extremely interesting, I have subjoined it in a note, for the gratification of my readers.*

*« During this truce between England and Scotland, it happened that king Robert of Scotland, who had been a very valiant knight, waxed old, and was attacked with so severe an illness, (the leprosy) that he saw his end was approaching. He therefore summoned together all the chiefs and barons, in whom he most confided, and, after having told them, that he should never get the better of this sickness, he commanded them, upon their honour and loyalty, to keep and preserve faithfully and entire the kingdom, for his son David, and obey him and crown him king when he was of a proper age, and to marry him with a lady suitable to his station.

"He after that called to him the gallant lord James Douglas, and said to him, in presence of the others, my dear friend, lord James Douglas, you know that I have had much to do, and have suffered many troubles, during the time I have lived, to support the rights of my crown: at the time that I was most occupied, I made a vow, the non-accomplishment of which gives me much uneasiness.—I vowed, that if I could finish my wars in such a manner, that I might have quiet to govern peaceably, I would go and make war against the enemies of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the adversaries of the christian faith. To this point my heart has always leaned; but our Lord was not willing, and gave me so much to do in my life-time, and this last expedition has lasted so long, followed by this heavy sickness, that, since my body cannot accomplish what my heart wishes, I will send my heart instead of my body to fulfil my vow. And as I do not know any one knight so gallant or enterprising, or better formed to complete my intentions than yourself, I beg and intreat of you, dear and special friend, as earnestly as I can, that you would have the goodness to undertake this expedition for the love of me, and to acquit my soul to our Lord and Saviour; for I have that opinion of your nobleness and loyalty, that, if you undertake it, it cannot fail of success-and I shall die more contented: but it must be executed: as follows:

"I will, that as soon as I shall be dead, you take my heart from my body, and have it well embalmed: you will also take as much money from my treasury, as will appear to you sufficient to perform your

As the town of Dumfermline stands on elevated ground, and the steeple, which is very high, is seen at a vast distance in almost every direction, as already noticed, so the prospect from the battlements of this, is one of the most extensive, as well as beautiful, in this island. From thence is to be seen part of fourteen different counties, including the Sontra, and Lammer-Muir Hills; Ben Lomond, Ben Leddia, and

journey, as well as for all those whom you may choose to take with you in your train; you will then deposit your charge at the holy sepulchre of our Lord, where he was buried, since my body cannot go there. You will not be sparing of expense-and provide yourself with such company, and such things, as may be suitable to your rank-and wherever you pass, you will let it be known, that you bear the heart of king Robert of Scotland, which you are carrying beyond seas, by his command, since his body cannot go thither!

"All those persons began bewailing bitterly; and when the lord James could speak, he said, 'Gallant and noble king, I return you a hundred thousand thanks, for the high honour you do me, and for the valuable and dear treasure which you entrust me; and I will most willingly do all that you command me, with the utmost loyalty in my power; never doubt it, however I may feel myself unworthy of such a high distinction.'

"The king replied Gallant knight, I thank you-you promise it

me then?'

"Certainly, sir, most willingly,' answered the knight. He then gave his promise upon his knighthood.

"The king said, Thanks be to God, for I shall now die in peace, since I know that the most valiant and accomplished knight of my kingdom, will perform that for me, which I am unable to do for myself.'

"Soon afterwards, the valiant Robert Bruce, king of Scotland, departed this life, on the 7th of November, 1327. His heart was embalmed, and his body buried in the monastery of Dunfermline. Translation of Sir John Froissart's Chronicles, by Mr. Johnes, vol. 1. p. 72-3.

Benvoirlich; the Kippen Hills, and the south-western extremity of the Aichil or Ochil Hills, and the Hills of Campsie; the Pentland Hills; Hopetoun House; Blackness Castle; Linlithgow, and Borroustouness; Culross; the meandrings of the Forth from Stirling to Leith, and the metropolis of Scotland, with its castle and spires: all which places are very distinctly and clearly seen from the steeple of Dumfermline, in clear weather.

FROM DUMFERMLINE TO ST. ANDREWS.

IN my way from Dumfermline I fell in with a great number of people about the door of a decentlooking house. Upon inquiry, I found that a man within had been, for some days, in a trance, or was actually dead. He had no appearance of life, yet he was neither cold nor stiff, nor had he that pale cadaverous colour which dead bodies generally assume. As he had been several days in this state, without the least breath, motion, or sign of life, they were at a loss to know whether it would be proper to bury him or not. For my part, I could give no advice, other than to let the body remain unburied till signs of putrefaction appeared. I mentioned that dead bodies are sometimes found turned on their face in coffins and suffocated, having returned to life after they have been buried, and bleeding at the nose, mouth, and ears. Having thus, done what I could to have the body kept a little longer above ground, I soon arrived at Inverkeithing.

I need scarcely, I suppose, mention, that the word Inver, means the mouth or place where one river runs into another, or into the sea. Hence Inveresk, the mouth of the Esk; Inverness, the mouth of the river Ness; Inverary, the mouth of the river of that name; and so on.

Inverkeithing is a royal burgh, where David I, king of Scotland, had a royal palace. There is a fine

large commodious bay near this place, to which ships often run in distress. The town is but small, and very irregularly built; it has, however, some foreign and domestic trade.

Having found a church door open, and seeing people going into it, I went in with the rest, and found the clergyman, who, though a man of a decent appearance, was literally a thumper on the cushion, commenting on that passage, "Thou shalt not seeth a kid in its mother's milk," and vociferating against the abominable barbarity of those who were so void of feeling as to think of such a dish. He seemed zealous enough, and to be perfectly acquainted with rant and declamation, but totally destitute of logical deduction and biblical knowledge, an acquaintance with Jewish antiquities, and indeed common sense; for neither have the people of Inverkeithing any kids; nor, if they had, would they ever think of seething them in their mother's milk.

Having seen Sir John Henderson's pretty seat, Aberdour, the earl of Morton's, and the earl of Moray's vast improvements, and been much pleased with the beauty and variety of objects occurring almost every where in this part of the country, as well as Burnt Island, the great emporium of the herring fishery, I came to Kinghorn.

While at Kinghorn, I learnt that Mr. S- Hsome time ago had a hairsbreadth escape there. He was impatient to be at Edinburgh, as he was in hopes of an excellent place; and his obtaining it depended entirely on his being there before the post. He waited for hours, but, the weather being stormy, no boat would venture out. At length