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V.

ICOLMKILL.

"The hoary druid saw thee rise,

And planting there his guardian spell,
Sung forth the dreadful pomp to swell
Of human sacrifice."

How beautiful, beneath the morning sky,
The level sea outstretches like a lake,
Serene, when not a zephyr is awake
To curl the gilded pendant gliding by :--
Within a bowshot druid Icolmkill

ROGERS.

Presents its time-worn ruins, hoar and grey,
A monument of Eld remaining still,

Lonely, when all its brethren are away.

Dumb things may be our teachers; is it strange
That aught of death is perishing! Come forth,
Like rainbows show diversity of change,

And fade away-Aurora of the north!
Where altars rose, and choral virgins sung,
And victims bled, the sea-bird rears her young!

VI.

SCENE ON THE GRAMPIANS.

Nè greggi nè armenti

Guida bifolco mai, guida pastore.

AMID this vast, tremendous solitude,

Where nought is heard except the wild wind's sigh,
Or savage raven's deep and hollow cry,
With awful thought the spirit is embued !—
Around-around, for many a weary mile,

The Alpine masses stretch; the heavy cloud
Cleaves round their brows, concealing with its shroud
Bleak, barren rocks, unthawed by summer's smile.
Nought but the desart mountains and lone sky

Are here ;-birds sing not, and the wandering bee
Searches for flowers in vain; nor shrub, nor tree,

Nor human habitation greets the eye

Of heart-struck pilgrim; while around him lie
Silence and desolation, what is he!

THE AYRSHIRE LEGATEES;

Or, the Correspondence of the Pringle Family.

RESPONSIVE NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS.

We have been delighted to understand that the amiable community of Port Glasgow have been highly gratified with the notice taken of their beautiful steeple, in our number for July, by Miss Rachel Pringle. The epithet," insignificant," which the young lady applied to their town, was certainly not so conciliating as it might have been; but when it is considered that it was in her power to have employed one much more contemptuous, the inhabitants of the Port, with that candour, liberality, and intelligence, for which they are so justly celebrated, are very thankful for her delicacy, in consideration of the

attention paid to their steeple. Few edifices, indeed, have so well merited the affectionate regard of their respective communities as this much-beloved structure-a structure of which it may be truly said, that both art and nature have combined to render it perfect, the genius of an earthquake having been expressly called into action to give it an agreeable and gracious inclination towards its daily admirers in the shops and streets below-at least, we have not heard that the earthquake was ordained for any other purpose. By this "touch beyond the reach of art," this coup-de-grace, the steeple of Port Glasgow now vies with the famous Campanella or hanging tower of Pisa, the rocking steeple of Bristol, or the tumbledown tower of an ancient castle in Wales, of which we do not at this moment recollect the name, but when our friend Dr Peter Morris of Aberystwith returns to Edinburgh, we shall make particular inquiries on the subject.'

But it is neither on account of its beauty, nor its stature, nor its knowing and leaning condescension towards the people, that this edifice deserves the attention of the world in general, and the admiration of the classical scholar in particular. The inhabitants of Port Glasgow have, in fact, towards their steeple, with a taste peculiar to themselves, surpassed the ancient Athenian Greeks. Among that people, it was an occasional custom to erect monuments in commemoration of festivals and theatrical entertainments, as witness the choragic monument of Lysicrates, &c. But it was reserved for this more refined community to patronise theatrical entertainments expressly performed in honour of their steeple; and Mr Thornback† has preserved in his valuable travels by the steam-boat, an account of the bill that was issued on that occasion, and which had the effect of drawing one of the most numerous assemblages of rank, beauty, and fashion, ever known at the theatre, to the great relief of the starving children of Thespis, who had previously tried, in vain, all the ordinary artifices to attract an audience.

But it is not for mortals to enjoy unalloyed felicity. We have received a letter from Mr Thomas Barker, of Kilmarnock, better known among his friends by the jocose appellation of Drowthy Tammy, complaining, that in our annotations on the Pringle papers, we had made insinuations detrimental to the godly character of that orthodox town, and accusing us of winking and nodding, in a profane and profligate manner, at the well-sung "simper James" of Robin Burns the poet, than which no imputation can be more unjust or unfounded.

