First, Gandercleugh is, as it were, the central part — the navel (si fas sit dicere) of this our native realm of Scotland; so that men, from every corner thereof, when travelling on their concernments of business, either towards our metropolis10 of law, by which I mean Edinburgh, or towards our metropolis and mart of gain, whereby I insinuate11 Glasgow, are frequently led to make Gandercleugh their abiding12 stage and place of rest for the night. And it must be acknowledged by the most sceptical, that I, who have sat in the leathern armchair, on the left-hand side of the fire, in the common room of the Wallace Inn, winter and summer, for every evening in my life, during forty years bypast, (the Christian13 Sabbaths only excepted,) must have seen more of the manners and customs of various tribes and people, than if I had sought them out by my own painful travel and bodily labour. Even so doth the tollman at the well-frequented turnpike on the Wellbrae-head, sitting at his ease in his own dwelling14, gather more receipt of custom, than if, moving forth15 upon the road, he were to require a contribution from each person whom he chanced to meet in his journey, when, according to the vulgar adage16, he might possibly be greeted with more kicks than halfpence.
But, secondly17, supposing it again urged, that Ithacus, the most wise of the Greeks, acquired his renown18, as the Roman poet hath assured us, by visiting states and men, I reply to the Zoilus who shall adhere to this objection, that, de facto, I have seen states and men also; for I have visited the famous cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow, the former twice, and the latter three times, in the course of my earthly pilgrimage. And, moreover, I had the honour to sit in the General Assembly (meaning, as an auditor19, in the galleries thereof,) and have heard as much goodly speaking on the law of patronage20, as, with the fructification thereof in mine own understanding, hath made me be considered as an oracle21 upon that doctrine22 ever since my safe and happy return to Gandercleugh.
Again — and thirdly, If it be nevertheless pretended that my information and knowledge of mankind, however extensive, and however painfully acquired, by constant domestic enquiry, and by foreign travel, is, natheless, incompetent23 to the task of recording24 the pleasant narratives25 of my Landlord, I will let these critics know, to their own eternal shame and confusion, as well as to the abashment27 and discomfiture28 of all who shall rashly take up a song against me, that I am NOT the writer, redacter, or compiler, of the “Tales of my Landlord;” nor am I, in one single iota29, answerable for their contents, more or less. And now, ye generation of critics, who raise yourselves up as if it were brazen30 serpents, to hiss31 with your tongues, and to smite32 with your stings, bow yourselves down to your native dust, and acknowledge that yours have been the thoughts of ignorance, and the words of vain foolishness. Lo! ye are caught in your own snare33, and your own pit hath yawned for you. Turn, then, aside from the task that is too heavy for you; destroy not your teeth by gnawing34 a file; waste not your strength by spurning35 against a castle wall; nor spend your breath in contending in swiftness with a fleet steed; and let those weigh the “Tales of my Landlord,” who shall bring with them the scales of candour cleansed36 from the rust37 of prejudice by the hands of intelligent modesty38. For these alone they were compiled, as will appear from a brief narrative26 which my zeal39 for truth compelled me to make supplementary40 to the present Proem.
It is well known that my Landlord was a pleasing and a facetious41 man, acceptable unto all the parish of Gandercleugh, excepting only the Laird, the Exciseman, and those for whom he refused to draw liquor upon trust. Their causes of dislike I will touch separately, adding my own refutation thereof.
