an autobiography-第16部分

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rn　〃English。〃　I　was　placed　under　the　tuition　of　a　leading　teacher　called　Knight；　whose　school…room　was　in　the　upper　storey　of　a　house　in　George　Street。　Here　I　learned　to　read　with　ease。　　But　my　primitive　habit　of　spelling　by　ear；　in　accordance　with　the　simple　sound　of　the　letters　of　the　alphabet　（phonetically；　so　to　speak）　brought　me　into　collision　with　my　teacher。　　I　got　many　a　cuff　on　the　side　of　the　head；　and　many　a　〃palmy〃　on　my　hands　with　a　thick　strap　of　hard　leather；　which　did　not　give　me　very　inviting　views　as　to　the　pleasures　of　learning。　The　master　was　vicious　and　vindictive。　　I　think　it　a　cowardly　way　to　deal　with　a　little　boy　in　so　cruel　a　manner；　and　to　send　him　home　with　his　back　and　fingers　tingling　and　sometimes　bleeding；　because　he　cannot　learn　so　quickly　as　his　fellows。

On　one　occasion　Knight　got　out　of　temper　with　my　stupidity　or　dulness　in　not　comprehending　something　about　'a　preter…pluperfect　tense；'　or　some　mystery　of　that　sort。　　He　seized　me　by　the　ears；　and　beat　my　head　against　the　wall　behind　me　with　such　savage　violence　that　when　he　let　me　go；　stunned　and　unable　to　stand；　I　fell　forward　on　the　floor　bleeding　violently　at　the　nose；　and　with　a　terrific　headache。　The　wretch　might　have　ruined　my　brain　for　life。　　I　was　carried　home　and　put　to　bed；　where　I　lay　helpless　for　more　than　a　week。　　My　father　threatened　to　summon　the　teacher　before　the　magistrates　for　what　might　have　been　a　fatal　assault　on　poor　little　me；　but　on　making　a　humble　apology　for　his　brutal　usage　he　was　let　off。　　Of　course　I　was　not　sent　back　to　his　school。　　I　have　ever　since　entertained　a　hatred　against　grammatical　rules。

There　was　at　that　time　an　excellent　system　of　teaching　young　folks　the　value　of　thrift。　　This　consisted　in　saving　for　some　purpose　or　another　the　Saturdays　pennyone　penny　being　our　weekly　allowance　of　pocket…money。　　The　feats　we　could　perform　in　the　way　of　procuring　toys；　picture…books；　or　the　materials　for　constructing　flying　kites；　would　amaze　the　youngsters　of　the　present　day；　who　are　generally　spoiled　by　extravagance。　　And　yet　we　obtained　far　more　pleasure　from　our　purchases。　　We　had　in　my　time　〃penny　pigs；〃　or　thrift　boxes。　They　were　made　in　a　vase　form；　of　brown　glazed　earthenware；　the　only　entrance　to　which　was　a　slitenough　to　give　entrance　to　a　penny。　When　the　Saturday's　penny　was　not　required　for　any　immediate　purposes；　it　was　dropped　through　the　slit；　and　remained　there　until　the　box　was　full。　　The　maximum　of　pennies　it　could　contain　was　about　forty…eight。　When　that　was　accomplished；　the　penny　pig　was　broken　with　a　hammer；　and　its　rich　contents　flowed　forth。　　The　breaking　of　the　pig　was　quite　an　event。　　The　fine　fat　old　George　the　Third　penny　pieces　looked　thoroughly　substantial　in　our　eyes。　　And　then　there　was　the　spending　of　the　money；for　some　long…looked…for　toy；　or　pencils；　or　book；　or　painting　materials。

One　of　the　ways　in　which　I　used　my　Saturday　pennies　was　in　going　with　some　of　my　companions　into　the　country　to　have　a　picnic。　　We　used　to　light　a　fire　behind　a　hedge　or　a　dyke；　or　in　the　corner　of　some　ruin；　and　there　roast　our　potatoes；　or　broil　a　red　herring　on　an　extempore　gridiron　we　contrived　for　the　purpose。　　We　lit　the　fire　by　means　of　a　flint　and　steel　and　a　tinder…box；　which　in　those　days　every　boy　used　to　possess。　　The　bramble…berries　gave　us　our　dessert。　　We　thoroughly　enjoyed　these　glorious　Saturday　afternoons。　　It　gave　us　quite　a　Robinson　Crusoe　sort　of　feeling　to　be　thus　secluded　from　the　world。　Then　the　beauty　of　the　scenery　amidst　which　we　took　our　repast　was　such　as　I　cannot　attempt　to　describe。　　A　walk　of　an　hour　or　so　would　bring　us　into　the　presence　of　an　old　castle；　or　amongst　the　rocky　furze　and　heather…clad　hills；　amidst　clear　rapid　streams；　so　that；　but　for　the　distant　peeps　of　the　city；　one　might　think　that　he　was　far　from　the　busy　haunts　of　men　and　boys。

