Scenes in Scotland; with sketches and illustrations historical, biographical, and literary

Front matter

SCENES IN SCOTLAND; $ . -// j />j% . SKETCHES AND ILLUSTRATIONS, HISTORICAL, BIOGRAPHICAL, AND LITERARY. BY JAMES HARRIS BROWN. EMBELLISHED WITH FIFTY ENGRAVINGS GLASGOW: PRINTED FOR RICHARD GRIFFIN & CO. ; T. T. & J. TEGG, LONDON; J. STILLIE, EDINBURGH; AND SAMUEL ARCHER, BELFAST. MDCCCXXXIII. It. MALCOLM, TRINTER, BRUNSWICK STREET, GLASGOW. LIST OF ENGRAVINGS. No. Portraits, ..... To face Title. 1. Edinburgh Castle, ...... Page 3 2. Holyrood Palace, ib. 3. Roslin Castle, ib. 4. Hawthornden, ....... 15 5. Craigmillar Castle, ...... ib. 6. Craigcrook Castle, ib. 7. Dunbar Castle, 31 8. Lincluden College, ...... ib. 9. Abbotsford, ib. 10. Dumfries, 65 11. Melrose Abbey ib. 12. Dryburgh Abbey, : ib. 13. Ayr, 76 14. Turnberry Castle, ib. 15. Largs, ........ ib. 16. Rothesay Castle, 114 17. Inverary Castle, ...... ib. 18.

Dunstaffhage Castle, ib. 19. Glasgow, 134 20. The Cathedral of Glasgow, .... ib. 21. Cathcart Castle, ib. 22. Hamilton Palace, 162 23. Bothwell Castle, ib. 24. Fall of Stonebyres, ib. 25. Abbey of Paisley, 166 26. Cruickston Castle, ...... ib. 27. Greenock, ib. 28. Dumbarton Castle, 190 29. View on Clyde, ib. 30. Locblomond, ....... ib- 31. Stirling Castle, LIST OF ENGRAVINGS. No. Pa8e 32. Linlithgow Palace, ...... '9* 33. Lochleven Castle ib- 34. The Cathedral of St Andrew's 200 35. Dunfermline and Abbey, . "■"•. 36. Castle Campbell, ib- 37. Aberbrothock Abbey, 207 38. Dunottar Castle, ib. 39. Perth, ib. 40. Loch Katrine, ........ 205 41. Pass of Killiecrankie, ..... ib. 42. Dunkeld, ib- 43. Aberdeen, . 212 44. Inverness, ........ ib. 45. Elgin Cathedral, : ib. 46. Darnaway Castle, 219 47.

Findlater Castle, ib. 48. Calder Castle ib. CONTENTS. Page Preface ix Introduction, . • xi Edinburghshite, or Midlothian — City of Edinburgh, . 1 Edinburgh Castle — Topographical description of — Twice retaken from the English by stratagem, ... 3 Palace of Holyrood — Residence of the Bourbons when exiled in 1795 and 1830 — Description of the building, . 7 Roslin Castle — Opulence of the St. Clares, its original owners, 10 Battle of Roslin — The Scots thrice victorious over the English in one day, ....... 12 Chapel of Roslin — Anecdote of its architect — Its remarkable Monuments and Burial Place, .... 13 Hawthornden — Residence of Drummond the Poet — Curious Caves under the building, ..... 15 Craigmillar Castle — Residence of Queen Mary in 1561, . 16 Craigcrook Castle — Residence of Mr Jeffrey, Editor of the Edinburgh Review, and subsequently Lord Advocate of Scotland — An American Gentleman's Visit to Craigcrook — Mr Jeffrey and his Domestic Establishment described, 18 Eminent Men of Midlothian — Scheme of the famous projector, John Law, to establish a National Bank in Scotland, 28 East Lothian, or Haddingtonshire, . . ... 30 Dunbar Castle — Anecdote of the Countess of March, commonly called Black Agnes, ..... 31 Eminent Men of East Lothian, 33 Selkirkshire, 33 Abbotsford, 34 Sir Walter Scott— Sketch of his Literary Life, . . 36 Roxburghshire, ........ 60 Melrose Abbey — Poetical Description by Sir Walter Scott, CONTENTS.

Preface

. The cbief object of this Manual of Scottish Topographical Beauties, is to give in a condensed and popular form, the better portion of what is usually contained in works of a more expensive and less portable kind. These, it is well known, are for the most part either so highly decorative, or so exclusively antiquarian, as to be adapted for almost no other class but the rich and the learned. And, accordingly, it is justly complained that publications descriptive of Scottish Scenery are too often little better than "Books sealed." A familiar work, suited to ordinary readers, is, therefore, in this department of our domestic literature, as yet a desideratum. It is with a view, in some measure, to supply so obvious a want that the present volume has been prepared, and is now presented to the public.

In the original plan of " Scenes in Scotland," it was in tended that the letter-press details should be wholly confined to a description of the subjects represented in the engraved designs. This, however, must necessarily have limited its interest, and perhaps, also, have rendered it like many other pictorial topographical productions, a Book merely to the eye. An admixture of Biographical and Miscellaneous matter, suggested as a remedy, was therefore adopted ; and although, in thus giving a novel and somewhat incon gruous feature to the work, various difficulties occurred, it will be seen by a slight glance at the Table of Contents, that these have in a great measure been successfully over come. In the selection and arrangement of materials for the volume, it will be seen that pains have been taken to combine as much novelty and variety of information as could possibly be compressed in so small a compass ; to convey that informpreface.

X ation in a distinct, intelligible style, so as to be acceptable to almost any class of readers ; and to present at the same time such faithful as well as pleasing representations, both of the scenes and characters described, as may leave a lasting and agreeable impression. It will perhaps be objected by some that the Biographical matter occupies too large a space in comparison with the descriptive local details. But in this respect, the principal object has been to place within the reach of the young and rising age a work which, while it makes them acquainted with all the more prominent topographical beauties and picturesque features of their country, shall at the same time excite their emulation in the career of patriotism and honour, by holding up as examples those eminent men who have already so much contributed to adorn it.

As every district of Scotlaud abounds with picturesque scenery, it may well be supposed that some difficulty occurred in selecting subjects for the engraver. If but two scenes had been chosen from each county, the number would have greatly exceeded the limits prescribed by the design of the work. There was no other alternative, there fore, but to make choice of such subjects only as were best fitted for illustration, and at the same time most easily adapted to the style and size of the engravings. It will be found, however, that except in so far as confined by a proper attention to these two objects, sufficient discrimination has been exercised in the task of selection ; and that although many fine subjects have been necessarily omitted, yet in point of fact the volume presents all the more prominent and remarkable scenic beauties of the land.

On the whole, it is hoped that " Scenes in Scotland" will be found to possess attractions equal, if not superior, to some other works of greater pretension — that as it aims only at being generally useful, it will on that account be the more generally acceptable — and that, since the varied mixture of subjects which it presents must create a livelier interest, than if it had been more limited in its design and less excursive in its range, a permanent guarantee may thence be derived for general public approbation.