第 24 节
作者:
曾氏六合网 更新:2021-02-27 01:39 字数:9322
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。 ii。 6。 11:
〃Where is the horse that doth untread again His tedious measures with the unbated fire That he did pace them first?〃
115。 Scourge and steel。 Whip and spur。 Steel is often used for the sword (as in v。 239 below: 〃foeman worthy of their steel〃); the figure being of the same sort as here〃the material put for the thing made of it。〃 Cf。 v。 479 below。
117。 Embossed。 An old hunting term。 George Turbervile; in his Noble Art of Venerie or Hunting (A。D。 1576); says: 〃When the hart is foamy at the mouth; we say; that he is emboss'd。〃 Cf。 Shakespeare; T。 of S。 ind。 1。 17: 〃Brach Merriman; the poor cur; is emboss'd;〃 and A。 and C。 iv。 13。 3:
〃the boar of Thessaly Was never so emboss'd。〃
120。 Saint Hubert's breed。 Scott quotes Turbervile here: 〃The hounds which we call Saint Hubert's hounds are commonly all blacke; yet neuertheless; the race is so mingled at these days; that we find them of all colours。 These are the hounds which the abbots of St。 Hubert haue always kept some of their race or kind; in honour or remembrance of the saint; which was a hunter with S。 Eustace。 Whereupon we may conceiue that (by the grace of God) all good huntsmen shall follow them into paradise。〃
127。 Quarry。 The animal hunted; another technical term。 Shakespeare uses it in the sense of a heap of slaughtered game; as in Cor。 i。 1。 202:
〃Would the nobility lay aside their ruth; And let me use my sword; I'd make a quarry With thousands of these quarter'd slaves;〃 etc。
Cf。 Longfellow; Hiawatha:
〃Seldom stoops the soaring vulture O'er his quarry in the desert。〃
130。 Stock。 Tree…stump。 Cf。 Job; xiv。 8。
133。 Turn to bay。 Like stand at bay; etc。; a term used when the stag; driven to extremity; turns round and faces his pursuers。 Cf。 Shakespeare; 1。 Hen。 VI。 iv。 2。 52; where it is used figuratively (as in vi。 525 below):
〃Turn on the bloody hounds with heads of steel; And make the cowards stand aloof at bay;〃
and T。 of S。 v。 2。 56: 〃 'T is thought your deer does hold you at a bay;〃 etc。
137。 For the death…wound; etc。 Scott has the following note here: 〃When the stag turned to bay; the ancient hunter had the perilous task of going in upon; and killing or disabling; the desperate animal。 At certain times of the year this was held particularly dangerous; a wound received from a stag's horn being then deemed poisonous; and more dangerous than one from the tusks of a boar; as the old rhyme testifies:
'If thou be hurt with hart; it bring thee to thy bier; But barber's hand will boar's hurt heal; therefore thou need'st not fear。'
At all times; however; the task was dangerous; and to be adventured upon wisely and warily; either by getting behind the stag while he was gazing on the hounds; or by watching an opportunity to gallop roundly in upon him; and kill him with the sword。 See many directions to this purpose in the Booke of Hunting; chap。 41。 Wilson; the historian; has recorded a providential escape which befell him in the hazardous sport; while a youth; and follower of the Earl of Essex:
'Sir Peter Lee; of Lime; in Cheshire; invited my lord one summer to hunt the stagg。 And having a great stagg in chase; and many gentlemen in the pursuit; the stag took soyle。 And divers; whereof I was one; alighted; and stood with swords drawne; to have a cut at him; at his coming out of the water。 The staggs there being wonderfully fierce and dangerous; made us youths more eager to be at him。 But he escaped us all。 And it was my misfortune to be hindered of my coming nere him; the way being sliperie; by a falle; which gave occasion to some; who did not know mee; to speak as if I had falne for feare。 Which being told mee; I left the stagg; and followed the gentleman who 'first' spake it。 But I found him of that cold temper; that it seems his words made an escape from him; as by his denial and repentance it appeared。 But this made mee more violent in the pursuit of the stagg; to recover my reputation。 And I happened to be the only horseman in; when the dogs sett him up at bay; and approaching near him on horsebacke; he broke through the dogs; and run at mee; and tore my horse's side with his hornes; close by my thigh。 Then I quitted my horse; and grew more cunning (for the dogs had sette him up againe); stealing behind him with my sword; and cut his hamstrings; and then got upon his back; and cut his throate; which; as I was doing; the company came in; and blamed my rashness for running such a hazard' (Peck's Desiderata Curiosa; ii。 464)。〃
138。 Whinyard。 A short stout sword or knife; the same as the whinger of the Lay of Last Minstrel; v。 7:
〃And whingers; now in friendship bare The social meal to part and share; Had found a bloody sheath。〃
142。 Turned him。 In Elizabethan; and still more in earlier English; personal pronouns were often used reflexively; and this; like many other old constructions; is still used in poetry。
145。 Trosachs。 〃The rough or bristled territory〃 (Graham); the wild district between Lochs Katrine and Vennachar。 The name is now especially applied to the pass between Lochs Katrine and Achray。
147。 Close couched。 That is; as he lay close couched; or hidden。 Such ellipses are common in poetry。
150。 Amain。 With main; or full force。 We still say 〃with might and main。〃
151。 Chiding。 Not a mere figurative use of chide as we now understand it (cf。 287 below); but an example of the old sense of the word as applied to any oft…repeated noise。 Shakespeare uses it of the barking of dogs in M。 N。 D。 iv。 1。 120:
〃never did I hear Such gallant chiding;〃
of the wind; as in A。 Y。 L。 ii。 1。 7: 〃And churlish chiding of the winter's wind;〃 and of the sea; as in 1 Hen。 IV。 iii。 1。 45:
〃the sea That chides the banks of England;〃
and Hen。 VIII。 iii。 2。 197: 〃the chiding flood。〃
163。 The banks of Seine。 James