To　return　to　my　school…days。　　Shortly　after　I　left　the　school　in　George　Street；　where　the　schoolmaster　had　almost　split　my　skull　in　battering　it　upon　the　wall　behind　me；　I　was　entered　as　a　pupil　at　the　Edinburgh　High　School；　in　October　1817。　　The　school　was　situated　near　the　old　Infirmary。　　Professor　Pillans　was　the　rector；　and　under　him　were　four　masters。　　I　was　set　to　study　Latin　under　Mr。　Irvine。　　He　was　a　mere　schoolmaster　in　the　narrowest　sense　of　the　term。　　He　was　not　endowed　with　the　best　of　tempers；　and　it　was　often　put　to　the　breaking　strain　by　the　tricks　and　negligence　of　the　lower…form　portion　of　his　class。　　It　consisted　of　nearly　two　hundred　boys；　the　other　three　masters　had　about　the　same　number　of　scholars。　They　each　had　a　separate　class…room。

I　began　to　learn　the　elementary　rudiments　of　Latin　grammar。　　But　not　having　any　natural　aptitude　for　aquiring　classic　learning　so　called；　I　fear　I　made　but　little　progress　during　the　three　years　that　I　remained　at　the　High　School。　　Had　the　master　explained　to　us　how　nearly　allied　many　of　the　Latin　and　Greek　roots　were　to　our　familiar　English　words；　I　feel　assured　that　so　interesting　and　valuable　a　department　of　instruction　would　not　have　been　neglected。　　But　our　memories　were　strained　by　being　made　to　say　off　〃by　heart；〃　as　it　was　absurdly　called；　whole　batches　of　grammatical　rules；　with　all　the　botheration　of　irregular　verbs　and　suchlike。　　So　far　as　I　was　concerned；　I　derived　little　benefit　from　my　High　School　teaching；　except　that　I　derived　one　lesson　which　is　of　great　use　in　after　life。　I　mean　as　regards　the　performance　of　duty。　　I　did　my　tasks　punctually　and　cheerfully；　though　they　were　far　from　agreeable。　　This　is　an　exercise　in　early　life　that　is　very　useful　in　later　years。

In　my　walks　to　and　from　the　High　School；　the　usual　way　was　along　the　North　and　South　Bridges；the　first　over　the　Nor'　Loch；　now　the　railway　station；　and　the　second　over　the　Cowgate。　　That　was　the　main　street　between　the　Old　Town　and　the　New。　　But　there　were　numerous　wynds　and　closes　（as　the　narrow　streets　are　called）　which　led　down　from　the　High　Street　and　the　upper　part　of　the　Canongate　to　the　High　School；　through　which　I　often　preferred　to　wander。　　So　long　as　Old　Edinburgh　was　confined　within　its　walls　the　nobles　lived　in　those　narrow　streets；　and　the　Old　houses　are　full　of　historical　incident。　My　father　often　pointed　out　these　houses　to　me；　and　I　loved　to　keep　up　my　recollections。　　I　must　have　had　a　little　of　the　antiquarian　spirit　even　then。　　I　got　to　know　the　most　remarkable　of　those　ancient　housesmany　of　which　were　distinguished　by　the　inscriptions　on　the　lintel　of　the　entrance；　as　well　as　the　arms　of　the　former　possessors。　Some　had　mottoes　such　as　this：　〃BLESIT　BE　GOD　AND　HYS　GIFTIS。　1584。〃　There　was　often　a　tower…shaped　projection　from　the　main　front　of　the　house；　up　which　a　spiral　stair　proceeded。

