Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-07-22
FROM EDINBURGH
TO LIVERPOOL.
DR.. Neville Tells of the
Wonders by the Way.
SOME VERY OLD SCOTCH RUINS.

SOME VERY OLU SCOTCH RUINS.
MeIrose Abbey-The Growing Crops,
Oats and Potatoes PrineipaIIy-The
British Railroad system-Appearance
of tho People as Compared to Amer
ieans-PrevaIenee Of tho Drink Evil
business Customs.
Correspondence Of the Yorkville Enquirer.
LONDON, July Son June 9th, we
left Edinburgh at $50 a. m, for Liver
pool, distant about ITS miles. 1t Is
difficult over here to find out how far
one place Is from another. The people
measure distances by time. If you ask
how far 1t is from one place to anoth-
er, the answer will be so many hours.
II you ask how far 1t is from one point
in a city to another, the answer will be,
it is so many minutes walk, or so
many minutes on the car.
We were very sorry to leave dear
old Edinburgh. The train carries US
over a beautiful country from Edin-
burgh to Liverpool. Beautiful fields OF
grass and small grain and Irish pota-
toes are to be seen on every hand.
Potatoes and oats are about the only
things to be seen in the fields. which
man can eat. This shows how much
these people have to get from other
countries for sustenance. The oats
over here are just beginning to head
and the Irish potatoes are just IN
bloom. I have never seen such straw
berries as they have in Scotland and
England. They are magnificent-large
and luscious. This whole country Is
beautiful. It Is like a crazy quilt
with the rock fences dividing the land
into small tracts, and with the differ
ent hues Of green and other colors
adorning the scene. Small mountains
are also to be seen along the way which
give variety to the landscape.
We stop at Melrose to view the old
Abbey there, and 1t Is certainly worth
stopping to see, the most colossal ruin
in Scotland. It Is said that Ruskin
never desired to visit America because
there were no ruins to be seen there.
A few like Melrose Abbey would GER
tainly have furnished an inducement
sufficient to draw him to the new
country. But, Of course, America can
have no ruins like this for centuries.
Melrose Abbey was built in the 18th
century by David I, and was almost
wholly destroyed by Edward II. 1t
was rebuilt by Robert Bruce in the 14th
century, and once more destroyed and
rebuilt again in the 18th century. The
massive walls with the large openings
for windows tell their silent but ex-
pressive story. Within the limits Of
these walls. the heart Of Bruce Is bur-
led and here Michael Scott Is buried.
The ruins give us some conception Of
what the building was in its true glory
and beauty.
From Melrose, we went out In a
coach about two miles to Abbotsford,
the home Of Sir Walter Scott, beau
tiful drive. This beautiful and pictur-
esque home Of Sir Walter is located on
the river Tweed. 1t Is charming
place, with beautiful flower gardens
shrubbery and trees, surrounded by
high walls, an ideal place for study
and meditation. About a half a
dozen rooms in the large house are
open to the public. We were In the
study where Scott wrote many Of his
noted books. There Is a large collec-
ton Of books in this, with steps lead
ing up to a little platform extending
around the room from which books
near the overhead ceiling can be gotten
easily. From this platform there Is
little door entering Scott's bedroom.
But we did not go into the latter.
The chair and desk Of the great author
are in the study, and everything In this
room Is just about as he left it. The
library Is a large room and contains
about 10000 volumes, and 1t Is just as
Scott left 1t. From one Of the windows
of this room, you get beautiful view
Of the river as 1t flows quietly by.
There are many objects Of interest IN
this room, presents given to Scott by
prominent men from many parts Of the
world, and relics of an historical char
acter collected by Scott himself. There
Is a handsome writing desk and fifteen
chairs made Of ebony given to Sir
Walter by George w. This desk Is said
to be the finest in the world. We went
into three or four more rooms fitted
with objects of interest, among them
a large collection of pictures Of various
kinds. I saw a picture here Of the
head of Mary, Queen Of Scots after 1t
had been severed from her body. There
is also in one Of the rooms a picture
of Mrs. Lockhart, the daughter or
Scott, and also picture Of Mrs. Scott
who now owns this beautiful and mag
nificent property. This Mrs. Scott Is
a granddaughter Of Mrs. Lockhart, and
hence the great-granddaughter OF
Scott. She has taken the name OF
Scott as there are no male descendants
by the name. I also saw the last suit
of clothes worn by Scott. Time Will
not permit me to mention other things
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