The Sun.
London, England, 1829-05-04 00:00:00

DRUIDICAL REMAINS IN GLENSHEE,

(From the Perth Courier.)
There are few places in the Highlands of Perth-
shire Where a greater number of vestiges of antiquity
are to be found than in Glenalmornr and Glenshee,
two of the wildest passes into ►he Grampians and
the very centre of Ossianic ground. We have fre-
quently had to notice the discovery of ancient tombs
in that district, which were brought to light on re-
moving some of the cairns which are there so
numerous. Two of these heaps were lately opened
or, the farm of Carrylea, on the estate of Captain
Robertson of Tullybelton,* in which some interest-
ing monuments were found, which are thus described
to us by a correspondent :—The cairns were about
160 yards distant from each other. In the first
there were three large upright stones, four feet high,
and neatly jointed together; the space within them
being laid with smooth stones. In the centre of
the same cairn (but whether surrounding or aside
from the three stones previously described our in-
formant does not say) there was a circle formed of
upright stories, three feet eight inches high, the
stones being distant from each other about five feet.
Within the circle so formed, was a belt of slate flags
about three feet wide, and the ground thus inclosed
contained an immense quantity of burnt ashes of
wood and turf. " Near the outside of this cairn,"
our correspondent says, " there was another place
the same as described but of a smaller size;" but
whether this refers to the circle or to the three up-
right stones does not appear. In the other cairn
stood a large stone, seven feet in length, four in
breadth, and three feet thick, on which was cut a
representation of the sun, moon, and stars. In
various places of the cairn there were found vast
quantities of human bones and ashes; and in the
centre a place of about 70 square feet inclosed by
stones three feet ten inches in height joined closely
together. The ground within this inclosure was
full of burnt human bones apparently run together
into masses by the action of fire. Near the outside
of this cairn were found four graves or pits, sur-
rounded with smooth stones and covered with flags,
also containing human bones and ashes; and about
300 yards from the first cairn there was removed a
few years since a hillock 36 feet in circumference
composed entirely of burnt bones and ashes. Such
is the account sent us by a person who was at the
trouble of going several times to the places and
taking down his observations with every possible care.
There can be little doubt that the ground where these
monuments stand had been consecrated to Druidical
Rites, and that a more complete investigation of
the relics would well repay the enquiry of the anti-
quary. if the description of the engraving on the
stone be correct, that discovery may be considered
one of the most interesting that has yet been made
in Druidical antiquities from its connection with the
well ascertained object of the superstitions of the
Celts. There are indeed many circumstances which
contribute to give no common interest to these dis-
coveries. The multitude of human bones—affecting
the question respecting Druidical human sacrifices :
the contiguity in some instances of the burnt heaps
—illustrating the practice of passing between the
fires, a custom which at Beltein is in some places of
the country even yet practically kept up, and is pre-
served in the proverb of a person in straits being
between Bel's two fires; the form and method of

the pavement—which many have hitl:crto thought
peculiar to Roman Monuments: the situation of the
larger stones—whether indicative of being altars or
bow-stones—these and many other circumstances
will call for the examination of the Antiquary, and
probably serve to illustrate some of the many knotty
points connected with Druidical remains.
* e. the Hill of Bel's Fire.

The weight of materials annually employed by
tie manufacturers of crown glass in Gi-eat Bril:Lin appears,
from the Excise returns, to amount to about 22,000 tons.
—Staftbrdshire Mercury.

ACCIDENT AT THE DRAWING ROOM.—
On Saturday an Inquest was held at the Turf Tap, Hyde
Park-corner, on the body of FRANCES EMBLETON, a fine
little gir!, about five year of age, who was accidentally
run over, in Park-lane, on Thursday, by the Duchess of
GLOUCESTEN'S carriage, when her Royal Highness w.,s
proceeding to the Drawing-room. The poor chiltrat—
tempte4 to cross the road with two of her sisters, but un-
fortunately fell down, and one of the wheels pa,sed over.
her body. The coachman was driving at a very modcrate
pace at the time. Her Royal Ilighnesi:on hearing of the
circumstance, directed every care to) ltr taken of the
and was so affected at the accident that she was ts,nabi,,

SPIRIT OF THE LONDON JOURNALS.

(FROM THE TIMES.)
The friends of free trade, and of the silk trade
too, will rejoice to set that another assault upon the
system proposed by his Majesty's Ministers for the
joint benefit of the public and of that particular ma=
nufacture, met on Friday last a signal repulse from
the House of Commons. Mr. Fyler, as before,
wade play against the progress of the measure, by
Moving that the House should go into a committee
" this day six months." The usual quantity of as-
aertion and declamation about the distresses of the
silk-weavers was hazarded in this instance by Messrs.
Fyler, Robinson, Waithman, Attwood, and Sadler,
indved, were permitted to have the pleasure of
re--wseding their own former speeches almost undis-
tatted ; for Sir Henry Parnell and Mr. Courtenay
seemed to treat them like importunate applicants,
v.ao had long ago received their answer. The ob-
vious troth is, that all trades are distressed, some of
them more deeply than the silk-weavers; and that
until the excessive production of goods in every
branch of British manufacturing industry shall have
been absorbed by the returning wants of the com-
munity, or until new channels to foreign markets
shall have been opened, there can be no effectual
relief. The monopoly interest was defeated on this
occasion by a majority of 90 to 22. Let them give
bread cheaper, and the manufacturer will have fair
play,—a point on which we have the misfortune to
differ from a correspondent signed " Agricola(" in
this day's journal.

The Chancellor of the Ex 'rinse announced on
Friday last his intentio% of hbandoni'n the Auction
1. " duties Bill the present Session." In expres-
sing our e_
..ausiaction at this miscarriage of a severe
an impolitic Bill, we must add a sincere hope that
it never will be revived by Government, at least
without important modifications. In a country
where it is the well-understood interest of society
that a man's property of all descriptions should be
tendered as easy of management, and as convenient
to him, as legislation could make it, we were sur-
prised to see a clause introduced ititb an Act of
Parliament for imposing a hey additional tax, not
merely on the transfer t land, but even on the at-
tempt to sell, or by the form of an auction to ascer-
tain its value, The clause compenig a payment of
one per rent. on the highest bidding for property put
tip to auction, although it should be bought in by
the proprietor, was applicable, lts well to a thousand
acres of land, as to a cargo of rum or sugar; and we
are sure that the Country Gentlemen and Peers of
the Legislature most first have taken leave of their
senses had they suffered the Minister to carry such
a clause into effect. An immediate tax of 1001.,
added to the innumerable other charges, upon the
offer of an estate worth only 10,000/. to auction,
would be most burdensome to every man whose per-
sonal or family arrangements required that he should
know the market-value of his property; and we
have to repeat our expectation that such an attempt
will never agair.be sanctioned by his Majesty's Go-
vernment,