THE PIONEER HOMESTEAD, AND THE READING MATERIAL AT HEARTH-SIDE
PHANTOMS, HOBGOBLINS, BANCHEES, AND THE FAIRY-KIND
"FROM BREAKFAST ON THROUGH ALL THE DAY; AT HOME AMONG MY FRIENDS I STAY; BUT EVERY NIGHT I GO ABROAD; AFAR INTO THE LAND OF NOD."
"ALL BY MYSELF I HAVE TO GO; WITH NONE TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO; ALL ALONE BESIDE THE STREAMS; AND UP THE MOUNTAIN-SIDES OF DREAMS."
THE POEM ABOVE WAS WRITTEN BY ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON, ENTITLED "A CHILD'S GARDEN OF VERSE." OF HIM, IT IS WRITTEN, "IT WAS PERHAPS, ONE OF THE IRONIES OF FATE THAT THIS CHILD OF PERPLEXING AND FREAKISH NATURE, SHOULD COME TO THOMAS STEVENSON, STRENUOUS CALVINIST AND STRONG LIGHTHOUSE BUILDER, AND TO HIS WIFE MARGARET BALFOUR, DAUGHTER OF A SCOTTISH MANSE. IN DAYS OF SUPERSTITION, ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON WOULD HAVE BEEN CALLED A 'CHANGELING,' A FAIRY-CHILD SURREPTITIOUSLY PLACED IN THE CRADLE OF THE RIGHTFUL OCCUPANT WHO HAD BEEN STOLEN BY THE ELVES DURING THE ABSENCE OF HIS NURSE." STEVENSON, STILL A YOUNG CHILD, ONCE SAID TO HIS MOTHER, "MOTHER, I HAVE DRAWD A MAN. SHALL I DRAW HIS SOUL NOW,' SAID HE, EVEN THEN BEGINNING THAT PILGRIMAGE INTO THE UNKNOWABLE WHICH HELD SUCH ATTRACTIONS FOR HIS QUESTING SPIRIT, AND WHICH IS WHIMSICALLY EXPRESSED IN HIS POEM OF "THE SPAEWIFE'." THE SMALL MEMORIAL BOOK, TO MR. STEVENSON, WAS FOUND IN COMPANY WITH WASHINGTON IRVING, IN A LIBRARY OF BOOKS PURCHASED FROM THE EWING FARMSTEAD, IN MONCK TOWNSHIP, IN THE DISTRICT OF MUSKOKA. STEVENSON'S IMAGINATION WANDERED LIKE IRVING'S, TO SEEK OUT THE FANTASTIC IN LIFE AND BEYOND.
A FEW MORE CURIOUS TIDBITS FROM THE STORY OF "THE STORM SHIP," BY WASHINGTON IRVING
"ON THEIR ARRIVAL AT ALBANY, THE SIGT OF DOLPH'S COMPANION SEEMED TO CAUSE UNIVERSAL SATISFACTION. MANY WERE THE GREETINGS AT THE RIVER-SIDE, AND THE SALUTATIONS IN THE STREETS; THE DOGS BOUNDED BEFORE HIM; THE BOYS WHOOPED AS HE PASSED; EVERY BODY SEEMED TO KNOW ANTONY VANDER HAYDEN. DOLPH FOLLOWED ON IN SILENCE, ADMIRING THE NEATNESS OF THIS WORTHY BURG; FOR IN THOS DAYS ALBANY WAS IN ALL ITS GLORY, AND INHABITED BY THE RESTLESS PEOPLE OF NEW ENGLAND. EVERY THING WAS QUIET AND ORDERLY; EVERY THING WAS CONDUCTED CALMLY AND LEISURELY; NO HURRY, NO BUSTLE, NO STRUGGLING AND SCRAMBLING FOR EXISTENCE. THE GRASS GREW ABOUT THE UNPAVED STREETS, AND RELIEVED THE EYE BY ITS REFRESHING VERDURE. TALL SYCAMORES OR PENDENT WILLOWS SHADED THE HOUSES, WITH CATERPILLARS SWINGING, IN LONG SILKEN STRINGS, FROM THEIR BRANCHES, OR MOTHS, FLUTTERING ABOUT LIKE COXCOMBS, IN JOY AT THEIR GAY TRANSFORMATION," WROTE IRVING.
