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1、THEANTIQUARYBYSIRWALTERSCOTT,BART.IknewAnselmo.Hewasshrewdandprudent,Wisdomandcunninghadtheirsharesofhim;Buthewasshrewishasawaywardchild,Andpleasedagainbytoyswhichchildhoodplease;As---bookoffables,gracedwithprintofwood,Orelsethejinglingofarustymedal,Ortheraremelodyofsomeolddit
2、ty,ThatfirstwassungtopleaseKingPepin'scradleINTRODUCTIONThepresentworkcompletesaseriesoffictitiousnarratives,intendedtoillustratethemannersofScotlandatthreedifferentperiods._Waverley_embracedtheageofourfathers,_GuyMannering_thatofourownyouth,andthe_Antiquary_referstothelastten
3、yearsoftheeighteenthcentury.Ihave,inthetwolastnarrativesespecially,soughtmyprincipalpersonagesintheclassofsocietywhoarethelasttofeeltheinfluenceofthatgeneralpolishwhichassimilatestoeachotherthemannersofdifferentnations.AmongthesameclassIhaveplacedsomeofthescenesinwhichIhaveend
4、eavouredtoillustratetheoperationofthehigherandmoreviolentpassions;bothbecausethelowerordersarelessrestrainedbythehabitofsuppressingtheirfeelings,andbecauseIagree,withmyfriendWordsworth,thattheyseldomfailtoexpresstheminthestrongestandmostpowerfullanguage.Thisis,Ithink,peculiarl
5、ythecasewiththepeasantryofmyowncountry,aclasswithwhomIhavelongbeenfamiliar.Theantiqueforceandsimplicityoftheirlanguage,oftentincturedwiththeOrientaleloquenceofScripture,inthemouthsofthoseofanelevatedunderstanding,givepathostotheirgrief,anddignitytotheirresentment.Ihavebeenmore
6、solicitoustodescribemannersminutelythantoarrangeinanycaseanartificialandcombinednarrative,andhavebuttoregretthatIfeltmyselfunabletounitethesetworequisitesofagoodNovel.Theknaveryoftheadeptinthefollowingsheetsmayappearforcedandimprobable;butwehavehadverylateinstancesoftheforceof
7、superstitiouscredulitytoamuchgreaterextent,andthereadermaybeassured,thatthispartofthenarrativeisfoundedonafactofactualoccurrence.IhavenowonlytoexpressmygratitudetothePublicforthedistinguishedreceptionwhich,theyhavegiventoworks,thathavelittlemorethansometruthofcolouringtorecomm
8、endthem,andtotakemyrespectfulleave,asonewhoisnotlikelyagainto