This, however, is nothing to the frantic anonymous charge that has been brought against us by a certain person in the townhead of Irvine, calling in question not only the authenticity of the Pringle letters, but even the existence of our correspondent, Mr M'Gruel, of Kilwinning.

To doubt the veracity of papers is no new species of scepticism, but to deny the being of a medical man, who has been at the expense of having a handsome gilded pestle and mortar placed over his door, and large beautiful bottles filled with water, of all the primary and primitive colours, displayed in his window, is, we do think, a flagrant example of the infidel tendencies of the present age. But we shall take no further notice at present of this person. By adverting to his place of residence, we have apprised him that he is known. Let him therefore take heed.

A far different correspondent we have found in the worthy Mr James Thegite of Greenock ;-that excellent character begs us to state, that the schism in the Tontine has been most happily adjusted, all the gentlemen of respectable po litical principles having abandoned the old rooms to the radicals, and left them in the avoided possession of the stools and chairs. It was proposed, as a just compliment to one eminent magistrate, to have his statue erected in bronze, in the assembly rooms, but the committee, on considering the proposition, dissuaded the subscribers, with the same reason that induced her late Majesty to decline the present of an elephant, namely, "He is too

• Caerphilly. DR MORRIS.

+ Our erudite friend, Mr Brydson, is not of opinion that this Mr Thornback is in any way related to the celebrated Mr Blethering Scait, who paid his addresses to Miss Maggy Lauder.

VOL. VIII.

B

big, he will cosh too moosh money." It gave us also great pleasure to understand, from the same intelligent source, that nothing in our Magazine occasioned the late fracas among the doctors of the Infirmary, and that there is no truth in the story of a certain M.D. having, in that affair, received a dangerous contusion in a particular part that shall be namless. The details, however, will probably, being a Greenock business, come before the courts.

We have, however, been surprised that no notice has yet been taken of the Pringle papers by any of our Glasgow correspondents, but the recent arrival of so many vessels from the West Indies, with turtle and limes, partly accounts for this. It is, however, pleasing to find, from so many different quarters, that a zealous public spirit is abroad, and it cannot be doubted, that the disposition which makes so many individuals observant of our attention to their respective communities, may be ascribed to the influence of the same spirit which, in other places, dictates to the friends of religious and political reformation. The love and affection, for example, which the respectable community of Port Glasgow bear to their steeple, are, in other towns, emulated by an ecclesiastical attachment to some new dissenting sect. The contest for the stools and chairs between the old and the new Whigs of the Greenock coffeeroom, is finely illustrative of the Parliamentary contention for places; the remonstrance of Drowthy Tammy, of Kilmarnock, may be classed with those addresses and petitions in which it is deemed expedient to assume the exist→ ence of grievances, in order to give point and effect to the argument employed, while our anonymous friend in the townhead of Irvine, is an individual of that numerous class of authors, who, in reviews and newspapers-the Edinburgh Review, for example-fearlessly, from behind their cloak of darkness, deny and controvert facts and truths. And may we not liken the loyal and indif ferent punch-drinkers of Glasgow to those warm and wealthy citizens who selfishly eat, drink, and make merry, without respect or regard to the interests of their country? But it is full time that we should attend to our own immediate task. Our worthy and facetious friend, Pacificus of Port Glasgow, may rest assured, that it is not our intention to permit any thing derogatory to "the Bell" to sully our pages. We had heard of its painting and roasting, but doubted the fact till he confirmed it.

THE PRINGLE CORRESPONDENCE.

No. V.

