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Ben-venue.

A wildering forest feather'd o'er
His ruin'd sides and summit hoar ;

While on the north, through middle air,

Ben-an heaved high his forehead bare."

Ben-venue is a mountain held in deep veneration by the superstitious Highlander. He believes there are, in a cave or recess, situated near the base of the mountain which overhangs the loch, supernaturals, which he calls Urisks, who can be induced, by attention, to perform the drudgery of the farm; and he believes, that many Highland families use them as servants of all work, they neither requiring rest nor sleep, performing their labours without intermission.

The tourist may ascend through a chasm on the southern side, to about 800 feet above the level of the lake, when he will have on the south Bealach-nambo, or the Pass of Cattle-a magnificent glade overhung with birches, the whole composing the most sublime piece of scenery that imagination can conceive.

This pass seems an immense gap, formed by the northern shoulder of Ben-venue, torn from the body of the mountain, by some violent convulsion of nature. In these inaccessible cliffs, a black eagle had her eyrie, committing much havock among lambs and sheep in the early spring, until, some years ago, she was expelled by a person let down by ropes from a height of 40 feet. While in this perilous situation, and plundering the nest, the old eagle returned, and was shot by a person keeping watch.-Since that period, the species have not haunted this mountainous region.

After having attentively surveyed this wonderful scenery, let the stranger then tack about, and, steering

Ben-venue.

along the north-eastern shore of Ellen's island, his eye will be delighted with the boldness of the bank, thickly wooded with oaks, mountain ashes, and aged aspens. On the northern promontory of the isle may be traced "The clambering unsuspected road,

That winded through the tangled screen."

On quitting the island, he may either direct his course to the silver stream, near which Fitz-James

"Stood concealed amid the brake,

To view the Lady of the Lake:"

Or he may be conveyed by water to the spot from whence he started. Should he return to the Trosachs towards the east, he will meet with some views of a high cast, but not equal to what have been described.

STIRLING,

ΤΟ

DUNBLANE, CRIEFF, COMRIE, &c.

THE great road leading to the North of Scotland by Stirling, passes Dunblane. This road is pleasant and picturesque as soon as it joins the water of Allan.

Dunblane is rather remarkable for what it has been, than what it is now.

The cathedral was founded by David I. in 1142, and situated on an eminence, as the name imports: what now remains is used as the parochial church. At the west end are 32 prebends stalls, and on the north of the entrance to the cathedral, are the seats of the Bishop and Dean, both of oak, and handsomely carved. The length is 216 feet, the breadth 76, the height of the walls 50. The height of the spire is 128 feet, two stories of which were built by Bishop Leighton.

Dunblane.

Some years ago, the noblemen and gentlemen in this neighbourhood exerted themselves to arrest the rapid decay of this venerable building. The money raised by them for this purpose, with L. 100 from the Exchequer, amounted to L.500, which sum being most judiciously applied, will be the means of saving this venerable pile from decay for many years.

Dr Robert Leighton, first ordained Bishop of Dunblane, and afterwards promoted to the Archbishoprick of Glasgow, endowed a valuable library here, as also a house for holding the books, with funds to pay the necessary expences, and make additions from time to time.

The Bishop's palace stands in the centre of the town, still retaining some of its ancient decorations, although now debased into hay-lofts, warehouses, and whiskyshops

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When standing on the bridge of Dunblane, looking down the river, a fine wooded scene is seen, and the banks dipping towards the water, form a picturesque landscape. The river is an interesting object, holding its way to the Forth, sometimes chaffing with the opposing rocks, pleases the eye and the ear. This place receives an accession of sprightliness in the summer months, from the resort of genteel company, enjoying the scenery, and drinking water from a spring said to have medicinal qualities. At the lower end of the town, is an artificial walk, shaded by a close-set row

Grampians.

of luxuriant beeches, which stretches along the banks of the river that flows underneath.

Near the farther extremity of this walk will be seen, in the Lawn of Kippenross, a plane or sycamore tree, supposed to be the largest of its kind in Scotland. The circumference at the ground is 27 feet, the branches stretching over a circle of 100 feet in diameter; when in foliage, it makes a pleasing and solemn impression upon the spectator, shaded underneath;

Holding on the journey to Crieff, the road passes over some rather bare country. At a place called Ardoch, near Greenloaning, is to be seen the most entire and beautiful remains of a Roman Camp to be found in Scotland. This encampment is supposed to have been constructed by Agricola in his fourth campaign in Britain. It is 1060 feet in length, 900 in breadth, and would contain 26,000 men, according to the ordinary distribution of the Roman soldiers in their encampments. Several monuments have been found here, which verifies the fact of its having been a Roman camp.

The Grampians begin here to make an appearance. These mountains run through the middle of Scotland, from Aberdeenshire in the east, to Argyleshire in the west, and generally present a bold and imposing front. The Romans, when they had driven the natives thus far, considered them pushed beyond the habitable world, and retreated behind their fortified wall, running between the Friths of Clyde and Forth. The Caledonians, however, bore with impatience their thraldom, and, on every occasion that promised success, sallied out of their mountainous fastnesses with recruited strength, bearing in mind their former chas

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