愛丁堡絮語： Robert Burns與Walter Scott

鄉下人Robert Burns第一次到愛丁堡，是為了他的詩集《Chiefly in the Scottish dialect》的出版，那時他才27歲。雖然第二年作品問世，蘇格蘭人心目中無法取代的民族文學圖像，就永遠地被彩繪出來了。不過再過十年，他就死了。

愛丁堡的階級氣氛，必然強烈衝擊著這位來自農家，卻被一群貴族與布爾喬亞們團團圍住，敏感的詩人。

而那時候Walter Scott才十五十六歲吧，他坐在地板上，深情地看著立在門邊魁梧的詩人。Robert Burns注意到了這個沈思的小男孩了嗎？

Walter Scott老覺得有個魔鬼，喜歡坐在他的羽毛筆上面。當他開始寫作時，魔鬼就會出現，操縱他的筆，掌控他的手，恣意地施展魔法，進行大作怪。

這個十五十六歲的小男孩，坐在地板上的Walter Scott，當時也有一本筆記和一支筆，不知道好奇的他，仰望著Robert Burns，眾星拱月般的神采的當下，他那個魔鬼，是不是已經開始蠢蠢欲動了？




（註：九月一日在愛丁堡的Writers’ Museum。看到Robert Burns展覽室，有一副有趣的畫，Robert Burns立在左邊，不過畫家顯然以比例和光線，強調他的主角地位。很好玩的是，右下角有個男孩，專情地看著他，男孩竟然就是Walter Scott啊！）


＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿


《 His person was strong and robust; his manners rustic, not clownish, a sort of dignified plainness and simplicity which received part of its effect perhaps from knowledge of his extraordinary talents. His features are presented in Mr Nasmyth's picture but to me it conveys the idea that they are diminished, as if seen in perspective. I think his countenance was more massive than it looks in any of the portraits ... there was a strong expression of shrewdness in all his lineaments; the eye alone, I think, indicated the poetical character and temperament. It was large, and of a dark cast, and literally glowed when he spoke with feeling or interest. I never saw such another eye in a human head, though I have seen the most distinguished men of my time. 》— Walter Scott