The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-07-17
In FOREIGN LANDS.
Ooretpondenca OF kha Intlnia.unl,

"If thou would view fair Melrose Alright.
Go visit it by the pale moons light
wrote Sir Walter Scott in his matchless
description of Melrose Abbey by moon.
light, to be found in the second canto OF
his clay of the Last Minstrel :" bat
probably not one tourist in hundred is
so favored, and at the time of our visit
We we're compelled to content ourseli
with the rich glow Of the twilight, which
makes it possible 70 read ordinary print
at 1000 p. M. in the summer time and
is as near en- approach to moonlight "a
could be obtained. It requires no bril-.
liant Imagination. however, TO SEQ that in
the soft light of the summer moon, these
ruins must be indiscribably beautiful.
Melrose Abbey was founded in 1136,
but was destroyed by the English and
rebuilt in the 14th century. 1t is located
in tbs village of Melrose, just at the foot
of the Eildon Hills; which, according to
the legend, were "cleft in three" by the
power Of o familiar demon, under control
of Michael Scott, the wizard. The
entrance is not 'bby steel clenched pos.
tern door," but by an iron gate ut the
West end Of the grounds, where the fee
for admission is collected. The ruin Ia
complete. It is totally unoccupied and
the roof has nearly all fallen but enough
remoiEs of It's Eells and arches To All .,v
its wondrous architecture and 70 give
aon:s Idea CT sgha; Is basusy n9ss i1ave
been before the hand of time and the
zeal of the reformers of tn 10th century
had cTumbled Its "massy nave" and de-.
stroyed nearly all of Its images. The
ruin as it now stands is 258 feet in length
and 70 feet in breadth, with transept
l30 feet in length and Al feet in breadth.
The Western end of the nave /, ontirelv
gone. but large portion of the wall of
the South asile with several chapels still
remain. The Eastern portion of the
asiles, together with part of the chancel
and the extremities of tho trausept, are
covered by the original groined roof, and
exhibit beauty Of design and delicacv
of carving which is unsurpassed. The
tall, slender columns, which Seemed
bundles of lances which garlands had
bound" with their graceful, pointed
arches and their beautifully carved capi.
tails, render it easy to accept the theory
that the Gothic style of architecture was
originally an imitation in stone of those
forest temples in which the columns were
formed of clusters of sapliugs bound to.
gether, with their branches interviewer
to form the roof. The principal remain.
ing entrance to the Abbey is through O
tine Gothic doorway, just beneath the
great South window in the transept, This
window is "a by 16 feet and its mullians
and tracery are in a complete state of
preservation. Just above its arch ia q
niche which once held figure of Christ,
the six inches on either side being filled
with figures of the apostles. The great
East window is, however, the grandest
feature of the ruin, either from the into.
rior or exterior. It is 81 feet high and
16 feet broad and it's tall, slender
mullions and light tracery are best de.
scribed in Sir Walter Scott's lines:
"Thou would'st have thought some fairy's
hand,
,Twixt popiars straight the oaier wand
In many freakish knot had twined;
Then framed spell when the work was
And changed the willow wreaths to stone."
Within the chancei are buried many OF
Scotland's gallant SONS, including far
lies of Douglas, Scott and others. IS ,re
||tsa heart Of Bruce is said to have at .as:
'iound o resting place after the failure of
his friend, the Douglas, to carry it to
Palestine. A fiat, mossy stone is report.
ed to be the tomb of the wizard. Michael
Scott, the wierd description of whose
funeral may be found in Scott's clay Of
the Last Minstrel" The cloisters were
originally North of the nave. but only
saven Of the seats remain. The arches
and the frieze are exgnieitely carved, in
imitation of plants, flowers, ETC., no two
of the many designs being alike.
'"I do love these ancient ruins;
We never tread upon them but we set
Unr foot nnon acme gaye-end history;
And questionless, here IN these open
Which now lie naked to the injuries
5n Gr stormy Ts TTeather some @ men lie inferred
largely to 1t, 80 s..
That they Thought it should have caro.
pied eheir bonei
Forever, but oil things have an end,
Churches and cities, that have diseases
Must have like death that we have"
From Melrose to Abbottsford is about
three miles, the road being bordered by
hedges and passing through delightful
country. Abbotssford is now the prop
erty Of MIR: Hope Scott, who married the
granddaughter Of Sir Walter. It is irreg.
ular In construction, having been built
at different times, without any complete
architectural plan. The general effect,
however, Is good. the gables, spires, tur.
rets and pinnacles being piled in admir-.
able confusion. The visitor Ia frat shown
into Sir Walters study, where most of
bis literary work was done. It is small
room, fitted up with shelving and lined
with books on three sides, and still CON.
tains his writing table and chair. The
library 10 the largest and most elegant Of
the rooms. Its ceiling is elabotstely
carved in oak and the cases ON the walls
contain : about 10000. volumes. The
Armory is entered from the vestibule and
Is literally filled with sveapons of various
nations and ages. tastefully arranged on
the Ua!la and in the cases. Among the
cnriosites We notice Rob Roy's gun,
Montrose'a sUoTd, the rusty keys of the
old Tolbooth at Edingbnfg and many
others. ii The great entrance hall is also
adorned with ISlics and curiosities.
Here are several figures In armor, with
hugetwo handed swords nearly. as tall as
themselves, and many other memantoes
OF; the sqde warfare Of the middle ages.
Around the cornice are the armorial
bearings of the Douglasses, the Scots.
the Kers and .sany othee stout border
clans who, % the inscription tells us
"Kaepit the Marcbys Of Scotland Ia the
old TYNE ifor the kynge. Tho grounds
ntork the houaa ara heant;f,Ilv. iaid o,t