the lady of the lake-第21部分
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rst in the series； their reception would have been less favourable than that which it has experienced。 It is more polished in its diction； and more regular in its versification； the story is constructed with infinitely more skill and address； there is a greater proportion of pleasing and tender passages； with much less antiquarian detail； and； upon the whole； a larger variety of characters； more artfully and judiciously contrasted。 There is nothing so fine； perhaps； as the battle in Marmion； or so picturesque as some of the scattered sketches in the Lay； but there is a richness and a spirit in the whole piece which does not pervade either of those poems； a profusion of incident and a shifting brilliancy of colouring that reminds us of the witchery of Ariosto； and a constant elasticity and occasional energy which seem to belong more peculiarly to the author now before us。〃
Canto First。
Each canto is introduced by one or more Spenserian stanzas；＇FN#5＇ forming a kind of prelude to it。 Those prefixed to the first canto serve as an introduction to the whole poem； which is 〃inspired by the spirit of the old Scottish minstrelsy。〃
2。 Witch…elm。 The broad…leaved or wych elm （Ulmus montana）； indigenous to Scotland。 Forked branches of the tree were used in the olden time as divining…rods； and riding switches from it were supposed to insure good luck on a journey。 In the closing stanzas of the poem （vi。 846） it is called the 〃wizard elm。〃 Tennyson （In Memoriam； 89） refers to
〃Witch…elms that counterchange the floor Of this flat lawn with dusk and bright。〃
Saint Fillan was a Scotch abbot of the seventh century who became famous as a saint。 He had two springs； which appear to be confounded by some editors of the poem。 One was at the eastern end of Loch Earn； where the pretty modern village of St。 Fillans now stands； under the shadow of Dun Fillan； or St。 Fillan's Hills； six hundred feet high； on the top of which the saint used to say his prayers； as the marks of his knees in the rock still testify to the credulous。 The other spring is at another village called St。 Fillans； nearly thirty miles to the westward； just outside the limits of our map； on the road to Tyndrum。 In this Holy Pool； as it is called； insane folk were dipped with certain ceremonies； and then left bound all night in the open air。 If they were found loose the next morning； they were supposed to have been cured。 This treatment was practised as late as 1790； according to Pennant； who adds that the patients were generally found in the morning relieved of their troublesby death。 Another writer； in 1843； says that the pool is still visited； not by people of the vicinity； who have no faith in its virtue； but by those from distant places。 Scott alludes to this spring in Marmion； i。 29：
〃Thence to Saint Fillan's blessed well； Whose springs can frenzied dreams dispel； And the crazed brain restore。〃
3。 And down the fitful breeze； etc。 The original MS。 reads：
〃And on the fitful breeze thy numbers flung； Till envious ivy； with her verdant ring； Mantled and muffled each melodious string； O Wizard Harp； still must thine accents sleep？〃
10。 Caledon。 Caledonia； the Roman name of Scotland。
14。 Each according pause。 That is； each pause in the singing。 In Marmion； ii。 11； according is used of music that fills the intervals of other music：
〃Soon as they neared his turrets strong； The maidens raised Saint Hilda's song； And with the sea…wave and the wind Their voices； sweetly shrill； combined； And made harmonious close； Then； answering from the sandy shore； Half…drowned amid the breakers' roar； According chorus rose。〃
The MS。 reads here：
〃At each according pause thou spokest aloud Thine ardent sympathy sublime and high。〃
28。 The stag at eve had drunk his fill。 The metre of the poem proper is iambic； that is； with the accent on the even syllables； and octosyllabic； or eight syllables to the line。
29。 Monan's rill。 St。 Monan was a Scotch martyr of the fourth century。 We can find no mention of any rill named for him。
31。 Glenartney。 A valley to the north…east of Callander； with Benvoirlich （which rises to the height of 3180 feet） on the north； and Uam…Var （see 53 below） on the south； separating it from the valley of the Teith。 It takes its name from the Artney； the stream flowing through it。
32。 His beacon red。 The figure is an appropriate one in describing this region； where fires on the hill…tops were so often used as signals in the olden time。 Cf。 the Lay； iii。 379：
〃And soon a score of fires； I ween； From height； and hill； and cliff； were seen； Each with warlike tidings fraught； Each from each the signal caught；〃 etc。
34。 Deep…mouthed。 Cf。 Shakespeare； 1 Hen。 VI。 ii。 4。 12： 〃Between two dogs； which hath the deeper mouth；〃 and T。 of S。 ind。 1。 18： 〃the deep…mouthed brach〃 （that is； hound）。
The MS。 reads：
〃The bloodhound's notes of heavy bass Resounded hoarsely up the pass。〃
