At Roflin also ftand the ruins of a castle, built on a projecting rock, which overlooks a deep valley. The whole, we were told, affords a very beautiful scene.

Arthur's feat presents an unpleafing view from every station. Some formal part ftares you in the face in every corner of Edinburgh. You rarely meet even with a picturesque fragment. It's great regularity has in part been owing to the streets of London; which were paved from it's bowels. A girdle of quarry running round it, adds to it's formality.

This rocky hill was once probably a picturefque fcene; for it was once, we were informed, covered with wood. But this was then thought fo great a nuisance, that we were told, there is ftill exifting an ancient record, from which it appears, that every man, who would take building-timber from Arthur's feat, should be indulged with the privilege of projecting his house over the street.

SECT.

SECT. IX.

FROM Edinburgh we took the Sterling

road, along the Forth; which afforded us a great variety of pleafing views.

In one of the moft pleafing, the castle of Garvy is introduced, standing near the wateredge, at the point of a promontory, which feems to be formed by the high lands, on the northern fide of the Forth. This however is only it's apparent fituation. In fact it ftands upon an ifland; the infularity of which is intirely hid. In this place the Forth

becomes a narrow ftrait of about two miles over; and Garvy-castle, which occupies the mid-channel, was intended for it's defence. It commands a view of the whole Forth- on the weft as far as Sterling-and on the east as far as the isle of May. On the fouthern shore of this strait ftands Queen's-ferry, from whence the Forth widens again into a confiderable

F 2

fiderable bay on the weft. The whole scenery is indeed very pleafing; and to thofe, who had time to examine it as it deferves, would afford very beautiful views.

Hopton-house is the next great object we meet. The first view of it from the road, at a distance, over a bay of the Forth, is picturesque. It appears behind a floping hill, which hides one of it's wings. The horizontal lines of the house, and the diverging lines of the hill accord agreeably. A regular building always appears beft, when thus connected with fome irregular object. A new fource of beauty arifes from the contraft: and indeed without it, a regular building has feldom a good effect. When the artist therefore is under the neceffity of painting a modern house, he is under the neceffity alfo of breaking it's regularity, at least with a few branches of trees, if he have nothing elfe at hand. Square lines, and angles uncontrafted, can never be picturesque.

As we approach Hopton-house, it's fituation appears very grand. It is feated on a magnificent lawn, which forms a kind of

terrace