an autobiography-第4部分

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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…work。

A　great　change　was　about　to　take　place　in　the　residences　of　the　principal　people　of　Edinburgh。　　The　cry　was　for　more　light　and　more　air。　The　extension　of　the　city　to　the　south　and　west　was　not　sufficient。　There　was　a　great　plateau　of　ground　on　the　north　side　of　the　city；　beyond　the　North　Loch。　　But　it　was　very　difficult　to　reach；　being　alike　steep　on　both　sides　of　the　Loch。　　At　length；　in　1767；　an　Act　was　obtained　to　extend　the　royalty　of　the　city　over　the　northern　fields；　and　powers　were　obtained　to　erect　a　bridge　to　connect　them　with　the　Old　Town。

The　magistrates　had　the　greatest　difficulty　in　inducing　the　inhabitants　to　build　dwellings　on　the　northern　side　of　the　city。　　A　premium　was　offered　to　the　person　who　should　build　the　first　house；　and　#20　was　awarded　to　Mr。　John　Young　on　account　of　a　mansion　erected　by　him　close　to　George　Street。　　Exemption　from　burghal　taxes　was　also　granted　to　a　gentleman　who　built　the　first　house　in　Princes　Street。　　My　grandfather　built　the　first　house　in　the　south…west　corner　of　St。　Andrew　Square；　for　the　occupation　of　David　Hume　the　historian；　as　well　as　the　two　most　important　houses　in　the　centre　of　the　north　side　of　the　same　square。　One　of　these　last　was　occupied　by　the　venerable　Dr。　Hamilton；　a　very　conspicuous　character　in　Edinburgh。　　He　continued　to　wear　the　cocked　hat；　the　powdered　pigtail；　tights；　and　large　shoe　buckles；　for　about　sixty　years　after　this　costume　had　become　obsolete。　　All　these　houses　are　still　in　perfect　condition；　after　resisting　the　ordinary　tear　and　wear　of　upwards　of　a　hundred　and　ten　northern　winters。　　The　opposition　to　building　houses　across　the　North　Loch　soon　ceased；　and　the　New　Town　arose；　growing　from　day　to　day；　until　Edinburgh　became　one　of　the　most　handsome　and　picturesque　cities　in　Europe。

There　is　one　other　thing　that　I　must　again　refer　to　the　highly…finished　character　of　my　grandfather's　work。　　Nothing　merely　moderate　would　do。　The　work　must　be　of　the　very　best。　　He　took　special　pride　in　the　sound　quality　of　the　woodwork　and　its　careful　workmanship。　　He　chose　the　best　Dantzic　timber　because　of　its　being　of　purer　grain　and　freer　from　knots　than　other　wood。　　In　those　days　the　lower　part　of　the　walls　of　the　apartments　were　wainscotedthat　is；　covered　by　timber　framed　in　large　panels。　　They　were　from　three　to　four　feet　wide；　and　from　six　to　eight　feet　high。　　To　fit　these　in　properly　required　the　most　careful　joiner…work。

It　was　always　a　holiday　treat　to　my　father；　when　a　boy；　to　be　permitted　to　go　down　to　Leith　to　see　the　ships　discharge　their　cargoes　of　timber。　My　grandfather　had　a　Wood…yard　at　Leith；　where　the　timber　selected　by　him　was　piled　up　to　he　seasoned　and　shrunk；　before　being　worked　into　its　appropriate　uses。　　He　was　particularly　careful　in　his　selection　of　boards　or　stripes　for　floors；　which　must　be　perfectly　level；　so　as　to　avoid　the　destruction　of　the　carpets　placed　over　them。　　The　hanging　of　his　doors　was　a　matter　that　he　took　great　pride　inso　as　to　prevent　any　uneasy　action　in　opening　or　closing。　　His　own　chamber　doors　were　so　well　hung　that　they　were　capable　of　being　opened　and　closed　by　the　slight　puff　of　a　hand…bellows。

The　excellence　of　my　grandfather's　workmanship　was　a　thing　that　my　own　father　always　impressed　upon　me　when　a　boy。　　It　stimulated　in　me　the　desire　to　aim　at　excellence　in　everything　that　I　undertook；　and　in　all　practical　matters　to　arrive　at　the　highest　degree　of　good　workmanship。　I　believe　that　these　early　lessons　had　a　great　influence　upon　my　future　career。

I　have　little　to　record　of　my　grandmother。　　From　all　accounts　she　was　everything　that　a　wife　and　mother　should　be。　　My　father　often　referred　to　her　as　an　example　of　the　affection　and　love　of　a　wife　to　her　husband；　and　of　a　mother　to　her　children。　　The　only　relic　I　possess　of　her　handiwork　is　a　sampler；　dated　1743；　the　needlework　of　which　is　so　delicate　and　neat；　that　to　me　it　seems　to　excel　everything　of　the　kind　that　I　have　seen。

I　am　fain　to　think　that　her　delicate　manipulation　in　some　respects　descended　to　her　grandchildren；　as　all　of　t