force would foon take poffeffion of cernible in other rocks, fuch as glit. thofe which are fitteft for habitation tering or goldcoloured mica, crystal, and fafety. The bones and remains and a more or lefs hardened bafis, of the largest and fierceft wild beafts, in which thefe are wrapped up and fuch as the elephant, rhinoceros, confined. It is found, evidently ftralion, tiger, bear, and wolf, formerly tified, in uncouth beds of immenfe the lords of the wilderness, are still extent, variously inclined, which found in many of them, and confti- furnishes folid masses of almost every tute fo many proofs of their exclufive fize and dimension. poffeffion. Is it to be wondered at, that the ftouteft, fiercest, and craftieft among the lords of thewhole creation, fhould alfo have laid hold and kept fimilar poffeffion of them from the remoteft antiquity? A good cavern was then a fuperb palace; under certain circumstances it is fo ftill. If these greatmen, or ufurpers, became afterwards objects of fuperftitious adoration, or if they have themselves been the framers of any fyftem of fuperftition, then we shall no longer be at a lofs to account for the almoft univerfal tradition which characterifès rocks and caverns as the haunts and facred habitations of the Gods; and in confequence of which the form and gloom of fuch caverns have been univerfally imitated in the oldest temples. Their external form and appearance is the fpiry rock, the towering cliff, and the mountain in its immenfe extent: How various! how grand! Their inner form, their breaks, and maffes, how infinitely more various, grand, and majeftic than any thing which the poor wigwam, and its moft ingenious imitations, can fuggeft or boaft of, which, compared to them, dwindle into nothing; their wonderful variety, their shape, their structure, combination of parts, and natural ornaments, depend partly on the difference of the causes and circumftances under which they have been formed, and on the nature of the mountains in which they are found. The Granite, which forms the highest maffes of the oldeft mountains, affects particular forms, and difplays a mixture of parts, which are either not found, or are lefs dif. The largest obelisks of Egypt have been hewn out of them. When fhattered or broken by the irrefiftable fhock of earthquakes, the impetuofity of torrents, when worn by the current of rivers, or corroded or moulded by the flower action of frost, wind, and weather, the horrid crush and downfall of mountains prefents the granite blocks and ftrata in their rude unwieldy immenfity, wildly piled upon each other, fo as to form, accidentally, huts and caverns beneath. In the fame manner, they appear naked and laid bare on the weather-beaten tops and prominen ces of the highest mountains. The fiffures and divifions of the maffes appear in various directions, agreeably to the force which has acted upon them; and in fome cafes they are wonderfully equipoifed and balanced upon each other. I have been informed by an inge nious and learned friend of mine, well acquainted with the natural hif tory of Cornwall, that we need not go to Upper Egypt or the Alps for the ftudy of granite mountains; the whole fouth-wefterly end of this island, beginning at Dartmoor in Devonshire, and extending through the whole county of Cornwall, to the remoteft cliffs and rocks of the Scilly Islands, is more or lefs a mass of granite, almost every where interfected by metallic veins; that this chiefly appears in St Michael's Mount, in Mount's Bay, on the fouth coaft; that fome metallic veins or lodes, in the high-towering cliffs on the north coaft, corroded and decomposed by the furious battering of the fea,, fea, have left ftupendous caverns and excavations, of which he mentions one in Wicka Cove, between St Ives, and St Juft, as particularly grand, and worthy the infpection of the artift, as well as of the natural hiftorian. In calcareous, mostly stratified mountains, caverns are more various and common: befides the accidental caves produced by the giving way and tumbling down of mountainous maffes, and the decompofition of metallic and other lodes, more extenfive and fingular excavations are found in them, evidently produced by earthquakes, or by the decompofition of parts of the rocky maffes, or of the ftratified rock-falt, which they furrounded and covered. Such are, I am informed, among many others, the caverns near Chudleigh and Plymouth, in Devonshire, and thofe which are fo juftly famous near Caftleton and Buxton, in Derbyshire. In these last we behold the undeniable prototype of the lofty femicircular dome, and of the arched vault, of which the hut of the Grecians could not fuggeft the idea. I defcribe them, from the accurate obfervations of the above-mentioned ingenious gentleman, as wonderfully regular, and as large conical excavations in the roof of these caverns, which examined by the light of torches appeared to refemble fo many femicircular or parabolical cupolas, or, to ufe a lefs dignified comparifon, fo many immenfe bells. The caverns in calcareous or more modern adventitious mountains, fhew in their walls, befides the texture and ftratification, petrified, marine, or other bodies, which are uever found in granite, or fimilar filicious ftones, a wonderful variety of glittering fpar chryftals; and in particular, incruftations of fnow-white fpar or ftalactite, which either form undulated hangings on their fides, or icicles dripping from their roofs in the fhape of columns, pillars &c. Thefe are the peculiar glories and features of the grotto of Antiparos. I pafs over the caverns in flate and the loofer gritftone, to dwell one inftant longer on thofe which are produced by volcanic eruptions, and chiefly by the contraction of cooling lavas. They totally differ in form and features from the preceding: the forms which thefe affume will refemble the apertures and