His honour, the Laird, accused our Landlord, deceased, of having encouraged, in various times and places, the destruction of hares, rabbits, fowls42 black and grey, partridges, moor-pouts, roe-deer, and other birds and quadrupeds, at unlawful seasons, and contrary to the laws of this realm, which have secured, in their wisdom, the slaughter43 of such animals for the great of the earth, whom I have remarked to take an uncommon44 (though to me, an unintelligible) pleasure therein. Now, in humble45 deference46 to his honour, and in justifiable47 defence of my friend deceased, I reply to this charge, that howsoever the form of such animals might appear to be similar to those so protected by the law, yet it was a mere48 deceptio visus; for what resembled hares were, in fact, hill-kids, and those partaking of the appearance of moor-fowl, were truly wood pigeons, and consumed and eaten eo nomine, and not otherwise. Again, the Exciseman pretended, that my deceased Landlord did encourage that species of manufacture called distillation49, without having an especial permission from the Great, technically50 called a license51, for doing so. Now, I stand up to confront this falsehood; and in defiance52 of him, his gauging-stick, and pen and inkhorn, I tell him, that I never saw, or tasted, a glass of unlawful aqua vitae in the house of my Landlord; nay53, that, on the contrary, we needed not such devices, in respect of a pleasing and somewhat seductive liquor, which was vended54 and consumed at the Wallace Inn, under the name of mountain dew. If there is a penalty against manufacturing such a liquor, let him show me the statute55; and when he does, I’ll tell him if I will obey it or no. Concerning those who came to my Landlord for liquor, and went thirsty away, for lack of present coin, or future credit, I cannot but say it has grieved my bowels56 as if the case had been mine own. Nevertheless, my Landlord considered the necessities of a thirsty soul, and would permit them, in extreme need, and when their soul was impoverished57 for lack of moisture, to drink to the full value of their watches and wearing apparel, exclusively of their inferior habiliments, which he was uniformly inexorable in obliging them to retain, for the credit of the house. As to mine own part, I may well say, that he never refused me that modicum58 of refreshment59 with which I am wont60 to recruit nature after the fatigues61 of my school. It is true, I taught his five sons English and Latin, writing, book-keeping, with a tincture of mathematics, and that I instructed his daughter in psalmody. Nor do I remember me of any fee or honorarium62 received from him on account of these my labours, except the compotations aforesaid. Nevertheless this compensation suited my humour well, since it is a hard sentence to bid a dry throat wait till quarter-day.
But, truly, were I to speak my simple conceit63 and belief, I think my Landlord was chiefly moved to waive64 in my behalf the usual requisition of a symbol, or reckoning, from the pleasure he was wont to take in my conversation, which, though solid and edifying65 in the main, was, like a well-built palace, decorated with facetious narratives and devices, tending much to the enhancement and ornament66 thereof. And so pleased was my Landlord of the Wallace in his replies during such colloquies67, that there was no district in Scotland, yea, and no peculiar68, and, as it were, distinctive69 custom therein practised, but was discussed betwixt us; insomuch, that those who stood by were wont to say, it was worth a bottle of ale to hear us communicate with each other. And not a few travellers, from distant parts, as well as from the remote districts of our kingdom, were wont to mingle70 in the conversation, and to tell news that had been gathered in foreign lands, or preserved from oblivion in this our own. Now I chanced to have contracted for teaching the lower classes with a young person called Peter, or Patrick, Pattieson, who had been educated for our Holy Kirk, yea, had, by the license of presbytery, his voice opened therein as a preacher, who delighted in the collection of olden tales and legends, and in garnishing71 them with the flowers of poesy, whereof he was a vain and frivolous72 professor. For he followed not the example of those strong poets whom I proposed to him as a pattern, but formed versification of a flimsy and modern texture73, to the compounding whereof was necessary small pains and less thought. And hence I have chid74 him as being one of those who bring forward the fatal revolution prophesied75 by Mr. Robert Carey, in his Vaticination on the Death of the celebrated76 Dr. John Donne:
Now thou art gone, and thy strict laws will be
Too hard for libertines77 in poetry;
Till verse (by thee refined) in this last age
Turn ballad78 rhyme.
I had also disputations with him touching79 his indulging rather a flowing and redundant80 than a concise81 and stately diction in his prose exercitations. But notwithstanding these symptoms of inferior taste, and a humour of contradicting his betters upon passages of dubious82 construction in Latin authors, I did grievously lament83 when Peter Pattieson was removed from me by death, even as if he had been the offspring of my own loins. And in respect his papers had been left in my care, (to answer funeral and death-bed expenses,) I conceived myself entitled to dispose of one parcel thereof, entitled, “Tales of my Landlord,” to one cunning in the trade (as it is called) of book selling. He was a mirthful man, of small stature84, cunning in counterfeiting85 of voices, and in making facetious tales and responses, and whom I have to laud8 for the truth of his dealings towards me. Now, therefore, the world may see the injustice86 that charges me with incapacity to write these narratives, seeing, that though I have proved that I could have written them if I would, yet, not having done so, the censure87 will deservedly fall, if at all due, upon the memory of Mr. Peter Pattieson; whereas I must be justly entitled to the praise, when any is due, seeing that, as the Dean of St. Patrick’s wittily88 and logically expresseth it,
That without which a thing is not,
Is Causa sine qua non.
