The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1883-11-28
MELRosE ABBEY.
Old Ruins in Scotland.

A correspondent writes from Melrose,
Scotland I" Big oaken doors fastened to q
stone wall cut of the approach to the abbey
and the free view of it. There is q plump
barmaid fl irting with a coaehman at the
window of the hotel on one side of the
street, and there is in the doorway of
matched lodge on the other side, ready for
the nimble shilling, tidy woman, one of
the retainers of the noble house of Buc-
sleuch, in which the title to the ruin rests.
She draws out big key and swings open
the portals. The abbey once extended far
beyond the lodge, the harmaid, and the
soachman, but II was industriously quarried
By builders for many years, and fraction
only remains Even Sir Walter found
angles in his seat at Abbotsford for some of
the gargoyles griffins, and in the village
every house Of any date worth mentioning
in country where time Is reckoned by
centuries is partly built of the old abbey
stone. Bat there is still 258 feet Of ruin
enough TO form q shrine for enthusiastic
architects aud mine for its owners. 1t Is
the best paying piece of property in this
part of Scotland 1t probably would pay
syndicate to take it off the hands of the
present owners and consolidate it with vari-
GUS other old ruins in the region so as to
run the whole business under one manage
ment. 1t would be comparatively easy to
establish monopoly in old ruins in Scot
land. Though not consistent with romance,
sinking fund would be necessary for
repairs, for the mortar is fresh in spots
which attract Americans, and the item
chargeable to construction account would
not be inconsiderable. Over in Holland
there is factory that does large business
in manufacturing Apostle spoons $50 years
old, while i'll n certain part of England, at
this season, another establishment has all
the orders it can fill for coins dug up in old
ruins left by the Romans. Melrose is kept
in safe condition, bordering upon COM
plete ruin. The repairs seem to have been
nicely calculated to keep it up rs ruin.
They are two kinds OF masonry about it,
one common and the other uncommon
The former, it is insisted, dates back to
1918, date that is satisfactory to most
tourists, but, if they are particular, there is
plenty of masonry there 500 years older, as
It is alleged.
The charm of Melrose Abbey is in the
delieaey of the carvings. At tho door lead
ing into the old cloister, which is now called
the Queens Walk, and is bordered with
flowers, because Queen Victoria walked
over it escorted by the Duke of Buecleueh,
the carving of the foliage on the capitals ia
in such fine relief that straws can be passed
under the stone vines. Above foliated
capital and serving as bracket to support
one of the groins of the roof. is the carving
OF hand lightly grasping bunch of flow
ers. 1t is pronounced finer than any of the
Egin marbles, is copied, photographed, and
almost kissed by the cognoscenti. Tie
charm of it is 30 vital as to catch the most
superficial eye. The connoisseura compau
to the finest lace the carving of the leaf of
| the curly greens,n or kale, Of ono of the
capitals of s pillar in the nave. Roses,
lilies, thistles, ferns, heather sprigs, oak
and ash leaves are ehiselled with such truth
in frieze running along the cloister that
stone carving seems indeed lost art
From the corner above is storm beaten
figure of an angel represented in the act of
flying away with message from the abbey
The corbels and keystones of what remains
of the roof seemed To have been carved but
yesterday. There is one window, now
quite green with ivy and moss, that is il
its stone traccry representation of the
crown of thorns. Not even fragment of
the gorgeous stained glass, with which the
imagination fills these splendid windows
remains Washington Republic