WHEN SETTLED IN HIS COMFORTABLE HOME QUARTERS, HE SETTLED DOWN AFTER A PERIOD OF SOCIAL INTERCOURSE, AS SAID, "THIS IS A FINE CONCLUSION, TRULY, OF MY VOYAGE," AS HE "ALMOST BURIED HIMSELF IN A SUMPTUOUS FEATHER-BED, AND DREW THE FRESH WHITE SHEETS UP TO HIS CHIN. 'HERE AM I, INSTEAD OF FINDING A BAG OF MONEY TO CARRY HOME, LAUNCHED IN A STRANGE PLACE, WITH SCARCELY A STIVER IN MY POCKET; AND WHAT IS WORSE, HAVE JUMPED ASHORE UP TO MY VERY EARSS IN LOVE INTO THE BARGAIN. 'HOWEVER,' ADDED HE, AFTER SOME PAUSE, STRETCHING HIMSELF, AND TURNING HIMSELF IN BED, 'I'M IN GOOD QUARTERS FOR THE PRESENT, AT LEAST, SO I'LL E'EN ENJOY THE PRESENT MOMENT, AND LET THE NEXT TAKE CARE OF ITSELF. I DARE SAY ALL WILL WORK OUT, SOME HOW OR OTHER, FOR THE BEST'."
"AS HE SAID THESE WORDS, HE REACHED OUT HIS HAND TO EXTINGUISH THE CANDLE, WHEN HE WAS SUDDENLY STRUCK WITH ASTONISHMENT AND DISMAY, FOR HE THOUGHT HE BEHELD THE PHANTOM OF THE HAUNTED HOUSE, STARING ON HIM FROM A DUSKY PART OF THE CHAMBER. A SECOND LOOK REASSURED HIM, AS HE PERCEIVED THAT WHAT HE HAD TAKEN FOR THE SPECTRE WAS, IN FACT, NOTHING BUT A FLEMISH PORTRAIT, THAT HUNG IN A SHADOWY CORNER, JUST BEHIND A CLOTHES PRESS. IT WAS HOWEVER, THE PRECISE REPRESENTATION OF HIS NIGHTLY VISITOR. THE SAME CLOAK AND BELTED JERKIN, THE SAME GRIZZLED BEARD AND FIXED EYE, THE SAME BROAD SLOUCHED HAT, WITH A FEATHER HANGING OVER ONE SIDE. DOLPH NOW CALLED TO MIND THE RESEMBLANCE HE HAD FREQUENTLY REMARKED BETWEEN HIS HOST AND THE OLD MAN OF THE HAUNTED HOUSE; AND WAS FULLY CONVINCED THAT THEY WERE SOME WAY CONNECTED, AND THAT SOME ESPECIAL DESTINY HAD GOVERNED HIS VOYAGE. HE LAY GAZING ON THE PORTRAIT WITH ALMOST AS MUCH AWE AS HE HAD GAZED ON THE GHOSTLY ORIGINAL, UNTIL THE SHRILL HOUSE CLOCK WARNED HIM OF THE LATENESS OF THE HOUR," WROTE WASHINGTON IRVING, IN THIS TALE OF THE HAUNTED HUDSON RIVER VALLEY.
"HE PUT OUT THE LIGHT, MIGHT REMAINED FOR A LONG TIME TURNING OVER THOSE CURIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES AND COINCIDENCES IN HIS MIND, UNTIL HE FELL ASLEEP. HIS DREAMS PARTOOK THE NATURE OF HIS WAKING THOUGHTS. HE FANCIED THAT HE STILL LAY GAZING AT THE PICTURE, UNTIL, BY DEGREES, IT BECAME ANIMATED, THAT THE FIGURE DESCENDED FROM THE WALL, AND WALKED OUT OF THE ROOM; THAT HE FOLLOWED IT, AND FOUND HIMSELF BY THE WELL, TO WHICH THE MAN POINTED, SMILED ON HIM AND DISAPPEARED. IN THE MORNING, WHEN DOLPH WAKED, HE FOUND HIS HOST STANDING BY HIS BED-SIDE, WHO GAVE HIM A HEARTY MORNING'S SALUTATION, AND ASKED HIM HOW HE HAD SLEPT. DOLPH ANSWERED CHEERILY; BUT TOOK OCCASION TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE PORTRAIT THAT HUNG AGAINST THE WALL. 'AH,' SAID HEER ANTONY, 'THAT'S A PORTRAIT OF OLD KILLIAN VANDER SPIEGEL, ONCE A BURGOMASTER OF AMSTERDAM, WHO, ON SOME POPULAR TROUBLES, ABANDONED HOLLAND, AND CAME OVER TO THE PROVINCE DURING THE GOVERNMENT OF PETER STUYVESANT. HE WAS MY ANCESTOR BY THE MOTHER'S SIDE, AN OLD MISERLY CURMUDGEON, HE WAS. WHEN THE ENGLISH TOOK POSSESSION OF NEW AMSTERDAM, IN 1664, HE RETIRED INTO THE COUNTRY. HE FELL INTO A MELANCHOLY, APPREHENDING THAT HIS WEALTH WOULD BE TAKEN FROM HIM, AND THAT HE WOULD COME TO BEGGARY. HE TURNED ALL HIS PROPERTY INTO CASH, AND USED TO HIDE IT AWAY. HE WAS FOR A YEAR OR TWO CONCEALED IN VARIOUS PLACES, FANCYING HIMSELF SOUGHT AFTER BY THE ENGLISH, TO STRIP HIM OF HIS WEALTH; AND FINALLY WAS FOUND DEAD IN HIS BED ONE MORNING, WITHOUT ANY ONE BEING ABLE TO DISCOVER WHERE HE HAD CONCEALED THE GREATER PART OF HIS MONEY.'