The work, therefore, is unto me as a child is to a parent; in the which child, if it proveth worthy89, the parent hath honour and praise; but, if otherwise, the disgrace will deservedly attach to itself alone.
I have only further to intimate, that Mr. Peter Pattieson, in arranging these Tales for the press, hath more consulted his own fancy than the accuracy of the narrative; nay, that he hath sometimes blended two or three stories together for the mere grace of his plots. Of which infidelity, although I disapprove90 and enter my testimony91 against it, yet I have not taken upon me to correct the same, in respect it was the will of the deceased, that his manuscript should be submitted to the press without diminution92 or alteration93. A fanciful nicety it was on the part of my deceased friend, who, if thinking wisely, ought rather to have conjured94 me, by all the tender ties of our friendship and common pursuits, to have carefully revised, altered, and augmented95, at my judgment96 and discretion97. But the will of the dead must be scrupulously98 obeyed, even when we weep over their pertinacity99 and self-delusion. So, gentle reader, I bid you farewell, recommending you to such fare as the mountains of your own country produce; and I will only farther premise100, that each Tale is preceded by a short introduction, mentioning the persons by whom, and the circumstances under which, the materials thereof were collected.
Jedediah Cleishbotham.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
sedate
|
|
| adj.沉着的，镇静的，安静的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
sedulous
|
|
| adj.勤勉的，努力的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
instructor
|
|
| n.指导者，教员，教练 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
judicious
|
|
| adj.明智的，明断的，能作出明智决定的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
perusal
|
|
| n.细读，熟读；目测 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
unaware
|
|
| a.不知道的，未意识到的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
albeit
|
|
| conj.即使；纵使；虽然 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
laud
|
|
| n.颂歌；v.赞美 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
favourable
|
|
| adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
metropolis
|
|
| n.首府；大城市 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
insinuate
|
|
| vt.含沙射影地说，暗示 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
abiding
|
|
| adj.永久的，持久的，不变的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
Christian
|
|
| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
dwelling
|
|
| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
forth
|
|
| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
adage
|
|
| n.格言，古训 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
secondly
|
|
| adv.第二，其次 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
renown
|
|
| n.声誉，名望 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
auditor
|
|
| n.审计员，旁听着 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
patronage
|
|
| n.赞助，支援，援助；光顾，捧场 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
oracle
|
|
| n.神谕，神谕处，预言 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
doctrine
|
|
| n.教义；主义；学说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
incompetent
|
|
| adj.无能力的，不能胜任的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
recording
|
|
| n.录音，记录 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
narratives
|
|
| 记叙文( narrative的名词复数 )； 故事； 叙述； 叙述部分 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
narrative
|
|
| n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
abashment
|
|
| n.羞愧，害臊 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
discomfiture
|
|
| n.崩溃；大败；挫败；困惑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
iota
|
|
| n.些微，一点儿 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
brazen
|
|
| adj.厚脸皮的，无耻的，坚硬的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
hiss
|
|
| v.发出嘶嘶声；发嘘声表示不满 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
smite
|
|
| v.重击；彻底击败；n.打；尝试；一点儿 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
snare
|
|
| n.陷阱，诱惑，圈套；（去除息肉或者肿瘤的）勒除器；响弦，小军鼓；vt.以陷阱捕获，诱惑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
gnawing
|
|
| a.痛苦的，折磨人的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
spurning
|
|
| v.一脚踢开，拒绝接受( spurn的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
cleansed
|
|
| 弄干净，清洗( cleanse的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
rust
|
|
| n.锈；v.生锈；(脑子)衰退 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
modesty
|
|
| n.谦逊，虚心，端庄，稳重，羞怯，朴素 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
zeal
|
|
| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
supplementary
|
|
| adj.补充的，附加的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
facetious
|
|
| adj.轻浮的，好开玩笑的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
fowls
|
|
| 鸟( fowl的名词复数 )； 禽肉； 既不是这； 非驴非马 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
