grounds of Dalhousie Castle and the Pentland Hills to the right. About two miles beyond Gorebridge Station (12 miles) are the ruins of Borthwick Castle on the right, and of Crichton Castle on the left. In the former Queen Mary resided three weeks after her marriage with Bothwell, and from this castle she fled in the guise of a page. Crichton Castle was the residence of the celebrated Chancellor Crichton, who was once guardian of James II. Passing several unimportant stations, we reach GALASHIELS (33 miles). Here a branch line connects the North British with the Caledo

We now reach MELROSE (374 miles), (Hotels: see " HOTEL APPENDIX"), pleasantly situated on the banks of the Tweed, at the foot of the Eildon Hills. It takes its name from the celebrated abbey which is in the town.

From the symmetry of its parts, the purity of its architecture, and the beauty of its material, Melrose Abbey appears to have been one of the most superb structures ever reared in Scotland. It was founded by David I. in 1136, was munificently endowed, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and conferred upon the monks of the Cistercian Order. The remains of this magnificent

edifice afford, unquestionably, the finest specimens of Gothic architecture and sculpture in Scotland. What is still in existence comprises the chief portions of the conventual church, measuring 251 ft. in length, and some fragments of the cloister, which would seem to have been a square 150 ft. deep. The tracery and carvings, cut in stone, of singular excellence, are scarcely surpassed by any in England. The tower, the highest accessible point of the remaining edifice, is 84 ft. high. The east window has been particularly admired, and is of unparalleled beauty and elegance. The south window lacks the elegance of the eastern. The height of the former is 57 ft., and the breadth 28 ft. The roof of the chancel, part of which remains, was supported by a cluster of pillars, the pedestals and capitals being elegantly ornamented with wreaths of flowers and foliage. Under the east window stood the high altar, beneath which Alexander II. was buried. A large marble slab is pointed out as the monarch's tomb. Here also, according to the best historians, was deposited the heart of the great king, Robert Bruce, after an unsuccessful attempt to carry it to the Holy Land. Many of the great family of Douglas were buried in this church; among them William Douglas, the Knight of Liddesdale, called The Flower of Chivalry, and William, the first Earl, and James, the second Earl of Douglas.

The abbey and the lands connected with it are the property of the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry, who has expended considerable sums of money in preventing it from falling into ruin. Fine views of the abbey may be obtained from the church. yard. ABBOTSFORD, the elegant

mansion of the late Sir Walter Scott, is three miles west of Melrose. The house and grounds were the creation of the immortal proprietor, and thousands of the trees were planted by his own hands. In his diary, Sir Walter says, "My heart clings to the place I have created; there is scarce a tree on it that does not owe its being to me." Before it became, in 1811, the property of Sir Walter, the site of the house and grounds of Abbotsford formed a small farm known as Cartley Hole. The new name was the invention of the poet, who loved thus to connect himself with the days when Melrose abbots passed over the fords of the Tweed. On this spot, a sloping bank overhanging the river, with the Selkirk hills behind, he built at first a small villa, now the western wing of the castle. Afterwards, as his fortune increased, he added the remaining portions of the building, on no uniform plan, but with a desire of combining in it some of the features (and even actual remains) of those ancient works of Scottish architecture which he most venerated. The result is that singularly picturesque and irregular pile, which has been aptly characterised as "a romance in stone and lime." The present proprietor is Mr. Hope Scott, who married the granddaughter of Sir Walter. A considerable addition has recently been made to the building. But the interior is far more interesting than the exterior. The porch, copied from that of the old palace at Linlithgow, is finely groined, and stags' horns are nailed up in it. The hall is filled with massive armour of all descriptions, and other memorials of ancient times. Passing through the hall we enter a narrow, arched room, extending quite across the building, filled

is furnished with ebony, curious cabinets, &c. The library, the largest apartment in the house, has a roof finely carved after models from Melrose and Roslin. It contains 20,000 volumes of rare and valuable books. Beyond the library is the study, or sanctum sanctorum, from which emanated those splendid efforts of genius that command the admiration of mankind. It contains a small writing-table, and an armchair covered with leather. A small gallery runs nearly round the room, opening upon a private

for showing the ruins is 1s. for a party not exceeding three; above three, 4d. each.

DRYBURGH ABBEY stands on a richly wooded peninsula, almost surrounded by the Tweed. Nothing remains of it except its walls, which are carefully preserved. It was founded by Hugh de Morville about 1150. It was burned by the English army under Edward II. in 1322, and repaired by Robert Bruce. The abbey is the burial-place of the family of Halyburton of Newmains, the ancient proprietors of Dryburgh, Sir

by the Waverley station we catch a glimpse of Holyrood on the right, and reach Portobello (3 miles), a favourite bathing-place.

(Here a branch line goes off to Musselburgh, 6 miles from the junction, also a fashionable bath. ing-place, possessing an extensive range of sands called Links, where horse-races and other sports are carried on. It contains a statue in memory of Dr. Moir, the poet. Here the Covenanters assembled in 1638 to meet the Marquis of Hamilton,whorepresented Charles I.; and here Cromwell encamped previous to his retreat to Dunbar, where he afterwards gained a decisive victory. Near Musselburgh is Pinkie House, the residence of Sir Archibald Hope, formerly a seat of the Abbot of Dunfermline.)

We next pass INVERESK (6) miles), near which is the battlefield of Pinkie, where the Scots were defeated by the English in 1547; Carberry Hill, where Queen Mary gave herself up to the rebels in 1567; and arrive at PRESTON PANS (10 miles), or Prieststown,

formerly in the possession of the monks of New battle, and deriving its name from the pans in which the priests used to manufacture salt. Here was fought, in 1745, the famous battle in which Prince Charles Edward defeated Sir John Cope. Near the station, on the right, are the remains of Bankton House, once the residence of Colonel Gardiner, who fell in that battle. On the left is Preston Tower, an ancient stronghold of the Earls of Home.

(There is a branch line, from Preston Pans, leading, on the right, to Tranent, a mining village. Here is an educational establishment called Stiel's Hospital, conducted on the same principle as Heriot's Hospital.)

We now reach Longniddry (134 miles), and see, on the right, Sea ton House, built on the site of the ancient royal palace, of which the ruins of the chapel are the sole remains, and on the left, near the Firth of Forth, Gosford House, the residence of the Earl of Wemyss.

(A branch goes to Haddington, 4 miles distant, once a town of great importance, founded by David I. The parish church is joined to the ruins of an old Franciscan abbey, called on account of its beauty, "The Light of Lothian," in which is the mausoleum of the Earls of Lauderdale. The neighbouring village of Abbey contains the remains of an abbey founded in 1178, where the Scottish Parliament assembled to ratify the contract of marriage between Queen Mary and the Dauphin of France. Gifford, the birthplace of John Knox is 4 miles distant towards the south-east.)

At Drem (17 miles) there is a branch of 5 miles to North Berwick, a pleasant watering-place, near which are the interesting ruins of Tantallon Castle.