Satan　led　the　inhabitants　a　

pitiful　existence。　　He　shook　the　four　corners　of　the　

building　with　lamentable　outcries；　beat　at　the　doors　and　

windows；　overthrew　crockery　in　the　dead　hours　of　the　

morning；　and　danced　unholy　dances　on　the　roof。　　Every　

kind　of　spiritual　disinfectant　was　put　in　requisition；　

chosen　ministers　were　summoned　out　of　Edinburgh　and　

prayed　by　the　hour；　pious　neighbours　sat　up　all　night　

making　a　noise　of　psalmody；　but　Satan　minded　them　no　more　

than　the　wind　about　the　hill…tops；　and　it　was　only　after　

years　of　persecution；　that　he　left　the　Hunters'　Tryst　in　

peace　to　occupy　himself　with　the　remainder　of　mankind。　　

What　with　General　Kay；　and　the　white　lady；　and　this　

singular　visitation；　the　neighbourhood　offers　great　

facilities　to　the　makers　of　sun…myths；　and　without　

exactly　casting　in　one's　lot　with　that　disenchanting　

school　of　writers；　one　cannot　help　hearing　a　good　deal　of　

the　winter　wind　in　the　last　story。　　'That　nicht；'　says　

Burns；　in　one　of　his　happiest　moments；…





'THAT　NICHT　A　CHILD　MIGHT　UNDERSTAND

THE　DEIL　HAD　BUSINESS　ON　HIS　HAND。'





