The Knickerbocker, Vol. 10, No. 1, July 1837Various
History
The Knickerbocker, Vol. 10, No. 1, July 1837
Various
Periodicals
THURSDAY MORNING, at six o'clock, I mounted a coach returning to
Perth, with a fine clear sky, and the warmest day I have experienced
in Britain. The road is along the banks of the Forth, and is very
quiet and pleasant, passing several splendid seats; among them
Kinfauns Castle, (Lord Gray,) in the bosom of the hills, fronting the
water. Near this, on the banks, are found fine onyxes, cornelians,
and agates. There is a handsome stone bridge over the Tay at Perth.
This is a lovely river, the current being very swift, and the water
deep, clear, and dark. After breakfast, I walked two miles along
the banks north to the palace of Scone, where the Scottish kings
were formerly crowned. I saw the celebrated _stone_ on which they
were crowned, in Westminster Abbey, whither it has been removed. The
present palace, is a modern and very splendid edifice, the finest I
have seen of the kind, situated in an extensive park or lawn sloping
to the banks of the river. It is occupied by the Earl of Mansfield,
grand-son of the famous Lord Mansfield. The apartments on the
ground-floor are very magnificent, particularly the drawing-room,
which I imagine is the _ne plus ultra_ of modern elegance, and a
fine specimen of a wealthy nobleman's apartment. The tables and
cabinets are inlaid with brass, the ceiling carved with great taste,
and the walls covered with superb silk furniture, furnished in the
richest manner. It is as large as four or five good sized parlors.
The library is of the same size. This, and some other rooms, contain
paintings by Lady Mansfield herself, which are vastly creditable to
her ladyship, and would be to a professed artist. The gallery is
one hundred and fifty feet long, and contains a large organ. In the
chambers, are bed-curtains, etc., wrought by Mary, Queen of Scots,
when at Loch Leven.
Rode in the afternoon to Dunkeld, fifteen miles. Near this town, we
enter the grand pass to the highlands, which here commence in all
their beauty and grandeur. On the road; we passed Birnam Wood, (which
it seems has not all 'moved to Dunsinane,') a mountain twelve miles
distant, and seen from the top of Birnam. Dunkeld is beautifully
situated, in a vale on the banks of the Tay, which is here even
fairer than at Perth, surrounded by lofty and picturesque mountains,
which closely overlook the town. The scenery here exceeds any thing I
have seen; yet this is but the mere gate to the highlands; and I may
as well reserve my enthusiasm.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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