third abbot, however, austere and harsh, took more pains to make himself feared than loved, aud did not scruple to indicate his unbelief in the stories circulated of the beatification of Waltheof, by shutting up the Chapter-house, and preventing the people from coming daily to perform their devotions at Waltheof's grave. Josceline, his successor, believed in Waltheof and his miracles; and put them to the test by the disinterment of the body, which was found undecayed after 12 years burial. The circumstance is rendered remarkable by the description given of the slab of polished marble employed to replace the stone covering of the tomb, which proves the grave over which it rests to be that of the Abbot Waltheof, and not of King Alexander. On the death of William, the ninth abbot, (1206), Brother Robert, who was a mason, having a desire to see how the holy Waltheof got on, raised the tomb-stone again, and smelling all sorts of fragrance, lighted a taper and looking in with six other monks, saw Waltheof still reposing uncorrupted, clad in fresh and beautiful garments. The eleventh abbot, Adam, was assaulted by the mob of Caithness, and burned alive in his house at Halkirk, (Thurso), for having in the heat of passion passed the dread sentence of excommunication on some persons who had not properly compounded for his tithes. Alexander II. hastened from Jedburgh to avenge this offence, confiscated the the lands of the earl of Caithness, and, it is alleged, punished the murderers with death, and mutilated their children— filiis eorum exsectis !-though the last is not believed of the humane Alexander II. Such are the reminiscences which Melrose, with its monastery is calculated to evoke.

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EXCURSION II.

MELROSE TO ABBOTSFORD.

THE Abbotsford tour from Edinburgh is now most conveniently performed, by the way of a railway circuit running from that city to Kelso; from Kelso to Berwickupon-Tweed, and from Berwick back to Edinburgh by the North British coast line. The route by the North British Railway's branch to Galashiels and Melrose having been already described in the previous Excursion, we now proceed with the tourist to

ABBOTSFORD.

When the family are at home, the days of admission for strangers are Wednesday and Friday, between 2 and 5 o'clock. In their absence, visitors are admitted every day except Sunday.

The abode of the mighty novelist and poet Sir Walter Scott, is situated near the road leading to Selkirk, two miles west from Melrose, passing through the village of Darnick, where the bold Walter Scott of Buccleuch fell in 1526, in the hazardous attempt to free his youthful sovereign James V. from the hands of the Homes and Douglases. The place of conflict is still called Skinner's Field—a corruption of Skirmish Field. The antique tower of Darnick was erected in the 15th century. Beyond Darnick we reach Melrose Bridge. Opposite is Lord Somerville's beautiful seat the Pavilion. The village of Bridgend, already alluded to in reference to Father Philip, the sacristan's adventure, is here situated, opposite the former site of David the First's Bridge across the Tweed—a primitive contri

vance, consisting of four stone piers, on which planks could be laid at the pleasure of the toll-keeper, who resided in a room over the gateway of the centre pillar. From the point where the Allan or Elwand Water falls into the Tweed on the opposite shore, a path ascends the former stream to the Chapel of Soutra-an ancient sanctuary. On the banks of the Allan are Hillstop and Colmslie Towers, the former identified with Glendearg in the Monastery.

We now reach the fine plantations on the Abbotsford estate, and proceed towards the mansion by the gate upon the right, leading through a short avenue to the house, which stands upon a bank intermediate betwixt the Tweed and the public road. The site of Abbotsford is eminently beautiful. The Gala Water falls into the Tweed immediately below it. Itself environed with woods, amidst which, early in the season, the gay blossoms of the lilac and laburnum glow in beauty-it overlooks the fine sweep of the river, and a beautiful meadow on the opposite bank, which almost seems as if contrived to form part of the domain. Nothing is more apt to give a full conception of the extent to which the merit of creating Abbotsford belonged to Sir Walter Scott, than the fact that its site was formerly occupied by a small farm-steading, rejoicing in the designation of Cartley-hole. Thus the heart of the romancer clung, as he said, to the place he had created, for there was not a tree that did not owe its being to him. He had commenced Abbotsford before the evil days of his destiny had set in, and at Abbotsford all the finest of his novels were written.

The Abbotsford property principally extends southwards, including within its bounds Cauldshields Loch, a sheet of water, whence emanates a rivulet running through the Rhymer's Glen, the traditionary rendezvous of True

Thomas of Ercildoune with his elfin love the Fairy Queen. For miles along the banks of Tweed, gigantic forest trees fling their shadows over its white and silvery surface and bright bordering sward; and the woods are penetrated in all directions by winding walks planned by Sir Walter Scott himself, and once pruned and tended by his own hand. At all the points affording views on which the visitor would delight to linger, especially near the cascades in the dells, rustic seats and benches invite to rest and quiet enjoyment of the romance and beauty of nature.

The house is approached by a lofty gateway, leading to an open space of about half an acre in extent. At the gateway the visitor will observe the jougs, implements of torture or restraint (the converse of the stocks), formerly employed by the Douglasses at Thrieve Castle, their ancient seat in Galloway. The house front is now visible, extending nearly 160 feet in length, and bounded on the south by a turreted wall, overhung by the thick woods that present so fine an aspect from the bank beyond. Opposite the gateway, in a stone screen with open Gothic arches, a handsome iron fretwork affords a glimpse of the adjoining garden. Sculptured stones from all parts of the country are inserted in the building, as if immethodically. The lintel of the door of the old Tolbooth of Edinburgh, "the Heart of Mid-Lothian," may be noticed about half-way up the wall, with the inscription—

THE LORD OF ARMIES IS MY PROTECTOR;

BLESSIT AR THAY THAT TRUST IN THE LORD. 1575.

The Tolbooth having been demolished in 1817, the stones of the portal were given to Sir Walter Scott, and are now rebuilt as a door-way at the west end of the house. Above the library window, the lintel of the entrance door of the old Common Hall of Edinburgh University bears the words

"VIRTUS RECOREM DUCEMQUE DESIDERAT:

VITIA SINE MAGISTRO DISCUNTUR."

Seneca.

Around the back of the house, and along the wall of the garden, extends a cast-iron balcony; and in front of the western part of the house stands a beautiful stone fountain, which has often flowed with wine on occasions of rejoicing, when in its original place beside the Cross of Edinburgh. A stone on the east side of the mansion is from the burgh of Selkirk, and bears the words

"Up with ye Sutors of Selkyrke,"

along with a rudely sculptured sword. Near it is one of those pious inscriptions so frequently placed on the private dwellings of the times of the Reformation

"By night by day remember ay,

The goodness of ye Lord,

And thank his name whose glorious fame
Is spread throughout ye world."

A.C. M.D. 1616.

The entire composition of the edifice, in short, is made up of quaint and curious fragments of the antique, with modern imitations, woven into an indescribably picturesque assemblage of masonry. The fantastic groups of its chimneys, gablets, projecting windows, turrets and balconies, are combined in the true revelry of Gothic exuberance, which it would be impossible to reduce to order, method, or consecutiveness. The general effect is at once pleasing and surprising. Almost every celebrated antiquarian building throughout the country has contributed something to Abbotsford. Even the Palaces of Holyrood, Dunfermline and Linlithgow-and the churches of Melrose and Roslinwhich might be supposed exempt from all kinds of spoliation, have furnished their share.

The projecting porch by which Abbotsford house is entered is copied from the gateway of Linlithgow Palace.