Near Kincardine, a thriving sea-port village, on the banks of the Forth, is one of the finest free-stone quarries in Europe. Below the surface, and while yet in the quarry, the stone is white, soft, and easy to work; but when quarried and exposed to the air, it becomes uncommonly hard, and still more beautifully white. It is superior to Portland stone, which furnishes ornaments to the finest palaces and public buildings in Londou, and takes a more elegant polish. The Stadt-house at Amsterdam, Lord Fife's house at Bamff, &c. &c. are partly built and ornamented with stones from this place.-Kincardine is noted for the longevity of its inhabitants. Is there any connection between this circumstance and the stratum of the free-stone on which it stands?

All along the banks of the Forth they are visited in winter by great numbers of a small fish called garvies, from an island of that name near the Queen's Ferry, where they are caught in vast abundance. They are larger than the sprats of the Thames, though in taste and appearance very like them. They seem to hold a middle place between the sprat and the herring.

So great has been the draught of garvies, that they have sometime carried out cartfuls of them as manure to the ground.-There is also a Salmon fishery near this; which is often extremely productive but this species of food is generally too dear to be used by the common people. Our forefathers, who cared little for salmon, and thought it so unwholesome, that there was generally a clause inserted in indentures in Scotland, that apprentices should not have salmon set before them above three times a week,

were not active in catching them. But matters are the reverse now. Fisheries on the rivers, as well as the sea-coasts of Scotland, are more and more becoming an object of concern; and nets, boats, and casks, and fishers are almost every where to be seen. Indeed, when any shoal of fishes appears, which is generally indicated by numbers of sea fowls flying about it, joy and gladness appear in every face; and so attentive of late are the officers of his Majesty's ships of war, batteries, &c. about the Frith, that they avoid, as much as possible, firing cannon, lest they should deter the fishes from approaching the coast. If the firing of a cannon will sometimes agitate water to the distance of fifty or more miles, why does the castle of Edinburgh fire her guns upon any but important occasions? Perhaps the firing the guns of the castle of Edinburgh has done more mischief, by driving fish down the Frith, than all the good it ever did.

From Kincardine, along an excellent line of road, I arrived at Culross, which is a royal burgh, beautifully situated on the banks of the Forth, and commanding an extensive prospect, though irregularly built. Lord Dundonald has a noble mansion here, with extensive woods and pleasure grounds. There is a coal-pit here on the beach, whence vessels may receive coals at the pits mouth, where they work it. Though the beach be so level, that, when the tide is ebb, you are more than a mile from the water; when it flows, it comes to the very doors. The town contains a few manufactories of linens and cottons. The people here, as in most towns in Scotland, are divided into a variety of religious parties,

which are too apt to encourage and support strolling preachers. Not long ago, I was informed, a company of players, from the Edinburgh theatre, wished to try their fortune here for a few evenings; and one of them, coming a day before the rest, fell short of cash. Happening, in an ale-house, to fall in with a shoemaker, the player, concealing his profession, proposed to give the inhabitants a word of exhortation. The shoemaker, finding himself in company with such a piously disposed person, immediately called for more porter, and not only offered to be precentor, and otherwise assist him, but also sent to advertise the inhabitants when and where to meet. Great numbers assembled, and the shoemaker, though rather tipsy, precented. The player, having vociferated out an extemporary prayer, and delivered what they thought an excellent sermon, drew from his hearers from five to six pounds sterling; and would have made more of it, had not the other players arrived, and informed them what he was.

In Culross muir, or common, there is a large stone with the mark of a human foot, seemingly indented, though not by art, and so credulous are some of the people here, that even yet it is believed that a witch, who happened to light here, from riding through the air on a broom stick, imprinted this mark with her foot. The word or name Culross, signifies, in the Celtic language, the extremity, or, more properly, the hinder part, Dorsum or Ross, denoting a promontory, which was the antient name of Fife. Thus, too, Kinross, signifies the higher part, or the head of Ross, i. e. FIFE.

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Having passed New-Mills, Torryburn, &c. &c. all on the north side of the Forth, where I observed nothing very remarkable, except uncommonly well cultivated fields, and many evident signs of a thriv-. ing country, I came to lord Elgin's lime-works, which are, perhaps, the most extensive in Europe. The conveniency of coals, which are to be found here every where in abundance, the facility of procuring the lime-stone, and its contiguity to the coals, and conveniency of shipping, &c. render this place highly useful to the country, and advantageous to the proprietor.

As I rode along the great road, on the banks of the Forth to the east, I had a beautiful view of Dumfermline, which is a thriving place. Diapers of various fabrics have for a long time past been manufactured here. The church steeple is seen at a great distance, being exceedingly high, as well as more than ordinarily elegant.

At Dumfermline are the remains of a magnificent abbey and palace of the kings of Scotland, in which were born Charles I. and his sister, the princess Elizabeth, mother of the princess Sophia, from whom the present royal family are descended.

The cathedral church of Dumfermline was the burial place of several of the Scottish kings: particularly of Malcolm III. with his queen, Margaret, grand-daughter of Edmund, and of Canute the Great, kings of England; Alexander I. with his queen, Sibilla, David I. and his two queens; Malcolm IV. Alexander III. with his queen, Margaret, daughter of Henry III. king of England; and

Robert I. with his queen, Isabella, besides many other princes and nobles. In short, there is not any spot in Scotland, even Scone not excepted, more fitted to awaken a recollection of former times, and the fortune of the Scottish princes, than Dumfermline. The great actions,, and the death, and dying request of Robert Bruce, particularly rush on the mind. His body was buried here. But his heart, at his own earnest desire, was embalmed, and committed to the charge of Sir James Douglas, to be carried and deposited by him in the holy sepulchre at Jerusalem.

This memorable occurrence, which exemplifies the spirit of chivalry, then in the height of its purity and glory, the religious enthusiasm, and, it may be said, the religious chivalry too of the times, is mentioned by all the historians; but by none in so impressive and affecting a manner as the charming and inimitable Froissart, whose dramatic and picturesque manner exhibits scenes as passing before you. I wish I had had a copy of Froissart with me, as I sat musing on a tomb-stone in the church-yard of Dumfermline, with my eyes fixed on the sepulchres of Robert Bruce, and many others of the Scottish kings. I have since seen Froissart's affecting description of that great prince's dying charge to Douglas, in Mr. Johnes's translation of Froissart, which enlivened my recollection of the old cathedral church and church-yard of Dumfermline, in a wonderful manner. Even the elegant narrative of Buchannan, in the purest and most classical Latin, fades and becomes languid before the livelier description of Froissart. As I doubt not but it will appear