bubbles which are found in other fcoria. Some of them which are found in Iceland will hold numerous flocks of fheep; they are fpread hundreds of fathoms in various branches under ground, and have ferved formerly as ftrong holds and habitations to the ruftic heroes and warriors, whofe names are highly celebrated in the traditional hiftory and fongs of that country. Fingal's famous and magnificent grotto is a large ftratum of columnar bafaltes, in the Isle of Staffa, though probably it never was fit for habitation, and ftill lefs what fome philofphers have fuppofed it to be, the prototype of the column. That caverns in the loofer chalk, grit-stone, and beds of hardened volcanic ashes, or tufa, are exceedingly improveable; and that caverns have been inhabited and varioufly improved, is, I think, undeniably evident, from what we fee and read in the monuments and antiquities of every part of the world, and particularly from the immense excavated works in the island of Salfet on the coaft of Malabar, and many others. The eafy task of specific historical proof I must leave to others; and requeft my readers just to confider, that when enlarged and improved natural caverns in rocks and mountains became infufficient to the increafing numbers of men and families, their improvement and enlargement, whatever it might have been, muft naturally bring on imitations of their forms, by artificial excavations of rocks, or artificial grottos, ca verns, 3 verns, and catacomb, by the piling up of loofe and moveable, natural ftones; and, laftly, by the compofition of brick, or other artificial imitations of natural stones, which of courfe would produce walls, huts, and houses of stone, mud, or brick, and nearly of the fame form. One natural inference may and ought to be drawn from what has been said, that the feveral fpecies of ftone buildings, which have been brought more or lefs to perfection, (I mean the Egyptian, Hindoo, Moorish, and Gothic architecture) instead of being copies of each other, are actually and effentially the fame; the spontaneous produce of genius in different countries; the neceffary effects of fimilar neceffity and materials; older and younger brothers and fifters of the fame family, conceived, brought up, and bred to more or less grandeur, elegance, and perfection, in the Egyptian, Hindoo, and other artificial grottos and caverns. The pyramid, the obelisk, the fpire,fteeple and minaret, are evidently bold, ftupendous imitations of the romantic forms of fpiry, towering rocks, which the imitators of humble huts never prefumed to attempt. The flat roof hundred pillared Egyptian temple, the Indian pagoda, and choultry, are as evident copies of the numerous caverns, cool grottos, and excavations in the rocky banks of the Nile in Upper Egypt, and in the Iland of Elephanta and Salfet near Bombay. Gloom and darkness are common and defirable to both; for Fancy works beft when involved in the veil of obfcurity. The arched Such are my fentiments on the origin of these different modes of architecture. The Grecian confeffedly was fuggefted by the primitive form of a rural hut in a champaign woody country; and the Oriental and Gothic I conceive has derived its form and its ornaments from those furprifing excavations which are found in rocky and mountainous regions. In India these heterogeneous fpecies of building are feldom found combined; and I mention the inftance which gave rife to this difcuffion as very fingular indeed. By what means this unnatural union has taken place it is impoffible to determine; and conjecture would only lead us aftray from the object of thefe pages, which is a narrative and defcription of facts. BIOGRAPHICAL ANECDOTES OF EMINENT SCOTSMEN. THE vault and lofty dome was not fuggefted to the Egyptians and oldest Hindoos by the grotto and facred caverns in granite mountains; they are the natural forms of other caverns, and in particular the boast, the ftrength, and glory of more modern Moorish and Gothic temples. PARISH OF PITSLIGO, (COUNTY OF ABERDEEN.) If the fingle or grouped pillars, in many of the props and fupports of artificial caverns, fhould appear heavy, they must be regarded as having been originally props to mountains; and fuch would be retained in com mon ufe, till experience found out easier and more pleafing proportions; and till afpiring genius, at the fight of airy and lofty caverns, dared to give them lightnefs, and all the fanciful forms and graces of the Gothic ftyle, EXTRACTED FROM THE STATISTICAL ACCOUNT OF SCOTLAND. had formerly been chaplain in Lord Pitiligo's family. From this place he removed to Aberdeen; where he is faid to have preached before King Charles II. after his return from the D continent, The Spectator mentions this Mr Andrew Cant, No. 147, where he fays, that he was minister of an illiterate part in the north of Scotland, and derives the term canting from his name, though it feems more probable to have been derived from the Latin. continent, but before his Restoration. without the knowledge of Latin grammar, he made application to the then parih fchoolmafter, Mr John Tufcan, (who is ftill alive,) for his affiftance. Some time after, by the countenance and patronage of the late Reverend and learned Principal Tullidelph, an heritor of this parish, he was encouraged to profecute his ftudies at the Univerfity of St Andrews. An unexampled proficiency in every branch of literature recommended him to the esteem of the Profeffors: and an uncommon fund of wit and pleafantry rendered him, at the fame time, the favourite of all his fellow ftudents, fome of whom fpeak of him to this day, with an enthufiaftic degree of admiration and refpect. About this period, fome very humorous poetical pieces of .. Of all the eminent men born in this parish, none has been more remarkable for genius and learning than Mr Jerome Stone. His father, (a reputable seafaring