country life, than this pleasing branch of husbandry. A wife legiflature, therefore, would do well to enact fuch regulations respecting the culture of bees, as might afford due encouragement to that innocent and truly useful employment. From Winfburgh, we command an extensive prospect in every direction. The country is well cultivated, and improves at every step. The principal cause of this improvement is apparent when we discover Linlithgow; for, it is generally allowed, that cultivation of land is in proportion to the near neighbourhood of a town, and the number and industry of its inhabi tants. LINLITHGOW, or, as it is called in the Gaelic language, Glen Euchu, is fuppofed, by some of our antiquaries, to be the fame as the Lindum of Ptolemy. It is an ancient burgh, and deemed the fixth in Scotland: but its decayed splendour, venerable in ruins, is still apparent, and shews that Linlithgow was a place of confiderable importance, when Scotland was governed by its native princes. Yet a native prince was not the founder of the most striking remains of former magnificence to be seen at this place; as, according to Fordun, Edward I. during his campaign in Scotland anno 1301, built a caftle on the fite of a Roman camp, the remains of which are ftill visible. This castle, by order of Bruce, was demolished in part when furprized by the Scots in 1311. It was afterwards re-built, though by whom is unknown: but, it should feem, additions were made, from time to time, till the fquare, which still appears perfect, was completed. The front and the porch were erected by James V.; and the north fide by his grandfon James VI. The eaft fide is by far the most interesting in point of elegant fculp ture, and merits the attention of those who delight in this fpecies of ornamental architecture. The weft fide is little better than a dead wall, gloomy, and inelegant in the extreme. What is chiefly to be admired, however, in contemplating this ruin, is its fituation. The ground on which the palace of Linlithgow ftands, rises in the form of an amphitheatre above the lake; a profpect of which, together with the grounds adjacent, is commanded from this fpot. The church is hard by, where, it is faid, James IV. was warned, by a perfonated apparition, not to proceed in his then meditated expedition into England; so fatal to himself and the flower of the Scotifh nobility, in the memorable battle at the foot of the Flowden hills, fought September 9th, ann. 1513*. During the greater part of his reign, James V., the fon of this ill-fated prince, made Linlithgow, by his frequent refidence in it, the Versailles of Scotland. The apartment is ftill fhewn where his unfortunate daughter Mary was born; born, alas! to meet the ftorms of contending factions; and to experience the dire effects of the envy and jealoufy of a fifter queen, whose diffimulation, in meditating murder, was only exceeded by the gaiety that she difplayed when figning the death-warrant of her nearest relation, Mary of Scotland.-"Go, (faid fhe to Davidfon, one of her obfequious minions,) and tell Walfingham what "I have done, though I am afraid he will die of grief when he "hears itt." Thus did Queen Elizabeth, after detaining Mary Stuart almost nineteen years a prifoner, deliver her into the hands of the executioner. *Pitfcottie, p. 215. + See Robertfon's Hift, of Scotland, p. 144, quarto edit. 1759. Rude |