35。 Resounded 。。。 rocky。 The poet often avails himself of 〃apt alliteration's artful aid；〃 as here； and in the next two lines； most frequently in pairs of words。
38。 As Chief； etc。 Note here； as often； the simile put BEFORE that which it illustrates；an effective rhetorical； though not the logical； arrangement。
45。 Beamed frontlet。 Antlered forehead。
46。 Adown。 An instance of a purely poetical word； not admissible in prose。
49。 Chase。 Here put for those engaged in the chase； as in 101 and 171； below。 One of its regular meanings is the OBJECT of the chase； or the animal pursued。
53。 Uam…Var。 〃Ua…Var； as the name is pronounced； or more properly Uaigh…mor； is a mountain to the north…east of the village of Callander； in Menteith； deriving its name； which signifies the great den； or cavern； from a sort of retreat among the rocks on the south side； said； by tradition； to have been the abode of a giant。 In latter times； it was the refuge of robbers and banditti； who have been only extirpated within these forty or fifty years。 Strictly speaking； this stronghold is not a cave； as the name would imply； but a sort of small enclosure； or recess； surrounded with large rocks and open above head。 It may have been originally designed as a toil for deer； who might get in from the outside； but would find it difficult to return。 This opinion prevails among the old sportsmen and deer…stalkers in the neighborhood〃 （Scott）。
54。 Yelled。 Note the emphatic force of the inversion； as in 59 below。 Cf。 38 above。
Opening。 That is； barking on view or scent of the game； a hunting term。 Cf。 Shakespeare； M。 W。 iv。 2。 209： 〃If I bark out thus upon no trail never trust me when I open again。〃
The description of the echo which follows is very spirited。
66。 Cairn。 Literally； a heap of stones； here put poetically for the rocky point which the falcon takes as a look…out。
69。 Hurricane。 A metaphor for the wild rush of the hunt。
71。 Linn。 Literally； a deep pool； but often = cataract； as in Bracklinn； ii。 270 below （cf。 vi。 488）； and sometimes = precipice。
73。 On the lone wood。 Note the musical variation in the measure here； the 1st； 3d； and 4th syllables being accented instead of the 2d and 4th。 It is occasionally introduced into iambic metre with admirable effect。 Cf。 85 and 97 below。
76。 The cavern； etc。 See on 53 above。
80。 Perforce。 A poetical word。 See on 46 above。
84。 Shrewdly。 Severely； keenly； a sense now obsolete。 Shrewd originally meant evil； mischievous。 Cf。 Shakespeare； A。 Y。 L。 v。 4。 179； where it is said that those
〃That have endur'd shrewd days and nights with us Shall share the good of our returned fortune。〃
In Chaucer （Tale of Melibocus） we find； 〃The prophete saith： Flee shrewdnesse； and do goodnesse〃 （referring to Ps。 xxxiv。 14）。
89。 Menteith。 The district in the southwestern part of Perthshire； watered by the Teith。
91。 Mountain and meadow； etc。 See on 35 above。 Moss is used in the North…of…England sense of a boggy or peaty district； like the famous Chat Moss between Liverpool and Manchester。
93。 Lochard。 Loch Ard is a beautiful lakelet； about five miles south of Loch Katrine。 On its eastern side is the scene of Helen Macgregor's skirmish with the King's troops in Rob Roy； and near its head； on the northern side； is a waterfall； which is the original of Flora MacIvor's favorite retreat in Waverley。 Aberfoyle is a village about a mile and a half to the east of the lake。
95。 Loch Achray。 A lake between Loch Katrine and Loch Vennachar； lying just beyond the pass of the Trosachs。
97。 Benvenue。 A mountain； 2386 feet in height； on the southern side of Loch Katrine。
98。 With the hope。 The MS。 has 〃with the THOUGHT；〃 and 〃flying HOOF〃 in the next line。
102。 'Twere。 It would be。 Cf。 Shakespeare； Macb。 ii。 2。 73： 〃To know my deed； 't were best not know myself。〃
103。 Cambusmore。 The estate of a family named Buchanan； whom Scott frequently visited in his younger days。 It is about two miles from Callander； on the wooded banks of the Keltie； a tributary of the Teith。
105。 Benledi。 A mountain； 2882 feet high； northwest from Callander。 The name is said to mean 〃Mountain of God。〃
106。 Bochastle's heath。 A moor between the east end of Loch Vennachar and Callander。 See also on v。 298 below。
107。 The flooded Teith。 The Teith is formed by streams from Loch Voil and from Loch Katrine （by way of Loch Achray and Loch Vennachar）； which unite at Callander。 It joins the Forth near Stirling。
111。 Vennachar。 As the map shows； this 〃Lake of the Fair Valley〃 is the most eastern of the three lakes around which the scenery of the poem lies。 It is about five miles long and a mile and a half wide。
112。 The Brigg of Turk。 This brig； or bridge （cf。 Burns's poem of The Brigs of Ayr）； is over a stream that comes down from Glenfinlas and flows into the one connecting Lochs Achray and Vennachar。 According to Graham； it is 〃the scene of the death of a wild boar famous in Celtic tradition。〃
114。 Unbated。 Cf。 Shakespeare； M。 of V。 i
