Pluscarden Priory was the last, and to himself not the least interesting, of the many ancient and historic buildings to the maintenance of which Bute was in a position to apply his profound archæological knowledge as well as the architectural skill and taste which made him, as it was expressed by one well qualified to pronounce an opinion, "the best unprofessional architect of his generation." It will be appropriate in this place to give a brief _conspectus_ of the principal building operations which he undertook in the course of the thirty-two years between his coming of age and his too early death. The restoration and partial rebuilding of Cardiff Castle was the earliest work of the kind undertaken by Bute. The lofty tower conspicuous on the southwest of the castle enclosure, the restoration of the great southern curtain wall, with its covered way, and the erection of the noble staircase were among the most important of his building operations at Cardiff, which included also the discovery and partial restoration of the old Roman walls and gateway, the re-excavation of the moat, and the clearing and re-marking the sites of the mediæval friaries of the Dominicans and Franciscans. Most of the work at Cardiff was carried out under the direction of the distinguished architect William Burges, who was responsible for the whole of the fanciful and elaborate interior decoration both of the castle and of Castell Coch, the thirteenth-century fortress some five miles north of Cardiff. This castle, which was in a completely ruined condition, was restored by Bute, under Burges's direction, to its original state; and experts in such works have pronounced it one of the most perfect restorations ever carried out. Two anecdotes of Burges, whose personality and {218} genius were both somewhat of the eccentric order, may be here related on the authority of a distinguished and venerable member of his own profession, who knew him well. Bute invited him to come and see his new house at Mountstuart, then nearly complete, and took him into the great drawing-room, where he called his attention to the ceiling with its lining of panelled mirrors, on which were painted clusters of grapes and vine-leaves. Burges looked up, shrugged his shoulders, muttered "I call that damnable," and walked on.