SLIGHT NOTICES OF ROSLIN the spectator, may be comprehended in one glance of his eye. After the AND ITS SCENERY. 6 From my Journal, kept during His Ma-arrival of the stranger at Roslin, the jesty's residence at Edinburgh. first object to which his attention is I had long felt a desire to visit the generally directed is the chapel'. It classic grounds of Roslin, and a more would be quite impertinent to pretend to favourable opportunity than the pre-give here anything like a detailed account sent could not occur; for the lovely of this curious and antique edifice. Its solitude of its scenery offered charms construction, and sculptured ornaments, to me which I could well appreciate, can only be known by laborious intired with perambulating the crowded spection: it may be sufficient to say, streets of the metropolis. The sea- that it is allowed by those who are son was delightful; autumn dangled proper judges, to be excelled by no her yellow locks over the face of the Gothic structure in Europe as to the prospect, interspersing it with variety superiority of its architecture, the diof colouring and general softness of versity, beauty, execution, and singuappearance, making it an enticing picture larity of its sculptured designs in of beauty. The distance from the me- flower work, groups of figures, &c.; tropolis to Roslin is 7 miles; the road indeed, by a minute investigation has little to recommend it, but a few into this latter part of the chapel, villages, distinguished like many others, the exterior, but more especially in this country, only for irregularity and the interior of it, appears originally dirty appearance; however, the view, to have been covered with carved from near Libberton church, about 3 work, a considerable portion of which miles out, is worthy of a moment's at- is in a state of good preservation, tention. The view, from this spot, is in- though much, which doubtless would deed little inferior to that from Arthur's have been interesting, and would have Seat, (though impossible to be so ex-affoled scope for dissertation, is partensive,) affording a most commanding tially faced, or in a worse state, leavprospect of Leith roads; Craigmillarng us totally in the dark, or at least castle, one of the ancient residences of to hazard a guess from the roughQueen Mary; Arthur's Seat; a great featured stone. The chapel was foundpart of Edinburgh; and the Pentland ed in 1466 by Wm. St. Clair, prince hills, all of which, nearly encircling of Orkney, and duke of Oldenburgh, whose remains lie within it. Its height dernus, Compte de St. Clare, who within, from the floor to the top of came to England with William the the high arched roof, is 40 feet, 8 Conqueror, obtained, from Malcom inches-length 68 feet; and though Canmore, a grant of the lands and here and there a little delapidated, it barony of Roslin. The situation of is far from being in a ruinous state. the castle is at a very short distance One would have thought that such a from the chapel. It is apparently built piece of exquisitely hewn-out work-on a rock; the entrance is by a bridge manship would have insured universal of one arch, over a deep chasm; the respect; yet we find that, in 1688, it abutment of the arch, on one side, is did not escape the fury of a mob, (sup-formed from the rock upon which the of posed to be chiefly of Roslin's own castle is built. The present aspect tenants,) who demolished and defac- the castle, is that of a majestic ruin, ed certain parts of it, after having with part of the outer walls standing, plundered the castle of Roslin; whether so as to give us some idea of its oriin this wicked outrage they were mad-ginal form and extent. The interior dened by religious or political enthu- of it is filled with masses of stone and siasm, I cannot say. The situation rubbish, the memorials of its gradual of the chapel is truly romantic, enclosed decay. I entered a long, vaulted avenue, m woods of the richest and most va- the only entire specimen of this onceried tints of foilage, waving their shaggy towering fabric, in which are a number tops over its stable turrets, which cir- of dismal and horrifying cells, branchcumstance, it is probable, gave origin ing off at short distances from each to the old appellation of the Chapel other, on the left side. There, said amid the wood. The chapel was the guide, pointing to a cell, is ahauntbuilt for the private acccommodation ed one. In the sullen gloom of a of the family who inhabited the castle; subterraneous arch-way, encompassed and it is not unlikely that the founder, by walls glazed with chilling damps, from feelings of a pious nature, lavish- and where every tread rebounds hollow ed upon it all the profusion of art, that to the ear; at such information, notit might, in its own scale, correspond withstanding all our philosophy, we as nearly as possible with the magni- have a shudder to spare. It may be ficence of the surrounding scenery amid curious to the antiquary to know which it is situated. In this seques- something of the ancient grandeur of tered temple, aloof from the vanities of the castle, as it will afford data upon the world, the devout family, pouring which to judge of the splendour disout the humble offerings of their hearts played by Royalty in our own day. before the sacred altar, would form a holy and captivating group, over which Deity would linger with complacency. The day had so far advanced in its progress, as to favour me with a