an autobiography-第22部分

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The　volcanic　origin　of　the　beautiful　scenery　round　Edinburgh　was　often　the　subject　of　their　conversation。　　Probably　few　visitors　are　aware　that　all　those　remarkable　eminences；　which　give　to　the　city　and　its　surroundings　so　peculiar　and　romantic　an　aspect；　are　the　results　of　the　operation；　during　inconceivably　remote　ages；　of　volcanic　force　penetrating　the　earth's　crust　by　disruptive　power；　and　pouring　forth　streams　of　molten　lava；　now　shrunk　and　cooled　into　volcanic　rock。　The　observant　eye；　opened　by　the　light　of　Science；　can　see　unmistakable　evidences　of　a　condition　of　things　which　were　in　action　at　periods　so　remote　as；　in　comparison；　to　shrink　up　the　oldest　of　human　records　into　events　of　yesterday。

I　had　often　the　privilege　of　standing　by　and　hearing　the　philosophic　Leslie；　Brewster；　and　Hall；　discussing　these　volcanic　remains　in　their　actual　presence；　sometimes　at　Arthur's　Seat　or　on　the　Calton　Hill；　or　at　the　rock　on　which　Edinburgh　Castle　stands；　Their　observations　sank　indelibly　into　my　memory；　and　gave　me　the　key　to　the　origin　of　this　grand　class　of　terrestrial　phenomena。　　When　standing　at　the　〃Giant's　Ribs；〃　on　the　south　side　of　Arthur's　Seat；　I　felt　as　if　one　of　the　grandest　pages　of　the　earth's　history　lay　open　before　me。　The　evidences　of　similar　volcanic　action　abound　in　many　other　places　near　Edinburgh；　and　they　may　be　traced　right　across　Scotland　from　the　Bass　Rock　to　Fingal's　Cave；　the　Giant's　Causeway　in　Antrim；　and　Slievh　League　on　the　south…west　coast　of　Donegal　in　Ireland。

Volcanic　action；　in　some　inconceivably　remote　period　of　the　earth's　crust　history；　has　been　the　Plough；　and　after　denudation　by　water；　has　been　the　Harrow；　by　which　the　originally　deep…seated　mineral　treasures　of　the　globe　have　been　brought　within　the　reach　of　man's　industrial　efforts。　　It　has　thus　yielded　him　inexhaustible　mineral　harvests；　and　helped　him　to　some　of　the　most　important　material　elements　in　his　progress　towards　civilisation。　　It　is　from　this　consideration　that；　while　enjoying　the　results　of　these　grand　fundamental　actions　of　the　Creator's　mighty　agencies　in　their　picturesque　aspect；　the　knowledge　of　their　useful　results　to　man　adds　vastly　to　the　grandeur　of　the　contemplation　of　their　aspect　and　nature。　This　great　subject　caused　me；　even　at　this　early　period　of　my　life；　to　behold　with　special　interest　the　first　peep　at　the　structure　of　the　moon's　surface；　as　revealed　to　me　by　an　excellent　Ramsden　〃spy…glass；〃　which　my　father　possessed；　and　thus　planted　the　seed　of　that　earnest　desire　to　scrutinise　more　minutely　the　moon's　wonderful　surface；　which　in　after　years　I　pursued　by　means　of　the　powerful　reflecting　telescopes　constructed　by　myself。

To　turn　to　another　subject。　　In　1822　the　loyalty　of　Scotland　was　greatly　excited　when　George　the　Fourth　paid　his　well…known　visit　to　Edinburgh。　　It　was　then　the　second　greatest　city　in　the　kingdom；　and　had　not　been　visited　by　royalty　for　about　170　years。　　The　civic　authorities；　and　the　inhabitants　generally；　exerted　themselves　to　the　utmost　to　give　the　king　a　cordial　welcome；　in　spite　of　a　certain　feeling　of　dissatisfaction　as　to　his　personal　character。　　The　recent　trial　and　death　of　Queen　Caroline　had　not　been　forgotten；　yet　all　such　recollections　were　suppressed　in　the　earnest　desire　to　show　every　respect　to　the　royal　visitor。　　Edinburgh　was　crowded　with　people　from　all　parts　of　the　country；　heather　was　arrayed　on　every　bonnet　and　hat；　and　the　reception　was　on　the　whole　magnificent。　　Perhaps　the　most　impressive　spectacle　was　the　orderliness　of　the　multitude；　all　arrayed　in　their　Sunday　clothes。　　The　streets；　windows；　and　house…tops　were　crowded；　and　the　Calton　Hill；　Salisbury　Crags；　and　even　Arthur's　Seat　it　self；　were　covered　with　people。　　On　the　night　before　the　arrival　a　gigantic　bonfire　on　Arthur's　Seat　lit　up　with　a　tremendous　blaze　the　whole　city；　as　well　as　the　surrounding　country。　　It　formed　a　magnificent　and　picturesque　sight；　illuminating　the　adjacent　mountains　as　well　as　the　prominent　features　of　the　city。　　It　made　one　imagine　that　the　grand　old　volcanic　mountain　had　once　more；　after　a　rest　of　some　hundreds　of　thousands　of　years；　burst　out　again　in　its　former　vehemence　of　eruptive　activity。

There　were；　of　course；　many　very　distinguished　men　who　took　part　in　the　pageant　of　the　king's　entry　into　Edinburgh；　but　none　of　them　had　their　presence　more　cordially　acknowledged　than　Sir　Walter　Scott；　who　never　felt　more　proud　of　〃his　own　romantic　town〃　than　he　did　upon　this　occasion。　　It　is　unnecessary　to　mention　the　many　interesting　features　of　the　royal　reception。　　The　king's　visit　lasted　for　seven　or　eight　days；　and　everything　passed　off　loyally；　orderly；　happily；　and　successfully。

