The Sun.
London, England, 1844-09-14 00:00:00

ARRIVAL OF HER MAJESTY AT BLAIR

ATHOLL.

We have received the following from our cor-
respondent at Blair Atholl :

BLAIR ATIIOLL, WEDNESDAY, 5 P.M.

Her Majesty arrived here at a quarter past three to-
day, and was received at the principal entrance of the
Castle by a body of Lord Glenlyon's clansmen, at-
tired in the Highland dress, who ran by the side of
the royal carriage from the lodge up to the grand
portico. Her Majesty's arrival was preceded by
two of the royal carriages, containing servants
and baggage, and shortly after three an escort of
Scots Greys, commanded by Captain Griffiths, ap-
peared in sight, together with a travelling chariot
and four horses, containing her Majesty and Prince
Albert. Her Majesty appeared somewhat pale, but
this may be attributed to the effects arising from the
fatigue of a long journey, which her Majesty has,
perhaps, not been able to support so well as usual on
this occasion. The Prince looked remarkably well,
and appeared to have been but slightly incommoded
by the sea voyage. The travelling chariot, with its
Royal occupants, was followed by four other vehicles
containing the Princess Royal, Lord Liverpool, Lord
Aberdeen, Lord Charles Wellesley, and the remain-
ing members of her Majesty's suite, including Lord
Glenlyon, who had fallen in with the Royal cortege
shortly after it left Dunkeld.
On arriving at the principal entrance of the man-
sion, her Majesty was received by Lady Glenlyon,
who was accompanied by the Young Master of Glen-
lyon and Mrs. Home Drummond, her Ladyship's
mother. Four companies of forty each, consisting of
his Lordship's clansmen, attired in the Highland
dress, were drawn up by the side of the portico,
Ao.i rrreptirm her
Majesty with the pibroch; and the- effect of the
native melody as it peeled through the glens and
passes in the distance, considerably enhanced the
interest of the scene. The clansmen were commanded
by Lord Glenlyon, assisted by the Major of the
corps, the lion. James Murray. The first company
was commanded by Captain Drummond, with his
Lieutenant, the Hon. W. Drummond; the second, by
Captain Charles Drummond, with his Lieutenant, Sir
David Dundas; the third, by Oswald of Dunnikier,
with his Lieutenant, Kier of Kindroggan ; the fourth,
by Stewart of Urrat, ith his Lieutenant, Butter of
Fascaly, the owner of the magnificent mansion which
is situated in one of the most picturesque spots in
Scotland, just before entering the pass of Killiecrankie.
Her Majesty appeared much pleased with the mani-
festations of loyalty with which she was greeted; and
after addressing a few remarks to Lady Glenlyon, en-
tered the mansion, accompanied by Prince Albert.
Within a few minutes, however, after the arrival
of the royal party, the Prince came out into the
front of the mansion, accompanied by his noble
host, with Lord Aberdeen, Lord Liverpool,
and Lord Charles Wellesley. His Royal
Highness inspected the Highlanders, keeping his hat
off as he walked through the ranks, a mark of cour-
tesy which will not be unappreciated by those fine
fellows, and which evidently afforded them no small
gratification.
The clansmen then marched round before the
Prince headed by the pipers playing the pibroch ;
and then her Majesty appeared at the window, and
seemed much delighted at the picturesque appearance
of her Highland subjects.

(From the Caledonian Mercury of Thursday.)
Blair Athol', Wednesday Forenoon.
All is anxious preparation here, and although the
hills were covered with mist in the morning, and the
atmosphere rather dull and heavy, the day is now
breakingout beautifully. Up to a late hour last
night the Castle was filled with workmen, and in
every direction on the grounds men were seen trim •
ming the walks, mending fences, smoothing the
roads, and in short, to use the cockney phrase, put-
ting matters into " apple pye-order.' A new en-
trance has been constructed for her Majesty nearly
opposite the church, the gate and archway being
entirely of larch ; and on either side a high pali-
sade of the same wood runs for a consider-
able way along the road, the whole having a
simple rustic appearance, in fine keeping with the sur-
rounding plantations. The Castle itself is shorn of
much of the grandeur of former days; from having
been a great feudal keep with buttresses and towers,
which frowned defiance on all around, it has degene-
rated into a substantial mansion of the last century,
the portion of the ancient building which remains
being lost in the modern innovations. It is still con-
solatory.that there are no pretensions to formal archi-
tecture in the edifice—no attempt either at modern
gothic patchwork, or the more elaborate graceful pro-
portion of the Elizabethan age. The whole presents
a large range of building, the centre a plain right-
angled pile, and the wings, if
they can be
alongg
so designated, two storied ranges runnin
way from either end, and in
From the size ofin opposite directions,
zig-zag to the principal building.
these appendages, as contrasted with the Castle, one
would imagine that the dependants hugely outnum-
bered the principals,
for they are regular barracks,
an infantry regiment. Viewed
which would contain
externally, the impression is, that her Majesty and
the Prince and royal suite will have ample room for
the subordinate part of the household, but will re-
quire to economise their own accommodation. Tay-
mouth Castle seems a palace on the outside, and
Blair Castle a hunting-lodge magnified four-fold ;
but the interior of the last, as well as of the first,
contains every appliance of luxury and comfort in
common with Windsor Castle ; and those who have
witnessed the Palace at Ostend, in which her Majesty
and Prince Albert found gulden last year, will Lot
be disposed to undervalue the capabilities of Blair
Castle.
In regard to the demesnes of Blair Castle—if that
term can apply to the measureless extent of wild and
varied scenery, all falling within the exclusion im-
plied—we can conceive nothing more adapted for
a royal retreat. Within two minutes' walk of the
hall door is the river Tilt running, or rather strug-
gling, through a rugged, precipitous ravine, the path-
, way, cut out of the face of the cliff, placing the spec-