realization of the picture Frae the west, the sun near settin,' It is not certainly known when the Here,' says a historian, William St. Clare kept a great court, and was royally served at his own table in vessels of gold and silver; Lord Derleton being his master of the household, Lord Borthwick his cup-bearer, and Lord Fleming his carver, in whose absence they had deputies to attend, viz. Stewart, Laird of Drumlanrig, Tweedie, Laird of Dumferline, and Sandilands, Laird of Calder. He had his halls, and other apartments, richly the sun is fast sinking in the horizon, I must leave adorned with embroidered hangings. play of reciprocal love; for, there is, in He flourished in the reigns of James the garb with which nature has investI. and II. His princess, Elizabeth ed them, something so soft and inDouglas, was served by 75 gentlewo-spiring, as to render them appropriate men, whereof 53 were daughters of seclusions for giving vent to the delinoblemen, all clothed in velvet and cate sensibilities of the heart. But silk, with their chains of gold and other ornaments; and was attended by 200 riding gentlemen in all her journeys. If it happened to be dark when she went to Edinburgh, where her lodg; ings were at the foot of Blackfriars' Wynd, 80 lighted torches were carried before her. She was next in dig-may extend about 3 miles. It is quite nity to the Queen.' But alas, now how changed! These golden days are flown, and the splendid tapestried halls • Where steel-clad warriors won the hearts Of gentle dames The "Roslin's towers an' braes sae bonnie, walk from Roslin castle to Hawthornden, along the margin of the Esk, impossible for any pen to convey adequate ideas of the scenery which this walk comprehends; indeed there is no description or quality of it, (with the exception of the waterfall,) but and tripped it joyously, to music's comes under the notice of the stranger witchery, till daybreak, have fallen during his progress. The admirer of into ruins, or, perchance, if time has nature will find here, enough to graspared the remnant of a tottering wall, tify his taste, let it be ever so enlarged, 'tis that through its disjointed fabric-ever so epicurean. The Esk runs the gales of heaven may sigh the lul- a spiral course in a deep and wide ralaby of departed grandeur. This is, vine or glen, both sides of which are in truth, a fairy land for the lover of covered, to a prodigious height, with romance. Here the poet may fall trees of all sizes, and verdure of every asleep in the lap of nature, and dream- kind. We have numerous instances ing on the by-gone days, awake and of the beautiful and picturesque, in the string his lyre to a melody that will regular ascent of charming variegated touch the heart. The scenery at the woods, with the sound of purling castle is quite what we would wish to streamlets below,-of the romantic, in find about such a place. Where, in stunted trees forcing an existence the whole range of nature is any thing through the crevice, or sending their more characteristic than the aged ven- creeping branches over the faces of erable yew, that had it voice would the huge, unshapely ivy-clad rocks, tell us tales? In the depth below, studding with green and withered foilthe Esk flows placidly, embowered age their multifarious fantastic projecby the interweaving branches of the tions;-of the fearfully sublime, spreading trees lining its margin; or 'Rocks piled on rocks in horrid grandeur;' rustles among the brushwood; or Craigs rent and shattered, on whose drives an impetuous current, confined lofty tops overhang broken masses of between the rocky precipices; and the rock, seemingly supported on the from this, rise the chapel hill and castle critical balance of a hairs-breadth.— steep, gratifying us with the most en- There are no feelings in the human chanting survey conceivable. It is no soul that can resist being called up wonder that these banks have often among these, the awful and genuine been selected as a retreat for the dis- exhibitions of nature. Hawthorden is an old, respectable and very big for her size. You knows, mansion, seated on a rocky eminence, Mrs. Price, that with her figure and washed at the bottom by the Esk.- accumplishments she was quite berried The scenery here, in its general feature, in Wales, but I hopes when the counhas a great resemblance to that which try is scowered off she will shine as we have attempted to give an outline; bright as the best, and make a rare however, the view from Hawthornden havoc among the mail sex. She has must overlook a considerable tract of larned the pinaforte, and to draw, and beautiful and interesting country. The does flowers and shells, as Mr. Owen epithet given by the poet Mases' says, to a mirikle, for I spares no Hawthornden' is indeed, in every re- munny on her to make her fit for any spect, well applied; for a more poetical gentleman's wife, when he shall please spot cannot be imagined, as it embraces to ax her. I took her the other day every object favourable to cherish the Bullock's museum to see Mr. Martain's spirit of poesy. If ever the Muses are expedition of picters because she has to be invoked, it is in such an element such a pretty notion of painting heras this, where all is peace, and har-self, and a very nice site it was, thof mony, and purity, that we should ex-it cost half-a-crown. I tried to get pect them to be hovering. The Dryades never inhabited woods where the mellifluous notes of the feathered songsters