The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1877-08-18
TRAVELLING CORRESPONDENCE.
LONDON, England, July 2Sth. 1877

LONDON, England, July 2Sth, 1877.
DEAR WHIG.-We have been enjoying
this interesting city since Thursday, arriv-
ing mere the previous evening from Edin-
burgh. The latter named place is by far
the most picturesque city | ever saw; its
many hills verging into mountains, its beau
tiful valleys filled with handsome dwellings
and temples of past ages make up a history
10 little part Of Britain. In my limited
/ space, | must confiue myself in this old
country to old "things," the principal of
these here being the "abbey and palace of
/ Holyrood." This, as every school boy re
members, was the home of SCotand's beau
/ tiful Queen Mary. The abbey and palace
are really one building, but the former is
/ very much the Oldest, the palace being
/ built by James ", upon his marriage with
Margaret, of England, and the former be-
/ ing founded by King David. Queen Mary,
who was the only surviving child of James
| v, made Hollywood her ordinary residence
! 1t was here she married Lord Dorney.
/ Here David Riccio, the Italian, was muir
dercd almost at her feet, and the scene of
her fatal nuptials with Rothwell. In these
halls she was the center of many a royal
entertainment, and here too she had to en-.
| dure those memorable interviews with the
fierce and uncompromising leaders of the
| Scottish reformation. The several inter
esting rooms of Queen Mary are her bed
room, containing much of her original fur
niture, her dressing room and breakfast
| room-the one in which she and Rizzia
were suppns together, when the assassius
| instigated by no less person than D6fns
| ley himself, who was prompted to it by ieal-
ousy), coming up by a private stairway
| (still in good preservation, murdered Ric-
| cio and dragged him through Mary's bed
room, through the audience room into the
entry, where the blood stains are still
pointed out to you by the guide. The
abbey is entirely roolless, but its walls and
corridors are extremely interesting. This
was the scene of Mary's marriage to both
| Dorney and Rothwell.
No less a place of interest is the castle
| of Edinburgh. This beautiful and pictur-
esque grouping of turreted walls and tow
ers stands upon a very high hill, almost in
the center of the city. Among its interest
ing parts is Queen Margaret's chapel, one of
the oldest in Scotland; Queen Mary's room,
in which James VI. was born. 1t is now
used as barrack and is garrisoned by
Scottish troops: in Highland costume. This
haipC I npAorst md Of t1n
still holding good between Scotland and
England. The " Regalia Of Scotland" is
kept within these walls. They are very
beautiful; and until | saw England's, |
thought them grand.
From this beautiful city we visit Mel
rose, and find ourselves surrounded by
"reminiscences Of Scott Selecting a hotel,
called the " Abbey House." we no sooner
lighted, than there was general unspoken
feeling-we had gotten into the wrong box
for day and a half stay; but through the
ingenuity of one OF our party, who had
the grit" we were quietly and pleasantly
transferred to the "Abbotsford." This is
named after Sir Walters home situated
about three miles ont upon the Tweed-a
small stream half the size of the Elk. We
visited it and were shown through the hall.
study, library, drawing room and armory;
saw part of the original MSS. of Waverly.
Everything throughout is kept in the same
positions that Sir Walter left them; even
the books are carefully kept in their origi-
nal place. The armOry is made up of many
weapons, curious and historical. In the
drawing ROOM among many other valuable
selections and presents, is one original pic.
ture, in oil, of the head of Mary Queen of
Scots, taken by German artist, who
passed himself of as an assistant to the
doctors, and took this picture the day after
her decapitation. "Abbotsford - is stu
ated in a beautiful valley, the hills inclos-
ing it in upon every side. 1t is quiet and
lovely, and for that reason, we presume,
Sir Walter made it his site, and, being a
great walker, the hills became his daily
and Dryburg-are among the oldest in the
land; the former was founded 1136, but
was destroyed 1929, and few years later
the present ecclesiastical architecture, from
which we, to this day copy, was given to
the world 1t was the " Lay of the Last
Minstrel" that has opened out these old
figures of time to the general public. Mel.
rose must have been immense. | wonder
where the people came from to fill it. The
sculptor's hand seems to have glided over
g., q
still filling the hundreds of inches, and the
carving is almost as perfect as when fresh
from the chisel. Within its walls are the
graves Of priests, mobiles and kings. just
before the high altar is label reading,
90 Here is buried the heart of King Robert
Bruce l copy singular wording from
the wall: Heir lyis the race of We hors of
Zair."
Dryburg Abbey is very old ruin, and is
the place where Walter Scott is buried
The part known as st. Mary Isle holds the
remains of his family for two generations.
This abbey, with its monastery, is even
larger than Melrose.
On the way back we see the colossal
Stdlue W OH W lllldil w alldCe. WOulu
suppose it to be forty feet high. This ends
my notes of Scotland. | am more delighted
with her and her people than with Ireland
or England. Her sons and daughters, to
my meager Judgment and experience, are
far more intellectual, as class, than any
other of the United Kingdom.
In my next shall tell you something of
what | see and hear in London.
For The Cecil Wing.
TEMPERANCE AT WO0DLAWN.