ONE evening as Mr Snodgrass was taking a solitary walk towards Irvine, for the purpose of calling on Miss Mally Glencairn, to inquire what had been her latest accounts from their mutual friends in London, and to read to her a letter, which he had received two days before, from Mr Andrew Pringle, he met, near Eglintoun Gates, that pious woman Mrs Glibbans, coming to Garnock, brimful of some most extraordinary intelligence. The air was raw and humid, and the ways were deep and foul; she was, however, protected without, and tempered within, against the dangers of both. Over her venerable satin mantle, lined with cat-skin, she wore a scarlet duffle bath-cloak, with which she was wont to attend the tent-sermons of the Kilwinning and Dreghorn preachings, in cold and inclement weather. Her black silk petticoat was pinned up, that it might not receive injury from the nimble paddling of her short steps in the mire; and she carried her best shoes and stockings in a handkerchief, to be changed at the manse, and had fortified her feet for the road, in coarse worsted hose, and thick plain-soled leather shoes.

Mr Snodgrass proposed to turn back with her, but she would not permit him-" No, Sir," said she, "what I am about you cannot meddle in. You are here but a stranger-come to-day and gane to-morrow-and it does not pertain to you to sift into the doings that have been done before your time.O dear; but this is a sad thing-nothing like it since he silencing of M'Auly of Greenock-What will the worthy Doctor say when he hears tell o't. Had it fa'n out with that neighering body, James Daff, I would na hae caret a snuff of tobacco, but wi' Mr Craig, a man so gifted wi' the power of the Spirit,

as I hae often had a delightful experience.-Ay, Ay. Mr Snodgrass, take heed lest ye fall, we maun all lay it to heart, but I hope the trooper is still within the jurisdiction of church censures.-She should na be spairt. Na doubt, the fault lies with her, and it is that I am going to search, yea, as with a lighted candle."

Mr Snodgrass expressed his inability to understand to what Mrs Glibbans alluded, and a very long and interesting disclosure took place, the substance of which may be gathered from the following letter; the immediate and instigating cause of the lady's journey to Garnock being the alarming intelligence which she had that day received of Mr Craig's servant-damsel Betty, having, by the style and title of Mrs Craig, sent for Nanse Swaddle, the midwife, to come to her in her own case-which seemed to Mrs Glibbans nothing short of a miracle, Betty having, the very Sunday before, helped the kettle when she drank tea with Mr Craig, and sat at the room-door, on a buffet-stool brought from the kitchen, while he performed family worship, to the great solace and edification of his visitor.

LETTER XXI.

The Rev. Dr Pringle, D. D. to Mr Micklewham, Schoolmaster, Garnock.

DEAR SIR, I have received your letter of the 24th, which has given me a great surprise to hear, that Mr Craig was married as far back as Christmas to his own servant lass Betty, and me to know nothing of it, nor you neither, until it was time to be speaking to the midwife. To be sure, Mr Craig, who is an elder and a very rigid man, in his animadversions on the immoralities that came before the session, must have had his own good reasons for keeping his marriage so long a secret. Tell him, however, from me, that I wish both him and Mrs Craig much joy and felicity; but he should be milder for the future on the thoughtlessness of youth and headstrong passions. Not that I insinuate, that there has been any occasion in the conduct of such a godly man to cause a suspicion, but its wonderful how he was married in December, and I cannot say that I am altogether so proud to hear it as I am at all times of the well doing of my people. Really the way that Mr Daff has comported himself in this matter, is greatly to his credit, and I doubt if the thing had happened with him, that Mr Craig would have sifted with a sharp eye how he came to be married in December, and without bridal and banquet. For my part, I could not have thought it of Mr Craig, but its done now, and the less we say about it the better, so I think with Mr Daff, that it must be looked over, but when I return, I will speak both to the husband and wife, and

not without letting them have an inkling of what I think about their being married in December, which was a great shame, even if there was no sin in it; but I will say no more; for truly, Mr Micklewham, the longer we live in this world, and the farther we go, and the better we know ourselves, the less reason have we to think slightingly of our neighbours; but the more to convince our hearts and understandings, that we are all prone to evil and desperately wicked. For where does hypocrisy not abound, and I have had my own experience here, that what a man is to the world and to his own heart is a very different thing.

