The Sun. — 1858-04-08 (London, England)

MONTANARO."  DESTRUCTION OF TLI3 EARL OF MORAY'S RESIDENCE BY PIHE.  (Prom the Caledonian Mercury, of April 7.)  It is our melancholy duty to announce the total destruction by firs of Donibristle House, the charming ci I residence of the Earl of Moray, and the ancient seat of the Moray family, on the Firth of Forth. The fire broke out between seven and eight o'clock yesterday morning ; and by ten o'clock, such was the devouring nature of the flames, the whole building was a notes of ruins, Lofting remaining save smouldering wood and blackened walls. How the fire originated is not known. None of the family were resiing in the house at the time, and the servants who took charge of the mansion lived in a building apart. Fires, however, were put on in it, almost every day. and it is supposed that the conflagration originated in some of the chimnies. It was first discovered breaking through the roof, and assistance not being immediately to be had, it soon Rained such power as to defy all efforts to extit guish it. Fire-engines were obtained from Dunfermline, and one was shipped from Edinburgh. B-fore they arrived, however, the flames had such a hold of the building that they proved of no essential service. A great number of people from Inverkeithing, including the Magistrates, were present at the earliest moment to render assistance. When the fire was firet covered, Mr. Ted, farmer, Latham, with his servants, hastened to the Scene; and, with the assi,tauce of Mr. Smith, forester, and the gardeners and other servants on the estate, caved the whole library and a number of valeablo paintings (the Courts of Charles I. and IT., by L.ly) from one of the drawing-rooms. Most unfortunately, however, the rare and pricele,s paintings in the dining-room, including the fate& p, r rai s, were lost, with the exception of an original portrait of the Regent Moray, and ono other saved by a slater named Young, from laverkeithing, and a roan named MAO el, at he risk of their lives, part of their clothes having been burnt if. Donibristle, from the Firth of Forth, formed a prominent object, and although by no means a fine house, arc'nitec.urally speaking, was one of those thee Hos so associated with the ancient history of Sco land, g as to make its destruction a matter of regret to all Nolo have ever seen it. To the Moray family it is, in a cert: twin terse, irreparable. The house was once burned vefore by th Eert of newly, at the ins, igation, it is suppose', of King Jame-, when the " Bonnie Earl of 'ray," of whom the King was je,leus, was attempting to escape. Frona Messrs. Fellarion'slain in s "Im: serial Gaz-tteer of Scotland," we tske the followieg brief not of Donibristle : " The house of Donibristle, a seat of the Earl of lyl :rah, eas formerly the residence of tie Abbot of St. Combo, but it has since been grea'ly re'aiged and improved. D.:nibristle was, in 1592, the scene of the cruel murder of the Bonnie Earl,' whew, personal attractions and accomilishmente, it is alleged oV some historians, had impressed the heart of Anne of Denmark, and excited the jealousy of her royal spouse. f aim at least was the popular notion of the t me  `He was a braw gallant, And he play'd at the gluve ; And the bonny Earl of Murray, Oh ! he was the queeno'.:ov...' The 1-ss rusiained, besides Invaluable family relics, roast ho very great. We understand that the property MU covered 24 insurance,