Shortly　after　this　time　there　was　a　great　deal　of　distress　among　the　labouring　classes。　　All　the　manufacturing　towns　were　short　of　employment；　and　the　weavers　and　factory　workers　were　thrown　upon　the　public。　　Many　of　the　workmen　thought　that　politics　were　the　causes　of　their　suffering。　　Radical　clubs　were　formed；　and　the　Glasgow　weavers　began　to　drill　at　nights　in　the　hopes　of　setting　things　to　rights　by　means　of　physical　force。　　A　large　number　of　the　starving　weavers　came　to　Edinburgh。　　A　committee　was　formed；　and　contributions　were　collected；　for　the　purpose　of　giving　them　temporary　employment。　They　were　set　to　work　to　make　roads　and　walks　round　the　Calton　Hill　and　Crags。　　The　fine　walk　immediately　under　the　precipitous　crags；　which　opens　out　such　perfect　panoramic　views　of　Edinburgh；　was　made　by　these　poor　fellows。　　It　was　hard　work　for　their　delicate　hands　and　fingers；　which　before　had　been　accustomed　only　to　deal　with　threads　and　soft　fabrics。　　They　were　very　badly　suited　for　handling　the　mattock；　shovel；　and　hand…barrow。　　The　result　of　their　labours；　however；　proved　of　great　advantage　to　Edinburgh　in　opening　up　the　beauties　of　its　scenery。　The　road　round　the　crags　is　still　called　〃The　Radical　Road。〃

Let　me　here　mention　one　of　the　most　memorable　incidents　of　the　year　1824。　　I　refer　to　the　destructive　fire　which　took　place　in　the　old　town　of　Edinburgh。　　It　broke　out　in　an　apartment　situated　in　one　of　the　highest　piles　of　houses　in　the　High　Street。　　In　spite　of　every　effort　of　the　firemen　the　entire　pile　was　gutted　and　destroyed。　　The　fire　was　thought　to　be　effectually　arrested；　but　towards　the　afternoon　of　the　next　day　smoke　was　observed　issuing　from　the　upper　part　of　the　steeple　of　the　Tron　Church。　　The　　steeple　was　built　of　timber；　covered　with　lead。　　There　is　never　smoke　but　there　is　fire；　and　at　last　the　flames　burst　forth。　　The　height　of　the　spire　was　so　lofty　that　all　attempts　to　extinguish　the　fire　were　hopeless。　　The　lead　was　soon　melted；　and　rushed　in　streams　into　the　street　below。　　At　length　the　whole　steeple　fell　down　with　a　frightful　crash。

I　happened　to　see　the　first　outbreak　of　this　extraordinary　fire；　and　I　watched　its　progress　to　its　close。　　Burning　embers　were　carried　by　the　wind　and　communicated　the　fire　to　neighbouring　houses。　　The　last　outburst　took　place　one　night　about　ten。　　All　the　fire…engines　of　Edinburgh　and　the　neighbourhood　were　collected　round　the　buildings；　and　played　water　upon　the　flames；　but　without　effect。　　Whole　ranges　of　lofty　old　houses　were　roaring　with　fire。　　In　the　course　of　two　or　three　hours；　several　acres；　covered　by　the　loftiest　and　most　densely　crowded　houses　in　the　High　Street；　were　in　a　blaze。　　Some　of　them　were　of　thirteen　stories。　　Floor　after　floor　came　crashing　down；　throwing　out　a　blaze　of　embers。　　The　walls　of　each　house　acted　as　an　enormous　chimney　the　windows　acting　as　draught…holes。　　The　walls；　under　the　intense　heat；　were　fluxed　and　melted　into　a　sort　of　glass。　　The　only　method　of　stopping　the　progress　of　the　fire　was　to　pull　down　the　neighbouring　houses；　so　as　to　isolate　the　remaining　parts　of　the　High　Street。

As　the　parapet　of　the　grand　old　tower　of　the　High　Church；　St。　Giles；　was　near　the　site　of　the　fire；so　near　as　to　enable　one　to　look　down　into　it；my　father　obtained　permission　to　ascend；　and　I　with　him。　When　we　emerged　from　the　long　dark　spiral　stairs　on　to　the　platform　on　the　top　of　the　tower；　we　found　a　select　party　of　the　most　distinguished　inhabitants　looking　down　into　the　vast　area　of　fire；　and　prominent　among　them　was　Sir　Walter　Scott。　　At　last；　after　three　days　of　tremendous　efforts；　the　fire　was　subdued；　but　not　till　after　a　terrible　destruction　of　property。　　The　great　height　of　the　ruined　remains　of　the　piles　of　houses　rendered　it　impossible　to　have　them　removed　by　the　ordinary　means。　　After　several　fruitless　attempts　with　chains　and　ropes；　worked　by　capstans；　to　pull　them　down；　gunpowder　was　at　last　resorted　to。　　Mines　were　dug　under　each　vast　pile；　one　or　two　barrels　of　gunpowder　were　placed　into　them　and　fired；　and　then　the　before　solid　masses　came　tumbling　down　amidst　clouds　of　dust。　　The　management　of　this　hazardous　but　eventually　safe　process　was　conducted　by　Captain　Basil　Ball。　　He　ordered　a　crew　of　sailors　to　be　brought　up　from　the　man…of…war　guardship　in　the　Firth　of　Forth；　and　by　their　united　efforts　the　destruction　of　the　ruined　walls　was　at　last　successfully　accomplished。

In　the　autumn　of　1823；　when　I　was　fifteen　years　old；　I　had　a　most　delightful　journey　with　my　father。　　It　was　the　first　occasion　on　wh