This　is　usually　a　feature　in　old　Scotch　buildings。　　But　in　these　closes　the　entrance　to　the　houses　was　through　a　ponderous　door；　studded　with　great　broad…headed　nails；　with　loopholes　at　each　side　of　the　door；　as　if　to　present　the　strongest　possible　resistance　to　any　attempt　at　forcible　entrance。　　Indeed；　in　the　old　times　before　the　Union　the　nobles　were　often　as　strong　as　the　King；　and　many　a　time　the　High　Street　was　reddened　by　the　blood　of　the　noblest　and　bravest　of　the　land。　In　1588　there　was　a　cry　of　〃A　Naesmyth；〃　〃A　Scott；〃　in　the　High　Street。　It　was　followed　by　a　clash　of　arms；　and　two　of　Sir　Michael　Naesmyth's　sons　were　killed　in　that　bloody　feud。　　Edinburgh　was　often　the　scene　of　such　disasters。　　Hence　the　strengthening　of　their　houses；　so　as　to　resist　the　inroads　of　feudal　enemies。

＇Image＇　　Doorhead；　from　an　old　mansion

The　mason…work　of　the　doors　was　executed　with　great　care　and　dexterity。　It　was　chamfered　at　the　edges　in　a　bold　manner；　and　ornamented　with　an　O。G。　bordering；　which　had　a　fine　effect　while　it　rendered　the　entrance　more　pleasant　by　the　absence　of　sharp　angles。　　The　same　style　of　ornamentation　was　generally　found　round　the　edges　of　the　stone…work　of　the　windows；　most　commonly　by　chamfering　off　the　square　angle　of　the　stone…work。　　This　not　only　added　a　grim　grace　to　the　appearance　of　the　windows；　but　allowed　a　more　free　entrance　of　light　into　the　apartments；　while　it　permitted　the　inmates　to　have　a　better　ranged　view　up　and　down　the　Close。　　These　gloomy…looking　mansions　were　grim　in　a　terrible　sense；　and　they　reminded　one　of　the　fearful　transactions　of　〃the　good　old　times！〃

On　many　occasions；　when　I　was　taking　a　daunder　through　these　historic　houses　in　the　wynds　and　closes　of　the　Old　Town；　I　have　met　Sir　Walter　Scott　showing　them　to　his　visitors；　and　listened　to　his　deep；　earnest　voice　while　narrating　to　them　some　terrible　incident　in　regard　to　their　former　inhabitants。　　On　other　occasions　I　have　frequently　met　Sir　Walter　sturdily　limping　along　over　the　North　Bridge；　while　on　his　way　from　the　Court　of　Session　（where　he　acted　as　Clerk　of　the　Records）　to　his　house　in　Castle　Street。　　In　the　same　way　I　saw　most　of　the　public　characters　connected　with　the　Law　Courts　or　the　University。　　Sir　Waiter　was　easily　distinguished　by　his　height；　as　well　as　his　limp　or　halt　in　his　walk。　My　father　was　intimate　with　most；　if　not　all；　of　the　remarkable　Edinburgh　characters；　and　when　I　had　the　pleasure　of　accompanying　him　in　his　afternoon　walks　I　could　look　at　them　and　hear　them　in　the　conversations　that　took　place。

I　remember；　when　I　was　with　my　father　in　one　of　his　walks；　that　a　young　English　artist　accompanied　us。　　He　had　come　across　the　Border　to　be　married　at　Gretna　Green；　and　he　brought　his　bride　onward　to　Edinburgh。　　My　father　wished　to　show　him　some　of　the　most　remarkable　old　buildings　of　the　town。　　It　was　about　the　end　of　1817；　when　one　of　the　most　interesting　buildings　in　Edinburgh　was　about　to　be　demolished。　　This　was　no　less　a　place　than　the　Old　Tolbooth　in　the　High　Street；a　grand　but　gloomy　old　building。　　It　had　been　originally　used　as　the　city　palace　of　the　Scottish　kings。　　There　they　held　their　councils　and　dispensed　justice。　　But　in　course　of　time　the　King　and　Court　abandoned　the　place；　and　it　had　sunk　into　a　gaol　or　prison　for　the　most　abandoned　of　malefactors。　　After　their　trial　the　prisoners　were　kept　there　waiting　for　execution；　and　they　were　hanged　on　a　flat…roofed　portion　of　the　building　at　its　west　end。

＇Image＇　　The　Old　Tolbooth；　Edinburgh。　　By　Alexander