IRVING WRITES, "WHEN HIS HOST HAD LEFT THE ROOM, DOLPH REMAINED FOR SOME TIME LOST IN THOUGHT. HIS WHOLE MIND WAS OCCUPIED BY WHAT HE HAD HEARD. VANDER SPIEGEL WAS HIS MOTHER'S FAMILY NAME, AND HE RECOLLECTED TO HAVE HEARD HER SPEAK OF THIS VERY KILLAN VANDER SIEGEL, AS ONE OF HER ANCESTORS. HE HAD HEARD HER SAY TOO, THAT HER FATHER WAS KILLAN'S RIGHTFUL HEIR, ONLY THAT THE OLD MAN DIED WITHOUT LEAVING ANYTHING TO BE INHERITED. IT NOW APPEARED HEER ANTONY WAS LIKEWISE A DESCENDENT, AND PERHAPS AN HEIR ALSO, OF THIS POOR RICH MAN; AND THAT THIS THE HEYLIGERS AND VANDER HEYDENS WERE REMOTELY CONNECTED. 'WHAT' THOUGHT HE, 'IF, AFTER ALL, THIS IS THE INTERPRETATION OF MY DREAM, THAT THIS IS THE WAY I AM TO MAKE MY FORTUNE BY THIS VOYAGE TO ALBANY, AND THAT I AM TO FIND THE OLD MAN'S HIDDEN WEALTH IN THE BOTTOM OF THAT WELLZ? BUT WHAT AN ODD ROUND-ABOUT MODE OF COMMUNICATING THE MATTER. WHY THE PLAGUE COULD NOT THE OLD GOBLIN HAVE TOLD ME ABOUT THE WELL AT ONCE, WITHOUT SENDING ME ALL THE WAY TO ALBANY, TO HEAR A STORY THAT WAS TO SEND ME ALL THE WAY BACK AGAIN.'
"NO SOONER DID THIS IDEA ENTER HIS HEAD, THAN IT CARRIED CONVICTION WITH IT. HE WAS NOW ALL IMPATIENCE TO HURRY BACK AND SECURE THE TREASURE, WHICH HE DID NOT DOUBT, LAY AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WELL, AND WHICH HE FEARED EVERY MOMENT MIGHT BE DISCOVERED BY SOME OTHER PERSON. 'WHO KNOWS,' THOUGHT HE, 'BUT THIS NIGHT-WALKING OLD FELLOW OF THE HAUNTED HOUSE MAY BE IN THE HABIT OF HAUNTING EVERY VISITOR, AND MAY GIVE A HINT TO SOME SHREWDER FELLOW THAN MYSELF, WHO WILL TAKE A SHORTER CUT TO THE WELL THAN BY THE WAY OF ALBANY?' HE WISHED A THOUSAND TIMES THAT THE BABBLING OLD GHOST WAS LAID IN THE RED SEA, AND HIS RAMBLING PORTRAIT WITH HIM. HE WAS IN A PERFECT FEVER TO DEPART. TWO OR THREE DAYS ELAPSED BEFORE ANY OPPORTUNITY PRESENTED FOR RETURNING DOWN THE RIVER. THEY WERE AGES TO DOLPH, NOTWITHSTANDING THAT HE WAS BASKING IN THE SMILES OF THE PRETTY MARIE, AND DAILY GETTING MORE AND MORE ENAMOURED.
"AT LENGTH, THE VERY SLOOP FROM WHICH HE HAD BEEN KNOCKED OVERBOARD, PREPARED TO MAKE SAIL. DOLPH MADE AN AWKWARD APOLOGY TO HIS HOST FOR HIS SUDDEN DEPARTURE. ANTONY VANDER HEYDEN WAS SORELY ASTONISHED. HE HAD CONCERTED HALF A DOZEN EXCURSIONS INTO THE WILDERNESS, AND HIS INDIANS WERE ACTUALLY PREPARING FOR A GRAND EXPEDITION TO ONE OF THE LAKES. HE TOOK DOLPH ASIDE, AND EXERTED HIS ELOQUENCE TO GET HIM TO ABANDON ALL THOUGHTS OF BUSINESS AND TO REMAIN WITH HIM, BUT IN VAIN; AND HE AT LENGTH GAVE UP THE ATTEMPT, OBSERVING, 'THAT IT WAS A THOUSAND PITIES SO FINE A YOUNG MAN SHOULD THROW HIMSELF AWAY.' HEER ANTONY, HOWEVER, GAME HIM A HEARTY SHAKE BY THE HAND AT PARTING WITH A FAVOURITE FOWLING PIECES, AND AN INVITATION TO COME TO HIS HOUSE WHENEVER HE REVISITED ALBANY. THE PRETTY LITTLE MARIE SAID NOTHING, BUT AS HE GAVE HER A FAREWELL KISS, HER DIMPLED CHEEK TURNED PALE, AND A TEAR STOOD IN HER EYE."