slaughter
|
|
| n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
uncommon
|
|
| adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
humble
|
|
| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
deference
|
|
| n.尊重，顺从；敬意 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
justifiable
|
|
| adj.有理由的，无可非议的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
mere
|
|
| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
distillation
|
|
| n.蒸馏，蒸馏法 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
technically
|
|
| adv.专门地，技术上地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
license
|
|
| n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
defiance
|
|
| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
nay
|
|
| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
vended
|
|
| v.出售（尤指土地等财产）( vend的过去式和过去分词 )；（尤指在公共场所）贩卖；发表（意见，言论）；声明 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
statute
|
|
| n.成文法，法令，法规；章程，规则，条例 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
bowels
|
|
| n.肠，内脏，内部；肠( bowel的名词复数 )；内部，最深处 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
impoverished
|
|
| adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
modicum
|
|
| n.少量，一小份 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
refreshment
|
|
| n.恢复，精神爽快，提神之事物；（复数）refreshments:点心，茶点 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
wont
|
|
| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
fatigues
|
|
| n.疲劳( fatigue的名词复数 )；杂役；厌倦；（士兵穿的）工作服 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
honorarium
|
|
| n.酬金，谢礼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
conceit
|
|
| n.自负，自高自大 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
waive
|
|
| vt.放弃，不坚持(规定、要求、权力等) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
edifying
|
|
| adj.有教训意味的，教训性的，有益的v.开导，启发( edify的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
ornament
|
|
| v.装饰，美化；n.装饰，装饰物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
colloquies
|
|
| n.谈话，对话( colloquy的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
peculiar
|
|
| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
distinctive
|
|
| adj.特别的，有特色的，与众不同的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
mingle
|
|
| vt.使混合，使相混；vi.混合起来；相交往 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
garnishing
|
|
| v.给（上餐桌的食物）加装饰( garnish的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
frivolous
|
|
| adj.轻薄的；轻率的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
texture
|
|
| n.(织物)质地；(材料)构造；结构；肌理 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
74
chid
|
|
| v.责骂，责备( chide的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
75
prophesied
|
|
| v.预告，预言( prophesy的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
76
celebrated
|
|
| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
77
libertines
|
|
| n.放荡不羁的人，淫荡的人( libertine的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
78
ballad
|
|
| n.歌谣，民谣，流行爱情歌曲 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
79
touching
|
|
| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
80
redundant
|
|
| adj.多余的，过剩的；(食物)丰富的；被解雇的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
81
concise
|
|
| adj.简洁的，简明的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
82
dubious
|
|
| adj.怀疑的，无把握的；有问题的，靠不住的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
83
lament
|
|
| n.悲叹，悔恨，恸哭；v.哀悼，悔恨，悲叹 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
84
stature
|
|
| n.（高度）水平，（高度）境界，身高，身材 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
85
counterfeiting
|
|
| n.伪造v.仿制，造假( counterfeit的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
86
injustice
|
|
| n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
87
censure
|
|
| v./n.责备；非难；责难 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
88
wittily
|
|
| 机智地，机敏地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
89
worthy
|
|
| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
90
disapprove
|
|
| v.不赞成，不同意，不批准 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
91
testimony
|
|
| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
92
diminution
|
|
| n.减少；变小 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
93
alteration
|
|
| n.变更，改变；蚀变 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
94
conjured
|
|
| 用魔术变出( conjure的过去式和过去分词 )； 祈求，恳求； 变戏法； （变魔术般地） 使…出现 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
95
Augmented
|
|
| adj.增音的 动词augment的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
96
judgment
|
|
| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
97
discretion
|
|
| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
98
scrupulously
|
|
| adv.一丝不苟地；小心翼翼地，多顾虑地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
99
pertinacity
|
|
| n.执拗，顽固 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
100
premise
|
|
| n.前提；v.提论，预述 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |