the provost-第30部分

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！


　has　been　taken　in；　might　second　the　same。〃

Mr　Mucklewheel　agreed　with　me；　that　certainly　the　thing　would　come　with　the　best　grace　from　my　successor。

〃But　I　doubt；〃　was　my　answer；　〃if　he　kens　aught　of　the　matter；　ye　might　however　enquire。　　In　short；　Mr　Mucklewheel；　ye　see　it　requires　a　canny　hand　to　manage　public　affairs；　and　a　sound　discretion　to　know　who　are　the　fittest　to　work　in　them。　　If　the　case　were　not　my　own；　and　if　I　was　speaking　for　another　that　had　done　for　the　town　what　I　have　done；　the　task　would　be　easy。　　For　I　would　just　rise　in　my　place；　and　say　as　a　thing　of　course；　and　admitted　on　all　hands；　'Gentlemen；　it　would　be　a　very　wrong　thing　of　us；　to　let　Mr　Mucklewheel；　（that　is；　supposing　you　were　me；）　who　has　so　long　been　a　fellow…labourer　with　us；　to　quit　his　place　here　without　some　mark　of　our　own　esteem　for　him　as　a　man；　and　some　testimony　from　the　council　to　his　merits　as　a　magistrate。　　Every　body　knows　that　he　has　been　for　near　to　fifty　years　a　distinguished　character；　and　has　thrice　filled　the　very　highest　post　in　the　burgh；　that　many　great　improvements　have　been　made　in　his　time；　wherein　his　influence　and　wisdom　was　very　evident；　I　would　therefore　propose；　that　a　committee　should　be　appointed　to　consider　of　the　best　means　of　expressing　our　sense　of　his　services；　in　which　I　shall　be　very　happy　to　assist；　provided　the　provost　will　consent　to　act　as　chairman。'

〃That's　the　way　I　would　open　the　business；　and　were　I　the　seconder；　as　you　are　to　be　to　Mr　Birky；　I　would　say；

〃'The　worthy　councillor　has　but　anticipated　what　every　one　was　desirous　to　propose；　and　although　a　committee　is　a　very　fit　way　of　doing　the　thing　respectfully；　there　is　yet　a　far　better；　and　that　is；　for　the　council　now　sitting　to　come　at　once　to　a　resolution　on　the　subject；　then　a　committee　may　be　appointed　to　carry　that　resolution　into　effect。'

〃Having　said　this；　you　might　advert　first　to　the　vote　of　thanks；　and　then　to　the　piece　of　plate；　to　remain　with　the　gentleman's　family　as　a　monumental　testimony　of　the　opinion　which　was　entertained　by　the　community　of　his　services　and　character。〃

Having　in　this　judicious　manner　primed　Mr　Mucklewheel　as　to　the　procedure；　I　suddenly　recollected　that　I　had　a　letter　to　write　to　catch　the　post；　and　having　told　him　so；　〃Maybe；〃　quo'　I；　〃ye　would　step　the　length　of　Mr　Birky's　and　see　how　he　is　inclined；　and　by　the　time　I　am　done　writing；　ye　can　be　back；　for　after　all　that　we　have　been　saying；　and　the　warm　and　friendly　interest　you　have　taken　in　this　business；　I　really　would　not　wish　my　friends　to　stir　in　it；　unless　it　is　to　be　done　in　a　satisfactory　manner。〃

Mr　Mucklewheel　accordingly　went　to　Mr　Birky；　who　had　of　course　heard　nothing　of　the　subject；　but　they　came　back　together；　and　he　was　very　vogie　with　the　notion　of　making　a　speech　before　the　council；　for　he　was　an　upsetting　young　man。　　In　short；　the　matter　was　so　set　forward；　that；　on　the　Monday　following；　it　was　all　over　the　town　that　I　was　to　get　a　piece　of　plate　at　my　resignation；　and　the　whole　affair　proceeded　so　well　to　an　issue；　that　the　same　was　brought　to　a　head　to　a　wish。　　Thus　had　I　the　great　satisfaction　of　going　to　my　repose　as　a　private　citizen　with　a　very　handsome　silver　cup；　bearing　an　inscription　in　the　Latin　tongue；　of　the　time　I　had　been　in　the　council；　guildry；　and　magistracy；　and　although；　in　the　outset　of　my　public　life；　some　of　my　dealings　may　have　been　leavened　with　the　leaven　of　antiquity；　yet；　upon　the　whole；　it　will　not　be　found；　I　think；　that；　one　thing　weighed　with　another；　I　have　been　an　unprofitable　servant　to　the　community。　　Magistrates　and　rulers　must　rule　according　to　the　maxims　and　affections　of　the　world；　at　least；　whenever　I　tried　any　other　way；　strange　obstacles　started　up　in　the　opinions　of　men　against　me；　and　my　purest　intents　were　often　more　criticised　than　some　which　were　less　disinterested；　so　much　is　it　the　natural　humour　of　mankind　to　jealouse　and　doubt　the　integrity　of　all　those　who　are　in　authority　and　power；　especially　when　they　see　them　deviating　from　the　practices　of　their　predecessors。　　Posterity；　therefore；　or　I　am　far　mistaken；　will　not　be　angered　at　my　plain　dealing　with　regard　to　the　small　motives　of　private　advantage　of　which　I　have　made　mention；　since　it　has　been　my　endeavour　to　show　and　to　acknowledge；　that　there　is　a　reforming　spirit　abroad　among　men；　and　that　really　the　world　is　gradually　growing　betterslowly　I　allow；　but　still　it　is　growing　better；　and　the　main　profit　of　the　improvement　will　be　reaped　by　those　who　are　ordained　to　come　after　us。





End