New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-25
Old DUNFERMLlNE.
nr,,cs OF ANCIENT SCOTLAND.

y
ur rRrcE- SAINT MARGARET-NoTABLE
,r,.Rr - THE RUINED PALACE
,,rupooM or CHARLES THE FIRST.
sr,rr CORRESPONDENT OF TIE TRlnrxEl
Edinburgh. October %
-.,lo looms above US. in rugged spiendor
Inv ia. along AT the base Of its gigantic foun-
a. c,eg and speed away into the green fields
eau" ,un,n and there has been frost but the
il .o,e s,ill smiles, and beneath a delicate blue
la''' .s,.,d with many clouds Of white and pink.
Say ,,est fields are golden. and the lazy sheep
"' IN green pastures. and all the earth is glad
s""' cid jnnumerablo seagulls are busy among
)" ,hb,e: in another there is a multitude Of
l." :. nortly sleek black, and preterna turany
,ous Upon every side are hedgerows and
= trees and often we see long lines Of
-Soood. yellow haystacks. and sometimes
''"' ,,sa cottages with rugset-colored barns
II the scene is lovely with color and with
an .,n,al suggestion Of rural peace and comfort
-" snuous. domelike shapes of Costorphine and
80 pe,tlond Hlls are stately and mysterious
-" vast bas,ions and parapets Of cloud ard
,-,,vb q thin veil of gauzy mist Upon the
'.,s Forth. when We traverse the grea; bridge.
q
ms over its surface Of wrinkled steel. ard.
=. below us across that wide eXranse Of bur
..,sa beauty. the little steamboats, make their
,.sv way. each leaving ripple of silver in Its
.,ts Every time I have seen the Fort. this
lint II has presented a gorgeous picture This
.,,,s 1, was more than ever magnificent. because
,,,mpeni!ng storm. a great cloud-rack was COM
,s from the north. and underneath a confused
,,.srbendnG Of light and shadow.-streaks Of
,,ss and rolling masses Of bronze and black
nth land and water took on a glory OF changing
huss for which there is no descriptive word. and
-. gloomy grandeur which is the perfect garment
4, mystery and omen. Al picturesque lnver-
s.thing We dartod suddenly into the heart ~ the
,smpest. AM nothing more was seen till We came
:, clear skies again. and to fair Dunfermline,
serene upon her royal hill
7. was the Abbey that wished 70 SEQ. ana a
shor, walk through streets Of gray stone houses
and LITTLE shops. soon brought me II its stately
,or,al-one Of the most imposing types OF the
recessed Norman door to be found in this king
5,n The church rears .tself in the centre Of a
large burial-place and. being set upon ridge
d, land which slopes both ways. its great square
tower Is visible long way of. In the fret
work a, the top &C that tower appear the words
King Rob-r, the Bruce" the letters being Of
rraa, siz. and being placed as supports for the
,opin- This portion Of the fabric is modern. for
h the davs of Knox the old churCh.-erected by
Malcolm Canmore and Margaret. in lO15.-was
,.n0lished. excepting its nave. and the stones
a. whi,h had been hallowed by nearly five
,un5rol years % dedication to sacred worship,
rer, thcreupon from time II time, carried away
nd h,il, into other structures. wherever stones
'icht hapDan - be wanted. The ancient nave
sr7ivs. and very noble X s. with its pOnderous
o.rl rilla~s is lofty easements. its grim and
ann. friioviur1 and is unmistakable character Of
81 SIMPLICITY and truth. Two Of the pillars are
o- rated with arrowhead carving inseniously
,,i.o1 - create the optical deiusion that they
., narrower at the base than al the top In
,auel near the north porch are two stone cof-
~s ono omen and one closed and sealed-the
TOR containing the bones ~ two sons Of King
laic-'1o Canmore. one 90 whom was slain. IN
,,,ro,v with his father. at the battle Of Aen-
Tx and the other OF whom brought 10 his
ether Queen Margaret. the news Of her bereave-
,cri The new part Of the Abbey is built imTne-
civ over the ruin 81 the old one. 50 that the
7ct NJ nave affords an avenue Il the modern
su.al. vet even in this the spel. Of antiquity
ssorts It's poNer-f1r Immediately under the
ylnit j. tho tomb ~ King Robert. the Bruce. and
snoafh The pews toward the north end Of the
-aneart rest stone collins containing the bones
: eleven of the earlier monarchs Of scotland.
5alc,lm and Margaret were buried side by side
, tho Lady Chanel Of the former church. but
oeir tomb now ruin. though carefully COW
rcd and inclosed is now directly east Of the
resent building and outside Of il. The bones ot
ne sainted Margaret. there is reason - think.
IN longer rest in that sepulchrc. but were long
20 conveyed away and buried in Spain. Bruce
fed Al Cardron in 1929 and was buried before
he high altar in Dunfermlne church IN ISIS
lis coffin II oak and lead. was discovered and
,2ened. his skeleton was found entire and an
xamnat.n ~ j., revealed the fact that the ribs
,ad been severed with a saw. 50 that his heart
,ould be moveI.-that brave ami pious heart
which he hal willod should be placed in the
Holy sepulrhre at Jerusalem. but which. after
many vicissitudes. was buried in Mclrose Abbey.
The bones ~ Bruce. it Is said. are now preserved
with pitch The tomb WAS marked. IN lHHs' win
4 superb brass representing the full length fig
ure Of the monarch. panopled FOR war SGT III
slab Of Egyptian porphyry. A. % the stone cof-
fms Of thu other kings the sexton OF this Aopcy
tod me he had several times examined them. and
which the identity Of tho buried persons could
BE- established The stones that originally COW
cred those remains Oh cd royalty appear 10 nave
been demolished Queen Anne's elaborate monu-
ment to tn architect William Sclaw Is at the
west end ~ the north aisle Of the oder chufch'
but In a place 50 dark that | could only discern
mat II is for.d and artificial Foleys beautlfui
ana touching sculpture commemorative OF Gen
eral Robert Bruce. brother 10 Dean STANLEY
Wife. stands in the south transept-a Veled
woman, supporting the head OF the dead man. ana
bending over hts recumbent figure In the nu'e
agony Of grief The contrast Of death ana hie
'hat Is In those figures, together with the truth
@ anatomy and the hexbility and grace OF
u'apery make that work A marvel. ana reHeih-
Der 1t with the sculptures by Chantry and watts
al Lchfeld and the angei AT the font In the
cathedral al Inverness In the churchyard al Dun
iermllne Abbey they show the grave OF tHe