sound more shrill. If Apollo cannot preside in this paradise, he can no where upon the earth. MR. MARTAIN'S PICTURES AND the children in for half-price but the man said that Becky was a full-grown lady and so she is sure enuff, so I could only beat him down to take a sixpence off little Humphry. The picters are hung in a parlar Night had now involved all creation up stairs (Becky calls it a drawingin gloom. The rattling of carriages room) and you see about a dozen for bespoke my near approach to the high- your munny, which brings it to about way, and broke in upon the abstraction a penny a piece and that is not dear, of the mind, which, for a time, had The first on the left hand as you go been lifeless to the commerce of the in, and on the right coming out is callworld. N. ed Revenge. It reperesents a man and woman with fire breaking out at their backs Becky thought it was the fire of London-but the show gentleman said it was Troy that was burned A Letter from Mrs. Winifred Lloyd, to out of revenge, so that was a very good her friend Mrs. Price, at the parsonage- thought to paint. Then there was in Monmouthshire. Bellshazzer's Feast as you read of it in My dear Mrs. Price,-This is to the Bible with Daniel interrupting the let you know that me and Becky and handwriting on the wall-with the little Humphry are safe arrived in Lon- cunning men, and the king, and all the don where we have been since Monday. nobility. Becky said she never saw My darter is quite inchanted with the such bewtiful painting, and sure enuff metropalus and longs to be intraduced they were the finest cullers I ever set to its satiety which please God she shall eyes on, blews, and pinks, and purples, be as soon as things are ready to make and greens, all as bright as fresh sattin her debutt in. It is high time now she and velvet, and no doubt they had should be brought into the world, be-court sutes all span new for the banket. ing twenty years old cum Midsummer As for Humphry there was no getting house at burnt into holes! Oh Mrs. Price what a Providence we was not born in Vesuvus, and there are no burning mountings in Wales !—Only think to be holding our sheelds over our heads to keep off the hot sinders, and almost suffercated to death with brimstun.It puts one in a shever to think of it. There is another picter of a burning mounting with Zadok hanging upon a rock-Becky knows the story and shall tell it you-but it looked him from a picter of the Welsh Bard, because he knew the Ballat about it and saw the whole core of Captain Edwards's sodgers coming down the hill with their waggin train and all, quite natural. To be sure their cullers were very bewtiful, but there was so many mountings piled atop of one another, and some going out of sight into heaven, that it made my neck ake to look after them. Next to that there was a storm in Babylon but not half so well painted, Becky said, nothing after the other, though the as the rest. There was none hardly of criketal gentlemen you knows of, said those smart, bright cullers, only a bunch it was a much better painting. But of flowers in a garden, that Becky said there is no saying for people's tastes would look bewtiful on a chaney tea- as Mr. Owen says, the world does not cup. Howsomever some gentlemen dine upon one dinner-but I have forlooked at it a long while and called it got one more and that is Macbeth and clever, and said that they prefeared the three Whiches, with such a rigihis architectre work to his painting, ment of Hilanders that I wonder how and he makes very handsome bildings they got into one picter. Becky says for sartain. They said too that this the band ought to be playing bagpipes Picter was quieter than all the rest, instead of kitile drums, but no doubt but how that can be God he knows Mr. Martin knows better than Becky, for I could not hear a pin's difference and I am sure, from what I have heard betwixt them and besides, that it in the North, that either kittles or was in better keeping which I suppose drums would sound better than bagmeans it is sold to a Lord-The next pipes. was only a lady very well dressed, a walking in a landskip, but oh Mrs. Price how shall I tell you about the burning of herculeum! Becky said it put her in mind of what is written in Revealations, about the sky being turn-remane ed to blood, and indeed it seemed to take all the culler out of her face when she looked at it. It looked as if all the world was going to be burnt to death with a shower of live coals! Oh dear! to see the poor things running about in sich an earthquack as threw the pillers off their legs! and all the men of war in distress, beating their bottoms, and going to rack and ruin in the arbour! It is a shocking site to see only in a picter, with so many people in silks, and sattins, and velvets, having their things so scorched and We are going to-morrow to the play and any other sites we may see you shall hear. Till then give my respective complements to Mr. Price with a kiss from Becky and Humphry, and Your faithful, humble sarvant, WINIFRED LLOYD. P. S. I forgot to say that after we had seen Mr. Martin's expedition, we went from the Bullock's to the Bonassus, as it is but a step from wan to the other. The man says it is a perfect picter, and so it is, for sartain, and ought to be painted. It is like a bull, only quite different, and cums from the Appellation Mountings. My Humphry thought it must have been catcht in a pond, and I wunder the child could |