AYE LADDIE, ALL BECAUSE OF A MANIFESTATION OF A GHOST……A DREAMLAND VISITATION FROM A LONG LOST ANCESTOR, AND THE IMAGE OF "THE GOBLIN," IN PORTRAIT, "A WELL," AND THE POTENTIAL OF A GREAT SUM OF MONEY, HIDDEN DOWN BELOW. STORM SHIP, PHANTOM CREW, AND SPIRITED KIN IN A HAUNTED HOUSE. AND THIS WAS READ, AND BY ITS CONDITION, RE-READ MANY TIMES, IN THAT MUSKOKA HOMESTEAD OF ONCE. AS IT WAS WITH ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON, THERE WAS SOMETHING MARVELLOUS IN THE EXERCISE AND STIMULATION OF THE IMAGINATION, TO INVESTIGATE LIFE'S AMAZING NETWORK OF PORTALS, AND CATACOMBS OF MINDFUL, FREE SPIRITED ADVENTURE. IRVING SPUN AN INTRICATE TALE INVOLVING MANY DIFFERENT PHANTOMS AND SPIRITS INTERACTING, UPON MERE MORTALS, AND IT IS WHAT WAS BEING CONSUMED BY THE READERS OF THE DAY, IN THE HOMESTEAD PERIOD THROUGHOUT MUSKOKA'S PIONEERING NEIGHBORHOOD. HOW MUCH OF STEVENSON'S WRITING, AND IRVING'S PASSION FOR "THE ENCHANTED,' MAYBE EVEN SOME CHARLES DICKENS, LODGED IN THE PSYCHES OF THOSE WHO READ THESE TALES? HOW WERE YOUNG READERS, AT THIS TIME, INFLUENCED BY THESE FANCIFUL STORIES, LIVING IN ONE OF THE MOST VISUALLY ENCHANTING, LONELY, ISOLATED REGIONS ON EARTH? AS SOME WRITERS ARGUE, MUSKOKA HAS ALWAYS BEEN A VERY HAUNTED, SPIRITUAL PLACE; A HAVEN FOR THOSE WITH A DESIRE TO UNFETTER THEIR IMAGINATION. THESE STORIES, AND MANY OTHERS, DEALING WITH LEGEND AND TRADITION, FOLKLORE, GHOSTS AND PARANORMAL ACTIVITIES, WERE SPARKS FOR THE IMAGINATION…..AND ONE CAN SPECULATE, THAT THESE YOUNGSTERS MAY HAVE FELT THE SHARP POINTS OF THESE SUBTLE MYSTERIES, WHEN WANDERING FAR ALONG THE WOODLAND TRAILS, OR PASSING BY, ON FOOT, THOSE NEW CEMETERIES DOTTING THE COUNTRYSIDE…..WONDERING IF THE SOULS OF THE RECENTLY DEPARTED, WAFTED IN THE EVENING SOLITUDE, LIKE DOLPH'S KIN, TO SHOW THE LIVING THE ROAD BEST TO TRAVEL?
WE WILL CONCLUDE IRVING'S "THE STORM SHIP," IN TOMORROW'S BLOG. THANKS SO MUCH FOR VISITING. IT IS GETTING CHILLY IN MY OFFICE TONIGHT, FEELING AS IF A GHOST HAS JUST NOW SETTLED DOWN BESIDE ME, TO, I SUPPOSE, READ OVER MY SHOULDER. I AM NOT BOTHERED BY THIS, UNLESS OF COURSE, HE OR SHE HAS SOME EDITING SUGGESTIONS……OF WHICH WILL RELEASE MY INNER BEAST. A CRACKLING FIRE IN THE HEARTH, WILL UNDOUBTEDLY DESPATCH THIS VISITOR TONIGHT, TO GO BACK INTO THE LITERATURE HE HAS UNDOUBTEDLY TAKEN LEAVE, TEMPORARILY.
"OUT THE SUNNY FRONTAGE OF A HILL; HARD BY THE HOUSE OF KINGS REPOSE THE DEAD; MY DEAD, THE READY AND THE STRONG OF WORD." R.L.S.
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