In my last letter, I gave you a pleasing notification of the growth, as I thought, of spirituality in this Babylon of deceitfulness, thinking that you and my people would be gladdened with the tidings of the repute and estimation in which your minister was held, and I have dealt largely in the way of public charity. But I doubt that I have been governed by a spirit of ostentation, and not with that lowly-mindedness without which all almsgiving is but a serving of the altars of Belzebub, for the chastening hand has been laid upon me, but with the kindness and pity which a tender father hath for his dear children.

I was requested by those who come so cordially to me with their subscription papers for schools and suffering worth, to preach a sermon to get a

collection. I have no occasion to tell you, that when I exert myself what effect I can produce and I never made so great an exertion before, which in itself was a proof, that it was with the two bladders, pomp and vanity, that I had committed myself to swim on the uncertain waters of London, for surely my best exertions were due to my people. But when the Sabbath came upon which I was to hold forth, how were my hopes withered and my expectations frustrated-0, Mr Micklewham, what an inattentive congregation was yondermany slumbered and slept, and I sowed the words of truth and holiness in vain upon their barren and stoney hearts. There is no true grace among some that I shall not name, for I saw them whispering and smiling like the scorners, and altogether heedless unto the precious things of my discourse, which could not have been the case had they been sincere in their professions, for I never preached more to my own satisfaction on any occasion whatsoever-and when I return to my own parish you shall hear what I said, as I will preach the same sermon over again, for I am not going now to print it, as I did once think of doing, and to have dedicated it to Mr W

We are going about in an easy way, seeing what is to be seen in the shape of curiosities, but the whole town is in a state of ferment with the election of members to Parliament. I have been to see't both in the Guildhall and at Covent-garden, and its a frightful thing to see how the radicals roar like bulls of Bashan, and put down the speakers in behalf of the government. I hope no harm will come of you, but I must say, that I prefer our own quiet canny Scotch way at Irvine. Well do I remember, for it happened

in the year I was licensed, that the town-council, the Lord Eglinton that was shot being then provost, took in the late Thomas Bowet to be a counsellor, and Thomas, not being versed in election matters, yet minding to please his lordship, for like the rest of the council he had always a proper veneration for those in power, he, as I was saying, consulted Joseph Boyd the weaver, who was then Dean of Guild, as to the way of voting, whereupon Joseph, who was a discreet man, said to him," Ye'll just say as I say, and I'll say what Baillie Shaw says, for he will do what my Lord bids him," which was as peaceful a way of sending up a member to Parliament as could well be devised.

But you know that politicks are far from my hand, they belong to the temporalities of the community; and the ministers of peace and good will to man should neither make nor meddle with them. I wish, however, that these tumultuous elections were well over, for they have had an effect on the per cents, where our bit legacy is funded, and it would terrify you to hear what we have thereby already lost. We have not, however, lost so much but that I can spare a little to the poor among my people, so you will, in the dry weather, after the seed-time, hire two-three thackers to mend the thack on the roofs of such of the cotters' houses as stand in need of mending, and banker My will pay the expense; and I beg you to go to him on receipt hereof, for he has a line for yourself, which you will be sure to accept as a testimony from me for the great trouble that my absence from the parish has given to you among my people, and I am, dear Sir, your friend and pastor,

Z. PRINGLE.

As Mrs Glibbans would not permit Mr Snodgrass to return with her to the manse, he pursued his journey alone to the Kirkgate of Irvine, where he found Miss Mally Glencairn on the eve of sitting down to her solitary tea. On seeing her visitor enter, after the first compliments on the state of health and weather were over, she expressed her hopes, that he had not drank tea, and on receiving a negative, which she did not quite expect, as she thought he had been perhaps invited by some of her neighbours, she put in an additional spoonful on his account; and brought from her corner cupboard with the glass door, an ancient French pickle-bottle, in which she had preserved, since the great tea-drinking formerly mentioned, the remainder of the two ounces of carvey (the best Mrs Nanse) bought for that memorable occasion. A short conversation then took place relative to the Pringles, and while the tea was masking, for Miss Mally said that it took a long time to draw, she read to him the following letter:

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