BARSKIMMING, ON THE AYR. AMONG the scenes on the allegorical mantle of Coila, in "the Vision," the poet introduces one thus delineated: Barskimming, and its proprietor, Thomas Miller, Lord Justice Clerk, were here in the poet's eye, and the compliment was merited by both. The lands and mansion of Barskimming, occupy a more than usually romantic portion of the banks of the Ayr, between the villages of Tarbolton and Mauchline, and must have been much under the notice of Burns when he resided at Lochlee and Mossgiel. The river here steals its way through a long profound chasm in the new red sand stone of the district, the sides of which are in many places as perpendicular as walls, but, in every spot where vegetation is possible, clothed with the most luxuriant wood. A bridge, seen in the picture, stretches from the one bank to the other, at a dizzy height above the furtive and scarce seen stream, giving access to the mansion, which is situated on a height immediately above. In the precipices beneath the house, there are some artificial caves, accessible in the course of the pleasure walks connected with the mansion. Lord Justice Clerk Miller, son of William Miller, of Glenlee, in the stewartry of Kirkcudbright, was born in 1717, and received the most valuable part of his education under the celebrated Professor Hutcheson, of Glasgow. Entering at the bar in 1742, he rose through a series of offices to that of Supreme Criminal Judge, which he held from 1766 till January 1788; when he succeeded Sir Robert Dundas, as president of the Court of Session, and attained the dignity of a baronet of Great Britain. His utility in this high office was unexpectedly cut short, in the ensuing September, when he died, after an illness of two days, at his seat of Barskimming; "leaving," says his biographer, Mr David (since baron) Hume, "no good man his enemy, and attended with that. sincere and extensive regret which only those can hope for, who have occupied the like important stations, and acquitted themselves as well." * In a The sketch of Sir Thomas's character, drawn by Mr Hume, fully justifies the praise of the poet. "He was a very social and hospitable man to his family and connections; and indeed, to all about him, full of gentleness, and kindness, and cordiality. humane visit to the house of a servant or dependent, he equally pleased, and was as surely directed to the very things that were fit and acceptable to be said, as in his intercourse with those of his own rank. He retained through life the highest relish of the * * beauties of nature, and every year spent a considerable part of the recess of business in the enjoyment and improvement of the romantic scenes at his seat of Barskimming. It was not, however, to the object of beauty alone, that his attention at those seasons was directed, but also to the better management and substantial melioration of his estate. And this pursuit engaged him in very numerous and extensive operations, all of which he himself both planned and superintended the execution of, and successfully conducted; though, in the hands of most other men, having the same avocations of business, without the same activity, constancy, and ardour, they were more likely to have proved abortive, or even ruinous."* Barskimming is at present (1837,) the property of Sir William Miller of Glenlee, Bart., only son of the above, a judge of the Court of Session, under the designation of Lord Glenlee. A little farther up the Ayr than the point which forms the subject of the plate, and at the extremity of the Barskimming pleasure-grounds, a country road from Mauchline to Stair crosses the river by an old bridge, likewise of one arch, the situation of which is peculiarly romantic. In a grey October morning, when the present writer visited the place, the dark and copious stream, dappled with foam and fallen leaves, pressed on its way beneath the crush of green and russet foliage on either side, till a curve in its channel conveyed it from sight, while, far above the topmost boughs of the wood, the crows were seen fluttering and sailing through the dull sky. Immediately above the bridge, on the south side, stands Barskimming mill, the road to which has been cut through a vast mass of sand stone; and opposite to this is a little plot of ground, used as a nursery and garden by the Barskimming family—the earliest place on the banks of the Ayr. The meeting of the Lugar with the Ayr, a little higher up, is likewise a scene of great beauty, but not here visible. Immediately below the bridge, on the same side of the stream with the mill. there is a small level grassy plot, or holm, surrounded by lime and chestnut trees; this little holm is interestingly connected with the history of Burns, by the following circumstance, which has thus been related by a correspondent, from the words of the late James Andrew, miller at Barskimming mill. Close beside the end of the bridge stands a neat small house, at the time to which this anecdote relates, inhabited by an old man named Kemp, and his daughter. The old man, not originally possessed of the best of tempers, was rendered peevish and querulous by disease, and, in consequence of slight paralysis, generally supported himself on two sticks. His daughter Kate, however, a trim trig lass, was one of the leading belles of the district, and as such had attracted a share of the attentions of Robert Burns. One evening the poet had come from Mauchline to see Kate; but, on arriving at the house, he found the old man at the door in a more than usually peevish mode, and was informed by him that the cow was lost, and that Kate had gone in * Account of the Right Hon. Sir Thomas Miller, of Glenlee, Bart., Lord President of the Court of Session, F.R.S., Edinburgh. By David Hume, Esq. Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Vol. II. quest of her, but she had been so long away he was afraid she was lost too. The poet, leaving the old man, crossed the bridge, and at the farther end, he met the miller of Barskimming mill, then a young man about his own age, whom he accosted thus: "Weel, miller, what are you doing here?" "Na, Robin," said the miller, "I s 'ould put that question to you, for I am at hame and ye're no." "Why," said Robin, "I cam doun to see Kate Kemp." "I was just gaun the same gate," said the miller. "Then ye need gang nae farther," said Burns, "for baith her and the cow's lost, and the auld man is perfectly wud at the want o' them. But come, we'll tak' a turn or two in the holm till we see if she cast up." They accordingly went into the holm, and during the first two rounds they made, the poet chatted freely, but subsequently got more and more taciturn, and during the last two rounds spoke not a word. On reaching the style that led from the place, he abruptly bade the miller good night, and walked rapidly towards Mauchline. Next time the miller and he met, he said, “Miller, I owe you an apology for my silence during our last walk together, and for leaving you so abruptly." "Oh,” said he, “Robin, there is no occasion, for I supposed some subject had occurred to you, and that you were thinking and perhaps composing something on it." "You were quite right, miller," said Burns, "and I will now read you what was chiefly the work of that evening." The composition he read was "Man was made to mourn!" AYR, THE TWA BRIGS. "Auld Brig appear'd of ancient Pictish race, He seem'd as he wi' Time had warstl'd lang, That he at Lon'on, frae ane Adams got."-THE TWA BRIGS. THE artist has here given a spirited representation of a piece of street scenery in Ayr, including the two bridges which Burns has thrown into so dramatic an attitude. The river here, just before its junction with the sea, divides the burgh of Ayr from a district termed the Newton, corresponding with Southwark in the metropolis, and which possesses a separate burgal existence. The old bridge, seen in the centre of the picture, spans the river by four lofty arches of homely, but solid architecture, for the purpose of connecting these seats of population, as well as the corresponding districts of the country. As precision may be desired by some readers, it will not be superfluous to mention that the length of this ancient structure is about seventy double paces, and its breadth six, so |