按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
4
… Page 5…
RECORDS OF A FAMILY OF ENGINEERS
asked what I was going to do with it。 I told her I was going to set it up as
my Ebenezer； because hitherto； and in that place； the Lord had formerly
helped； and I hoped would yet help。 The rain still continuing； the child
weeping bitterly； I went to prayer； and no sooner did I cry to God； but the
child gave over weeping； and when we got up from prayer； the rain was
pouring down on every side； but in the way where we were to go there fell
not one drop； the place not rained on was as big as an ordinary avenue。'
And so great a saint was the natural butt of Satan's persecutions。 ‘I
retired to the fields for secret prayer about mid…night。 When I went to
pray I was much straitened； and could not get one request； but 〃Lord pity；〃
〃Lord help〃； this I came over frequently； at length the terror of Satan fell
on me in a high degree； and all I could say even then was … 〃Lord help。〃
I continued in the duty for some time； notwithstanding of this terror。 At
length I got up to my feet； and the terror still increased； then the enemy
took me by the arm…pits； and seemed to lift me up by my arms。 I saw a
loch just before me； and I concluded he designed to throw me there by
force； and had he got leave to do so； it might have brought a great
reproach upon religion。 （1） But it was otherwise ordered； and the cause
of piety escaped that danger。 （2）
（1） This John Stevenson was not the only ‘witness' of the name； other
Stevensons were actually killed during the persecutions； in the Glen of
Trool； on Pentland； etc。； and it is very possible that the author's own
ancestor was one of the mounted party embodied by Muir of Caldwell；
only a day too late for Pentland。 （2） Wodrow Society's SELECT
BIOGRAPHIES； vol。 ii。… ＇R。 L。 S。＇
On the whole； the Stevensons may be described as decent； reputable
folk； following honest trades … millers； maltsters； and doctors； playing the
character parts in the Waverley Novels with propriety； if without
distinction； and to an orphan looking about him in the world for a potential
ancestry； offering a plain and quite unadorned refuge； equally free from
shame and glory。 John； the land…labourer； is the one living and
memorable figure； and he； alas！ cannot possibly be more near than a
collateral。 It was on August 12； 1678； that he heard Mr。 John Welsh on
the Craigdowhill； and ‘took the heavens； earth； and sun in the firmament
5
… Page 6…
RECORDS OF A FAMILY OF ENGINEERS
that was shining on us； as also the ambassador who made the offer； and
THE CLERK WHO RAISED THE PSALMS； to witness that I did give
myself away to the Lord in a personal and perpetual covenant never to be
forgotten'； and already； in 1675； the birth of my direct ascendant was
registered in Glasgow。 So that I have been pursuing ancestors too far
down； and John the land…labourer is debarred me； and I must relinquish
from the trophies of my house his RARE SOUL…STRENGTHENING
AND COMFORTING CORDIAL。 It is the same case with the
Edinburgh bailie and the miller of the Canonmills； worthy man！ and with
that public character； Hugh the Under…Clerk； and； more than all； with Sir
Archibald； the physician； who recorded arms。 And I am reduced to a
family of inconspicuous maltsters in what was then the clean and
handsome little city on the Clyde。
The name has a certain air of being Norse。 But the story of Scottish
nomenclature is confounded by a continual process of translation and half…
translation from the Gaelic which in olden days may have been sometimes
reversed。 Roy becomes Reid； Gow； Smith。 A great Highland clan uses
the name of Robertson； a sept in Appin that of Livingstone； Maclean in
Glencoe answers to Johnstone at Lockerby。 And we find such hybrids as
Macalexander for Macallister。 There is but one rule to be deduced： that
however uncompromisingly Saxon a name may appear； you can never be
sure it does not designate a Celt。 My great…grandfather wrote the name
STEVENSON but pronounced it STEENSON； after the fashion of the
immortal minstrel in REDGAUNTLET； and this elision of a medial
consonant appears a Gaelic process； and； curiously enough； I have come
across no less than two Gaelic forms： JOHN MACSTOPHANE
CORDINERIUS IN CROSSRAGUEL； 1573； and WILLIAM M'STEEN
in Dunskeith （co。 Ross）； 1605。 Stevenson； Steenson； Macstophane；
M'Steen： which is the original？ which the translation？ Or were these
separate creations of the patronymic； some English； some Gaelic？ The
curiously compact territory in which we find them seated … Ayr； Lanark；
Peebles； Stirling； Perth； Fife； and the Lothians … would seem to forbid the
supposition。 （1）
（1） Though the districts here named are those in which the name of
6
… Page 7…
RECORDS OF A FAMILY OF ENGINEERS
Stevenson is most common； it is in point of fact far more wide…spread than
the text indicates； and occurs from Dumfries and Berwickshire to
Aberdeen and Orkney。
‘STEVENSON … or according to tradition of one of the proscribed of
the clan MacGregor； who was born among the willows or in a hill…side
sheep…pen … 〃Son of my love；〃 a heraldic bar sinister； but history reveals a
reason for the birth among the willows far other than the sinister aspect of
the name'： these are the dark words of Mr。 Cosmo Innes； but history or
tradition； being interrogated； tells a somewhat tangled tale。 The heir of
Macgregor of Glenorchy； murdered about 1858 by the Argyll Campbells；
appears to have been the original 'Son of my love'； and his more loyal
clansmen took the name to fight under。 It may be supposed the story of
their resistance became popular； and the name in some sort identified with
the idea of opposition to the Campbells。 Twice afterwards； on some
renewed aggression； in 1502 and 1552； we find the Macgregors again
banding themselves into a sept of 'Sons of my love'； and when the great
disaster fell on them in 1603； the whole original legend reappears； and we
have the heir of Alaster of Glenstrae born 'among the willows' of a fugitive
mother； and the more loyal clansmen again rallying under the name of
Stevenson。 A story would not be told so often unless it had some base in
fact； nor （if there were no bond at all between the Red Macgregors and the
Stevensons） would that extraneous and somewhat uncouth name be so
much repeated in the legends of the Children of the Mist。
But I am enabled； by my very lively and obliging correspondent； Mr。
George A。 Macgregor Stevenson of New York； to give an actual instance。
His grandfather； great… grandfather； great…great…grandfather； and great…
great…great… grandfather； all used the names of Macgregor and Stevenson
as occasion served； being perhaps Macgregor by night and Stevenson by
day。 The great…great…great…grandfather was a mighty man of his hands；
marched with the clan in the 'Forty… five； and returned with SPOLIA
OPIMA in the shape of a sword； which he had wrested from an officer in
the retreat； and which is in the possession of my correspondent to this day。
His great…grandson （the grandfather of my correspondent）； being
converted to Methodism by some wayside preacher； discarded in a
7
… Page 8…
RECORDS OF A FAMILY OF ENGINEERS
moment his name； his old nature； and his political principles； and with the
zeal of a proselyte sealed his adherence to the Protestant Succession by
baptising his next son George。 This George became the pub