The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-07-17
IN FOREIGN LANDS.
Correspondence of the hteuigencer.


light, to be found in the second canto o.
his clay of the Last Minstrel; )" bu
probably not one tourist in hundred il
so favored, and at the time of our visi'
We were compelled to content oursel
with the rich glow of the twilight, which
makes it possible to read ordinary print
at 1000 p. M, in the summer time and
is as near an approach to moonlight as
could be obtained. 1t requires no bril-
liant Imagination, however, to see that in
the soft light of the summer moon, these
ruins must be indiscribably beautiful.
Melrose Abbey was founded in 1lS6,
but was destroyed by the English and
rebuilt in the 18th century. tits located
in the village of Melrose, just at the foot
of the Eildon Hills; which, according to
the legend, were "cleft in three" by the
power of familiar demon, under control
of Michael Scott, the wizard. The
entrance is not "by steel clenched pos.
tern door," but by an iron gate at the
West end of the grounds, where the fee
for admission is collected. The ruin is
complete. It is totally unoccupied and
the roof has nearly all fallen; but enough
remains of its walls and arches to show
its wondrous architecture and to give
some idea of what its beauty must have
been before the hand of time and the
zeal of the reformers of the 18th century
had crumbled its "massy nave" and de.
stroyed nearly all of its images. The
ruin as it now stands is 258 feet in length
and rs feet in breadth, with a transept
1SO feet in length and A feet in breadth.
The Western end of the nave is entirely
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 the transept, are
covered by the original groined roof, and
exhibit a beauty Of design aud delicacy
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 saplings bound to-
gether, with their branches interviewer
to form the roof. The principal remain
ing entrance to the Abbey is through a
fine Gothic doorway, just beneath the
great South window in Che transept. This
window is "a by 16 feet and its mullians
and tracery are in complete state of
preservation. Just above it's arch is a
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 inte-
rior or exterior. It is 81 fee5 high and
16 feet broad and its 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 poplars straight the osier wand
In many freakish knot had twined;
Then framed spell when the work was
done,
And changed the willow wreaths to stone."
Within the .chancel are buried many of
Scotland's gallant sons, including fami-
,ies of Douglas, Scott and others. Hero
sfttba heart of Bruce is said to have at last
kfound 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
seven of the seats remain. The arches
and the frieze are exquieitely carved, in
imitation of plants, flowers, ETC., no two
of the many designs being alike.
ST do love these ancient ruins;
We never tread upon them but we set
Our foot upon some reverend history;
And questionless, here in these open
courts,
Which now lie naked to the injuries
Ofstormy weather, some men lie inferred
Who loved the church 80 well and gave so
largely to it,
That they thought it should have cano.
pied their bones
Forever but all things have an end,
Churches and cities, that have diseases
like to men,
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. Abbottsford is now the prop
erty of Mr.. Hope Scott, who married the
granddaughter of Sir Walter. 1t 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 is first shown
into Sir Walters study, where most OF
his Literary work was done. 1t is a small
room, fitted up with shelving and lined
with books on three sides, and still con.
tains his writing table and chair. The
library is the largest and most elegant of
the rooms. Its ceiling is elaborately
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 weapons of various
nations and ages, tastefully arranged on
the walls and in the cases. Among the
curiosities we notice Rob Roy's gun,
Montrose's sword, the rusty keys of the
old Tolbooth at Edingburg and many
others. The great entrance hall is also
adorned with relics and curiosities.
Here are several figures in armor, with
huge two handed swords nearly as tall as
themselves, and many other mementoes
of the rude warfare of the middle ages.
Around the cornice are the armorial
bearings of the Douglasses, the Scots,
the Kers and many other stout border
clans who, as the inscription tells us
"Keepit the Marchys of Scotland in the
old tyne for the kynge." The grounds
about the house are beautifully laid out
and give many fine views. It is impossi-
BILE to visit without interest these rooms
and places 30 familiar to the great "Wiz.
orJ of tho Moth - ond r. uou vith o,1r