Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1854-08-05

For the Sentinel.
Extracts from the correspondence Of u
Student Mt Edinburgh.

have much reading to do during the summer.
Roslin Castle, also the Abbey, is about eight
miles from Edinburgh. | set out, a few days
since, in quest Of it, with all the buoyancy Of a
school-boy, on Saturday, winding my way
among the hills which, l think, you would call
mountains; passing rilIs trickling down thin
sides, TO the wales beneath where the richest
verdure seemed to vie within all around for
beauty. passed near Crag-Milier Castle, the
former home Of Mary, Queen of Scots, but
had not time to examine it. Roslin Castle
stands upon an eminence of rock, surrounded
by a rayine on one side, and by East River,
which would call a brook. The Castle was
built about ITO, or nearly 700 years ago. 1t
is supposed to have been left in ruins by the
Earl of Hartford, an English general, who go'
possession of it. The West wall stands yet,
and is about forty feet high, very thick, with
secret passages in it. The East wall appears
to be the principal place where an attack was
apprehen9ed, and numerous holes are wrought
in the stone for shooting arrows through. The
foundation of this wall stands much further
down the side Of the rock, and is four stories
high now, and how much higher it was il not
known. Each story has a passage Of about five
feet by seven high, and vaults for soldiers. In
the North is the kitchen. wi;h a very large FIRE.
place and tremendous oven. The windows are
barred with iron. The ceilings are arehed, the
one above another. The East wall is about
hundred feet long now. On the South end is
a large tower, and near by is a large yew tree,
such as their bows were made from. About
midway in the wall was a dungeon for prison.
ers. | did not go down, as all was dark, and
the guide opposed it. A small bridge had been
built across the Esk, but is now broken. The
Castle must have been one Of the most power
full and such an one would even defy the en-
gines of war at the present day. About W
hundred yards from the Castle, upon a hill,
stands one of the wonders of travelers-the
Abbey--built before the Reformation, but was
never entirely completed upon the outside. 1t
looks like a cluster of towers. The windows
and doors are Gothic, thickly set, with orna-
ments, and each differing froln all the others.
There is no wood about the building, except
the doors. The roof is all of stone-arcIed.
The gallery pillars are all of stone, and each
one differs from all the rest. The finest ls
the Apprentices Pillar, aud stands near
the stairway, down to the confession room and
near the High Altar, which has been nearly
destroyed.
Tradition says that the Master Mason went
to Rome, to get the plan for the Apprentices
Pillar, and while gone, the apprentice discover
ed the design, and completed it; but, when his
master returned and found that it was discov-
cred, be was angry, and killed the apprentice
with a malIet. There are 20 be seen now-the
head dived in the West pillar, that of
the apprentice on the opposite one, with adeep
cut on the forehead-the apprentices mother
on the next-a woman weeping.
There are Gothic arches between the pillars.
studded with ornaments of angels, men,
animals-all wrought from the solid
On one arch are men of every condition
of life from the King to the beggar, wrestling
with death. On one capital is the prodigal
swine-on another is Isaac. and the
altar, and the ram, but Abraham is stolen away
others were angels with every kind Of mu.
steal instruments.
One transum has a Latin inscription. 1.-THE
King is strong, the wine is stronger, but wo.
nan is the strongest" On another is a King,
upon his throne-the rich man, enjoying him.
'elf in luxury--the miser. with both hands
,pon his pockets-the beggar, in his poverty
,wo lovers--and finally Satan coming out of
he mouth Of the dragon to seize them all.
The dragon, | suppose, means hell. The Ap-
Pillar is wreathed from top to bot
with the finest sculpture Of flowers, anil
nails, &c, while the base is surrounded with
tied by the necks. Each pillar has a
nortise for putting in a rail to form a screen
the ladies' while at worship, as my guide in
ormed me. Near the High Altar are three
of Lord Roslin, another o fhis con.
ort, and a third Of his son who died il Ame.
lea a few years ago by the title of Lord Lou.
'ery. The Earl of Chatham has q tomb in the
wall. On the North side is a yault
where ten knights of Roslin are said to have
zen buried, with all their armor upon them,
1st As they were brought from the field of bat
|e. There were many images about the cha.
ell, but they were destroyed during John
lnox's time, who said, "pull down the nests,
nd then the rocks will fly off" There were
'any figures and designs that l did not make
ut for want Of time. then went along the
anks Of the Esk, to see WalIses's Cave which
'lll contain about two haaded men; it has .
COtCh fir tYan. If n varu luero .;,a NJ. a. -