Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

It was a judicious or injudicious (?) assemblage of distinctions in age, sex, and congeniality; of parties in no respect assimilating with one another, and forming, consequently, a conglomeration, better adapted to afford opportunities of studying character, than for any specific method of beguiling the rosy hours. The young and the old did not mix or blend together. The young people sitting apart listless and sighing for some more decided relaxation than a little desultory conversation and an occasional song, for Mrs. Grainger would as soon have thought of bending the knee to Moloch or setting up Juggernaut or Vishu for her guests to worship, as permitting cards or dancing.

In attempting to convey to the reader some idea of a Free Church converzazione, it would be unpardonable to omit several clergymen, the first in importance, if not in picturesque appearance. At the first general view they might not appear as adding materially to the sociability of the evening as they seemed neither ornamental nor useful, making no

efforts to amuse or be amused, but standing about the room in ungainly attitudes as if their mission had been (which perhaps it was) to act as dampers on the too general flow of hilarity which might else have burst beyond the proper limits of Free Church decorum. Nevertheless we will attempt to enter somewhat more into detail in our description of these "dear men."

The first in peace, first in the pulpit (certainly not in war) and the first in the hearts of his congregation, also the first in physical, if not in intellectual magnitude was the Rev. Saunders Mucklewhackit, a large clumsy, ill-built, illlooking man, who stood bolt-upright before the fire-place, looking very much like a master of the house, too surly to speak to his guests. (as Mr. Grainger was only the nominal master of the house and plays no part in our story, it is not necessary to introduce him personally to the reader). The Rev. Mr. Mucklewhackit, resembled a particularly surly mastiff, whose good qualities can only be appreciated by those

who are sufficiently acquainted with him to forget the roughness of his exterior. He possessed a certain amount of shrewdness and ability, which was magnified by his own sect, into little short of Nestorian wisdom, for narrow-minded, one-sided men frequently impose upon their admirers by the energy and determination with which they embrace views, and utter opinions, where abler men would suspend their judgement. A rugged fluency of language was considered eloquence, and Mr. Mucklewhackit was esteemed by the Free Church people of Y, an orator hardly inferior to Demosthenes; a reputation undiminished by his broad provincial dialect and ungainly gesticulation, and not to be wondered at, when it is recollected that few of those who sat under him. had ever heard a good English speaker, either of the bar or pulpit.

Mr. Mucklewhackit, if he had not found ample food for his love of adulation in the ministry, would have been the leader of a party, or a demagogue in some other shape or way.

He had, indeed, tried both law and trade before he bestowed his talents on the church. He was one of those who sailed with the times, and by judiciously siding with the most popular party and "by apostatising at the right time," gratified his own love of notoriety, and feathered his nest at one and the same time. He had gone over to the Free Church with a great pomp of conscientious avowal when the Free Church seemed likely to supplant the established Kirk of Scotland, and now in his zeal, goes beyond the Emperor of China, who after having dined, permits, but does not force, all the world to go to dinner. But when Mr. Mucklewhackit has changed his views he will have every one else do so likewise, and everybody under pain of his displeasure must confess the superiority of the Free over the Established Church. Mr. Mucklewhackit used to like several glasses of toddy at a sitting, but the temperance movement came in, and Mr. Mucklewhackit found his account in joining it, and has ever since preached against

the poor labourer who refreshes himself occasionally with the national beverage. As for the rich, who can drink wine and spirits with impunity because they can afford to import them in large quantities, Mr. Mucklewhackit takes care to let them alone. As a perfectly good man is not to be found, it may be observed, that there is one of the cardinal virtues at least, in which Mr. Mucklewhackit is deficient, and that is courage. This, Ernest had an opportunity of remarking while crossing the ferry in a small boat along with the minister. Mr. Mucklewhackit, on that occasion, grasped the sides of the boat nervously, and desired an adventurous passenger to sit down, with a good deal of unction and an ejaculation, which savoured more of personal fear than, prayer.

"Deil tak ye, canna ye sit down mon, wha ever hard of standing up in a flat-bottomed boat that has na hold on the water."

The boatman, a shrewd highlander, when they had reached the opposite side, observed

« AnteriorContinuar »