windings of this noble river, is here navigable by small vessels, but so singularly intricate, that its channel, from Stirling to Alloa, a distance of only six miles in a direct line, extends to nearly twenty. At the latter place, it expands to the breadth of half-a-mile, and soon swells out into a capacious estuary. Most of the towns along its coasts, to the distance of Edinburgh, are distinctly descried. Northward, the beautiful Ochils appear in sight; and, in that direction, may be pointed out the Sheriffmuir, where, in 1715, the battle was fought between the king's troops and those of the Pretender. Southward, are the Campsie Fells, remarkable for their rapid acclivity, level summits, and rich verdure; and to the west, not less fertile or delightfully variegated with wood and water than the eastern valley, is seen the vale of Monteith, stretched out to the bases of Benlomond and Bevenue. The former seems of more imposing magnitude when seen from Stirling Castle, than from the margin of its own lake; and there can be no doubt, that the grand and striking features of the view from Stirling are to be found in the Grampian barrier from Benlomond to Benvoirloch, including the Arrochar Hills, Benledi, Benmore, and other mountains, which form a sort of amphitheatre of great height, with bold and broken outlines.

The town of Stirling contains a population of about 8000, which is believed to be upon the increase. Some of its public buildings deserve notice. The Greyfriars' Church, erected by James V. is a very handsome building, in the best style of Gothic architecture, but is now divided, and forms two Presbyterian churches. It was in this place the Earl of Arran, governor of the kingdom during Queen Mary's minority, publicly renounced the reformed religion in 1543. It was also here that James VI. was crowned. In the adjoining church-yard, General

Monk erected his batteries against the castle; and the tower and roof of the church have many marks of bullets fired by the garrison in their defence. Several shells were also fired at this church from the castle in 1746, when the rebels celebrated their victory of the battle of Falkirk in it.

To the north of the church stands a ruinous building called Mar's Work, erected by the Regent Mar in the minority of James VI. It was built from the ruins of the celebrated abbey of Cambuskenneth, which stood upon the north bank of the Forth, in the vicinity of Stirling. To mark his contempt of the reproaches cast upon him on account of the imputed sacrilege, he caused to be inscribed upon it the following lines:

Esspy. Speik. Furth. I Cair. Notht.

Consider. Weil. I Cair. Notht."

The building has been greatly dilapidated.

Near Mar's Work, on the right of the street leading to the castle, is a spacious edifice, called Argyll's Lodging, built by the eminent poet, Sir William Alexander, created Earl of Stirling. It was afterwards acquired by the Earl of Argyll, who entertained here, in 1681, the Duke of York, in whose subsequent reign he was iniquitously put to death.

There are three Hospitals in Stirling, one of which was founded by Spittal, (whose name it bears,) tailor to James the Fourth. In the Council-house is a vessel called a jug, formerly appointed by law to be the standard of dry measure for Scotland.

As Stirling is justly admired for the richness of its landscapes, and the grandeur of the surrounding scenery, the tourist should not omit to visit the interesting objects in its neighbourhood. Dumiat, the highest of the Ochil hills, at the distance of a morning's walk, commands one of the noblest views any where to be met with, or he may have the same view, somewhat softened,

from a height in the grounds of Airthrey, still nearer than Dumiat. Should his leisure permit, he may also feel disposed to make an excursion to Dunblane, distant six miles, and the Roman Camp of Ardoch, about twelve miles distant. In doing so, he crosses the bridge at Stirling, and afterwards the bridge of Allan, a mile and a half beyond which the road passes Kippenross, the beautiful seat of John Stirling, Esq. In the lawn there is a plane tree, remarkable for its size, being 27 feet in circumference at the ground, and 30 where the branches shoot out. A little beyond Kippenross is

DUNBLANE,

a place of great antiquity, delightfully situate upon the water of Allan. The cathedral stands on an eminence on the eastern bank of the river. It was founded in 1142, and richly endowed by David I. that “ sore saint for the crown," as James I. described him. The building is in ruins, but enough of it remains to attest its pristine magnificence. The choir is used as the parish church, having lately been elegantly fitted up in the Gothic style. The climate of Dunblane has been highly praised for its salubrity; and the mineral spring at Cromlix, in its vicinity, is much resorted to. The spring is situate on the banks of the Allan, about two miles above Dunblane; a delightful walk by the side of the river leads to it. In the town is a library, founded by the good Bishop Leighton, afterwards Archbishop of Glasgow. About a mile beyond Dunblane is Kippendavie, (Stirling, Esq.) on the right, near the western extremity of the Sheriff-muir, or Muir of Dunblane, where the battle was fought in 1715, between the royal army under the Duke of Argyll, and that of the Pretender, under the Earl of Mar. It is not a little extraordinary, that each of the two armies should have retreated under

the impression of being defeated; each being successful on one wing but repulsed on the other; Argyll was in fact the victor, for he succeded in covering Stirling, and kept Mar hemmed in beyond the Forth. Burns has made this battle the subject of a song, which is replete with humour:

"I heard the thuds, and saw the cluds

O' clans frae woods, in tartan duds,

Wha glaum'd at kingdoms three, man!"

Four miles beyond Kippendavie, the road reaches Greenloaning, and a mile and a half further on, Ardoch, the property of William Moray Stirling, Esq. The Roman camp upon this estate is the most entire in Britain, and is a fine specimen of the castrametation of that once powerful people, and is supposed to have been the work of Agricola. Its area is an oblong of 140 yards by 125 within the lines; the prætorium, which is not in the centre, is a regular square, each side being exactly 20 yards. The situation is remarkably well chosen; on the southeast side is a deep morass, and on the west side it is defended by the banks of the water of Knaick, that rise perpendicularly to the height of about 50 feet; around are great ditches, those on the east, five in number, being about 55 yards in breadth. There are evident marks of the camp having been enclosed with a stone wall. Adjoining this great camp are two other encampments, more slightly fortified. A subterraneous communication is supposed to have existed between the great camp and another Roman work on the opposite side of the river, of which some vestiges still remain. A hole once descended many fathoms from the prætorium, but it was closed up in 1720. Great pains have been taken by the proprietor to preserve the camp from injury. In the House of Ardoch there is an urn, which was dug from the prætorium, containing ashes and small

pieces of a human skull. From Ardoch there is a Roman causeway, now covered with heath, leading to a camp of observation, called Kemp's Castle, on the top of the muir of Orchill.

Returning from Ardoch to Stirling, and leaving that city, the Tourist proceeds along the bridge of Stirling, of unknown antiquity, and the first which connects the opposite shores of the Forth. In 1745, the southmost arch was broken down, by order of General Blakeney, to prevent the approach of the rebels, but afterwards rebuilt as it now stands.

Looking down the river from the bridge, the tourist will observe, at the distance of half a mile, the ruins of Cambuskenneth Abbey, on the north bank of the river, and near to it, a rugged hill called Abbey Craig, upon which the Scottish army under Wallace was stationed to oppose the passage of the English under Warrene in 1297. The only bridge at that time over the Forth was opposite to this spot: it was made of timber, and so narrow that only two persons could pass it abreast. The English army continued to cross the bridge and to form on the opposite bank, from the dawn till eleven o'clock, when the action commenced; Wallace detached a strong body of troops to stop the passage, this was done so effectually, that many upon the bridge, in the hurry of their retreat, were precipitated into the river and drowned. At the same time, the Scots made a furious attack upon that part of the English army which had made good the passage, and routed them with dreadful carnage.

After crossing Stirling Bridge, the road proceeds

*The usual carriage road to the Trosachs has been preferred. But Loch Katrine may be approached by another carriage road to