man,) dying abroad when Jerome was but three years old, the mother, with her young family, was left in very narrow circumstances. Jerome, like the rest of the children, having got his compofition were published in the Scots Magazine. Before he had finifhed his third feffion at St Andrews, on an application to the College, by the Rector of the school of Dunkeld, for an affiftant, Mr Stone was recommended as the best qualified for that office; and about two or three years after, the Rector being removed to Perth, Mr Stone, by the favour of his Grace the Duke of Atholl, who had conceived a high opinion of his abilities, was promoted to the rectorship. When he first went to Dunkeld, he entertained but an unfavourable opinion of the Erfe language, which he confidered as a barbarous gibberifh: But in order to inveftigate the origin and defcent of the ancient Scots, he applied to the ftudy of their primitive language. Having, with his ufual affiduity, endeavoured to mafter his grammatical difficulties, he fet himself to discover fomething of its true genius and character He collected a number of ancient poems, the production of Irish or Scottish bards, which, he faid, were daring, innocent, paffionate, and bold. Some of thefe poems were tranflated into English PARISH OF SCOONIE, the ordinary school education, reading English, writing and arithmetic, betook himself to the bufinefs of a travelling chapman. But the dealing in buckles, garters and fuch fmall ar ticles, not fuiting his fuperior genius, he foon converted his little ftock into books, and, for fome years, went through the country, and attended the fairs as an itinerant book feller. There is great reafon to believe, that he engaged in this new fpecies of traffic, more with a view to the improvement of his mind, than for any pecuniary emolument. Formed by nature for literature, he poffeffed a peculiar talent for acquir. ing languages with amazing facility. By a ftrange predilection, he firft applied to the fudy of the Hebrew and Greek; and, by a wonderful effort of genius and application, made himself fo far master of thefe languages, without any kind of affiftance, as to be able to interpret the Hebrew Bible and Greek Teftament into English ad aperturam libri. At this time he did not know one word of Latin. Senfible that he could make no great progress in learning, English verfe; which feveral perfons now alive have feen in manufcript, before Mr Macpherson published any of his tranflations from Offian. 86 He died while he was writing and preparing for the prefs, a Treatife entitled an Inquiry into the Oriiginal of the Nation and Language "of the ancient Scots, with con"jectures about the primitive ftate "of the Celtic and other European "nations ;" an idea which could not have been conceived by an ordinary genius. In this treatife, he proves, by the clearest reafoning, that the Scots drew their original, as well as their language, from the ancient Gauls. Had Mr Stone lived to finish this work, which discovers great ingenuity, immenfe reading, and indefatigable induftry, it would have thrown light upon the dark and early periods of the Scottish history, as he opens a new and plain path, for leading us through the unexplored labyrinths of antiquity. But a fever put an end to his life, his labours, and his usefulness, in the year 1757, being then only in the 30th year of his age. He left, in manufcript, a much esteemed and well-known allegory, entitled" the Immortality of 66 66 authors," which has been published, and often reprinted fince his death, and will be a lafting monument of a lively fancy, found judgment, and correct tafte. It was no fmall ornament of this extraordinary character, that he paid a pious regard to his aged mother, who furvived him two years, and received an annual pension from the Duchess of Atholl, as a teftimony of refpect to the memory, of her fon. PARISH OF DUMFRIES. Amongst the eminent men,that have belonged to Dumfries, may be mentioned Mr Alexander Cairncrofs. He was minifter here in the last century, in the short reign of Epifcopacy, and was afterwards tranflated to the fee of Brechin, of Glasgow, and of Raphoe in Ireland, where he died, and where his memory is ftill refpected. A Mr George Campbell, too, in the laft century, after being minister here, became Profeffor of Divinity in the Univerfity of Edinburgh. The late Dr Ebenezer Gilchrist, who died in 1774, was a man of confiderable eminence in his profeffion, and highly diftinguished for general literature. He published An effay on the ufe of fea voyages in confumptive cafes, which was favourably received. The late Commiffary John Goldie, who died in 1776, is allowed to have been one of the moft refpectable inferior judges in Scotland. The late Andrew Crofbie, Efq. of Holm, advocate, and Dr William Wight, late profeffor of divinity in Glafgow, both natives. of this place, well deferve to be enumerated among thofe whofe talents have done honour to their profeffion. PARISH OF PORTMOAK, (COUNTY OF KINROSS.) Under this article may be mentioned Andrew Winton, who was prior of Lochleven in the reign of James I. He wrote what is called the Lochleven Chronicle; hiftory of 'the world from its creation to the cap'tivity of James I. in Scotch metre.' There is a copy of it ftill in the Advocates library, which is frequently appealed to by later hiftorians.-John Douglas, of the family of Pittendriech, was a man of learning. He was Provoft of the new College of St Andrews, and afterwards Rector of the Univerfity of that place. In the year 1571, he was appointed Archbishop of St Andrews, and was the first Profeffor who enjoyed that fee. Mr John Mair, late Rector of the Academy at Perth, received his education in this parish. His numerous productions, to facilitate the education of youth, are well known in all the fchools.-Michael Bruce must not be omitted under D 2 this |