Galt's 'The Provost' revisited

 

First edition - May 1822

I have just re-read my Blog on the book from last June and find I very much in agreement with it! The same two major themes strike you again as you read Provost Pawkie's account of his life and times in Gudetown. It is similar to Balwhidder's narrative, as it is in the first person and there is that same smugness, unconscious or not, attached to their reminiscences. There is more humour, this time both meant and unrecognised by Pawkie; there is more conscious, but always excused or explained, corruption; and there is the same sense of social and economic change happening in the town as there was in Balwhidder's parish (e.g. the gradual mixing of the country gentry among the town's folks). 

There some lovely character cameos throughout the book:

Andrew McLucre - a long spare man, and looting in his gate...was naturally a greedy bodie... Mr (later Rev) Pittle...in reality he was but a weak brother...moreover, he had a sorning way with him...for ever going from house to house about tea-time, to save his ain canister...he had aye the sough and sound of love in his mouth...a vain sort of bodie, and easy to be fleeched. His predecessor, Rev Dr Swapkirk had been long a heavy handful, having been for years but, as it were, a breathing lump of mortality, groosy and oozy and doozy, his faculties being shut up and locked in by a dumb palsy.

Bailie Weezle was a man no overladen with worldly wisdom, and had been chosen into the Council principally on account of being easily managed...an idle man, living on his money. Nabal Smeddum, a tobacconist by calling who...had been regarded but as a droll comical bodie at a coothy crack...in stature, of the lower order of mankind, but endowed with an inclination towards corpulency, by which he had acquired some show of a belly, and his face was round, and his cheeks both red and sleeky. Mr Dravel a genteel man he was, well read in matters of history, though somewhat overportioned with a conceit of himself (Pawkie calling a kettle black!). Mr Hirple a queer and quisitical man, of small stature of body, with an outshot breast...his temper was exceedingly brittle...he was apt to puff and fizz, and go off with a pluff of anger like a pioye. Mr Peevie was, in his person, a stumpy man...the method of his discourse and conversation was very precise, and his words were all set forth in a style of consequence, that took with many for a season, as the pith and marrow of solidity and sense. The bodie, however, was but a pompous trifle.

 

Pawkie outmanouevres them all, through a mixture of sycophancy and being oleagenious, guile and even deceit, but above all by thinking ahead. Nearly all his public spiritedness and plans have the element of self interest in them. I persisted in my resolution to have the causey renewed by contract...but, saving two three carts of stones to big a dyke round the new steading which I had bought a short time before at the town-end, I had no benefit whatever; and, on the Volunteers being formed, it would not do to set myself at the head of a body of soldiers, but that the consequence might be made up to me in the clothing of the men; when his windows are broken by a mob, he not only gets enough compensation from the Lords of the Treasury to replace them, but was able to build up a vacant steading; the same, which I settled last year on my dochter, Marion. Pawkie does admit that I myself partook, in a degree, at the beginning, of the caterpillar nature...to prey upon the leaves and flourishes of the commonwealth. However, he did not think it any shame to a public man, to serve his own interests by those of the community, when he can righteously do so.

Above all, it is Pawkie who dominates proceedings from morn to night. Several times he is just getting into bed when he has to see if he needs to take over: Mrs Pawkie was already in and as sound as a door-nail, and I was just crooking my mouth to blow out the candle, when I heard a rap. 

In the Introduction Pawkie's widow makes reference to the Annals of the Parish of Dailmailing, intimating, that she had a book in the hand-writing of her deceased husband...in her opinion, of far more consequence to the world  - and thus, The Provost emerged in the booksellers' emporiums! A happy result for this reader.