And　if　people　sit　up　all　night　in　lone　places　on　the　

hills；　with　Bibles　and　tremulous　psalms；　they　will　be　apt　

to　hear　some　of　the　most　fiendish　noises　in　the　world；　

the　wind　will　beat　on　doors　and　dance　upon　roofs　for　

them；　and　make　the　hills　howl　around　their　cottage　with　a　

clamour　like　the　judgment…day。



The　road　goes　down　through　another　valley；　and　then　

finally　begins　to　scale　the　main　slope　of　the　Pentlands。　　

A　bouquet　of　old　trees　stands　round　a　white　farmhouse；　

and　from　a　neighbouring　dell；　you　can　see　smoke　rising　

and　leaves　ruffling　in　the　breeze。　　Straight　above；　the　

hills　climb　a　thousand　feet　into　the　air。　　The　

neighbourhood；　about　the　time　of　lambs；　is　clamorous　with　

the　bleating　of　flocks；　and　you　will　be　awakened；　in　the　

grey　of　early　summer　mornings；　by　the　barking　of　a　dog　or　

the　voice　of　a　shepherd　shouting　to　the　echoes。　　This；　

with　the　hamlet　lying　behind　unseen；　is　Swanston。



The　place　in　the　dell　is　immediately　connected　with　

the　city。　　Long　ago；　this　sheltered　field　was　purchased　

by　the　Edinburgh　magistrates　for　the　sake　of　the　springs　

that　rise　or　gather　there。　　After　they　had　built　their　

water…house　and　laid　their　pipes；　it　occurred　to　them　

that　the　place　was　suitable　for　junketing。　　Once　

entertained；　with　jovial　magistrates　and　public　funds；　

the　idea　led　speedily　to　accomplishment；　and　Edinburgh　

could　soon　boast　of　a　municipal　Pleasure　House。　　The　dell　

was　turned　into　a　garden；　and　on　the　knoll　that　shelters　

it　from　the　plain　and　the　sea　winds；　they　built　a　cottage　

looking　to　the　hills。　　They　brought　crockets　and　

gargoyles　from　old　St。　Giles's　which　they　were　then　

restoring；　and　disposed　them　on　the　gables　and　over　the　

door　and　about　the　garden；　and　the　quarry　which　had　

supplied　them　with　building　material；　they　draped　with　

clematis　and　carpeted　with　beds　of　roses。　　So　much　for　

the　pleasure　of　the　eye；　for　creature　comfort；　they　made　

a　capacious　cellar　in　the　hillside　and　fitted　it　with　

bins　of　the　hewn　stone。　　In　process　of　time；　the　trees　

grew　higher　and　gave　shade　to　the　cottage；　and　the　

evergreens　sprang　up　and　turned　the　dell　into　a　thicket。　　

There；　purple　magistrates　relaxed　themselves　from　the　

pursuit　of　municipal　ambition；　cocked　hats　paraded　

soberly　about　the　garden　and　in　and　out　among　the　

hollies；　authoritative　canes　drew　ciphering　upon　the　

path；　and　at　night；　from　high　upon　the　hills；　a　shepherd　

saw　lighted　windows　through　the　foliage　and　heard　the　

voice　of　city　dignitaries　raised　in　song。



The　farm　is　older。　　It　was　first　a　grange　of　

Whitekirk　Abbey；　tilled　and　inhabited　by　rosy　friars。　　

Thence；　after　the　Reformation；　it　passed　into　the　hands　

of　a　true…blue　Protestant　family。　　During　the　covenanting　

troubles；　when　a　night　conventicle　was　held　upon　the　

Pentlands；　the　farm　doors　stood　hospitably　open　till　the　

morning；　the　dresser　was　laden　with　cheese　and　bannocks；　

milk　and　brandy；　and　the　worshippers　kept　slipping　down　

from　the　hill　between　two　exercises；　as　couples　visit　the　

supper…room　between　two　dances　of　a　modern　ball。　　In　the　

Forty…Five；　some　foraging　Highlanders　from　Prince　

Charlie's　army　fell　upon　Swanston　in　the　dawn。　　The　

great…grandfather　of　the　late　farmer　was　then　a　little　

child；　him　they　awakened　by　plucking　the　blankets　from　

his　bed；　and　he　remembered；　when　he　was　an　old　man；　their　

truculent　looks　and　uncouth　speech。　　The　churn　stood　full　

of　cream　in　the　dairy；　and　with　this　they　made　their　

brose　in　high　delight。　　'It　was　braw　brose；'　said　one　of　

them。　　At　last　they　made　off；　laden　like　camels　with　

their　booty；　and　Swanston　Farm　has　lain　out　of　the　way　of　

history　from　that　time　forward。　　I　do　not　know　what　may　

be　yet　in　store　for　it。　　On　dark　days；　when　the　mist　runs　

low　upon　the　hill；　the　house　has　a　gloomy　air　as　if　

suitable　for　private　tragedy。　　But　in　hot　July；　you　can　

fancy　nothing　more　perfect　than　the　garden；　laid　out　in　

alleys　and　arbours　and　bright；　old…fashioned　flower…

plots；　and　ending　in　a　miniature　ravine；　all　trellis…work　

and　moss　and　tinkling　waterfall；　and　housed　from　the　sun　

under　fathoms　of　broad　foliage。



The　hamlet　behind　is　one　of　the　least　considerable　

of　hamlets；　and　consists　of　a　few　cottages　on　a　green　

beside　a　burn。　　Some　of　them　（a　strange　thing　in　

Scotland）　are　models　of　internal　neatness；　the　beds　

adorned　with　patchwork；　the　shelves　arrayed　with　willow…

pattern　plates；　the　floors　and　tables　bright　with　

scrubbing　or　pipe…clay；　and　the　very　kettle　polished　like　

silver。　　It　is　the　sign　of　a　contented　old　age　in　country　

places；　where　there　is　little　matter　for　gossip　and　no　

street　sights。　　Housework　becomes　an　art；　and　at　evening；　

when　the　cottage　interior　shines　and　twinkles　in　the　glow　

of　the　fire；　the　housewife　folds　her　hands　and　

contemplates　her　finished　picture；　the　snow　and　the　wind　

may　do　their　worst；　she　has　made　herself　a　pleasant　

corner　in　the　world。　　The　city　might　be　a　thousand　miles　

away；　and　yet　it　was　from　close　by　that　Mr。　Bough　painted　

the　distant　view　of　Edinburgh　which　has　been　engraved　for　

this　collection；　and　you　have　only　to　look　at　the　

etching；　*　to　see　how　near　it　is　at　hand。　　But　hills　and　

hill　people　are　not　easily　sophisticated；　and　if　you　walk　

out　here　on　a　summer　Sunday；　it　is　as　like　as　not　the　

shepherd　may　set　his　dogs　upon　you。　　But　keep　an　unmoved　

countenance；　they　look　formidable　at　the　charge；　but　

their　hearts　are　in　the　right　place；　and　they　will　only　

bark　and　sprawl　about　you　on　the　grass；　unmindful　of　

their　master's　excitations。



*　One　of　the　illustrations　of　the　First　Edition。



Kirk　Yetton　forms　the　north…eastern　angle　of　the　

range；　thence；　the　Pentlands　trend　off　to　south　and　west。　　

From　the　summit　you　look　over　a　great　expanse　of　

champaign　sloping　to　the　sea；　and　behold　a　large　variety　

of　distant　hills。　　There　are　the　hills　of　Fife；　the　hills　

of　Peebles；　the　Lammermoors　and　the　Ochils；　more　or　less　

mountainous　in　outline；　more　or　less　blue　with　distance。　　

Of　the　Pentlands　themselves；　you　see　a　field　of　wild　

heathery　peaks　with　a　pond　gleaming　in　the　midst；　and　to　

that　side　the　view　is　as　desolate　as　if　you　were　looking　

into　Galloway　or　Applecross。　　To　turn　to　the　other　is　

like　a　piece　of　travel。　　Far　out　in　the　lowlands　

Edinburgh　shows　herself；　making　a　great　smoke　on　clear　

days　and　spreading　her　suburbs　about　her　for　miles；　the　

Castle　rises　darkly　in　the　midst；　and　close　by；　Arthur's　

Seat　makes　a　bold　figure　in　the　landscape。　　All　around；　

cultivated　fields；　and　woods；　and　smoking　villages；　and　

white　country　roads；　diversify　the　uneven　surface　of　the　

land。　　Trains　crawl　slowly　abroad　upon　the　railway　lines；　

little　ships　are　tacking　in　the　Firth；　the　shadow　of　a　

mountainous　cloud；　as　large　as　a　parish；　travels　before　

the　wind；　the　wind　itself　ruffles　the　wood　and　standing　

corn；　and　sends　pulses　of　varying　colour　across　the　

landscape。　　So　you　sit；　like　Jupiter　upon　Olympus；　and　

look　down　from　afar　upon　men's　life。　　The　city　is　as　

silent　as　a　city　of　the　dead：　from　all　its　humming　

thoroughfares；　not　a　voice；　not　a　footfall；　reaches　you　

upon　the　hill。　　The　sea…surf；　the　cries　of　ploughmen；　the　

streams　and　the　mill…wheels；　the　birds　and　the　wind；　keep　

up　an　animated　concert　through　the　plain；　from　farm　to　

farm；　dogs　and　crowing　cocks　contend　together　in　

defia