by his predeceffor, as forming a check on the incurfions of the Barbarians, conftructed a rampart along this neck of land, which, he vainly fuppofed, was, when garrifoned by his chofen bands, impregnable. Tradition reports it, however, to have proved otherwife. GRIME, a powerful chief, with a band of desperate Britons, is faid to have formed the design of surprising the Roman garrison, posted near to a place now known by the name of "Elf-hill." This he actually accomplished; and that valorous achievement is perpetuated by this ftupendous piece of art, thenceforward called GRIME'S DYKE.

On entering Falkirk, we are apt, from its mean appearance, to form an unfavourable idea of its inhabitants; but this impreffion wears off when we come more narrowly to examine the bustle and industry observable as we pass on. Its vicinity to the great canal (with which, on leaving this town, we fall in, and pass under, through an aqueduct arch, conftructed with much judgment, and fubftantially built) gives it an advantage that few towns in Scotland poffefs, excepting fuch as are fituated on the principal rivers and fea-fhores.

If Falkirk, on account of its inelegant appearance, be uninterefting to the traveller, the grounds adjacent will furnish him with objects fufficient to awaken his curiofity with regard to trade, commerce, and historical incident.

Before Falkirk was established as the principal mart of the north for horned-cattle, it was little better than an overgrown village, the inhabitants of which were almoft without employ, and poor in the extreme. No fooner were the trys as they are called, which are held in the months of Auguft, September, and October, reforted to by drovers from almost every part of Scotland,

and

and many parts of England, than this town became a flourishing and animated trading place.

About a mile and a half to the north-weft, the Carron-company's iron-works are feen. This company established them felves in this part of the country about forty years ago, and have confiderably added to the spirit of industry and speculation which, fince that period, has become fo prevalent throughout almost every part of Scotland. The iron-works merit the attention of the traveller, and may be viewed as objects of curious conftruction by day, and of picturefque appearance, or rather fublimity, by night. On beholding the dark-rolling smoke mingle, as it were, with the surrounding flashes that burft inceffantly from the great forges, ideas of being in the neighbourhood of a volcano, are naturally suggested, and afford a pleasure analogous to what is felt in contemplating the fublime in nature.

The erection of the iron-works at Carron was foon fucceeded by a piece of art no lefs complicated than the vaft apparatus of the great forges. This was the Canal; This was the Canal; a monument of lasting celebrity, which, in a striking manner, marks the commercial fpirit of the times. This canal joins the Atlantic ocean with the German fea, and infulates South and North Britain. Of the many inventions and contrivances to facilitate the extenfion of commerce, none more interefts the mind accuftomed to reflection, than the conftructing of navigable canals; more especially, when obstacles in their aspect formidable, and almoft infuperable, are fubdued and rendered ufeful. An eminent inftance presents itself in the whole course of the great canal that joins the rivers Forth and Clyde, paffing through a tract of nearly forty miles, great part of which is marfhy, and in no small

degree

degree mountainous; where cargoes, the produce of remoteft regions, are fafely landed, amid the wilds through which it is conducted ;-where the Romans in vain conftructed a barrier, that was to mark the bounds of their conqueft on the North, and to exclude a people whom to reduce by force of arms was found too arduous for that power which had hurled empires into ruin, and fubjugated millions to the rapacity of 1uthless

conquerors.

The circumjacent grounds prefent to the claffic traveller the former theatre of thofe obftinate and bloody contests, which fo often blur the page of Scotifh history.

About a mile to the right, on the banks of the Carron, Wallace was vanquished; and Scotish valour had nearly funk in his overthrow. From nearly the fpot where, towards the end of the thirteenth century, the English army triumphed over the devoted Scots, did the royal army of England, about the middle of the eighteenth century, attack a handful of Highlanders; but with very different fortune; for no fooner had these daring fons of the mountains charged the veteran troops of the Elector of Hanover, than a general rout enfued: the royal army, panick ftruck, fled as far as Linlithgow, where they fet fire to the palace, and did other mischief in their precipitate retreat. The Highlanders, neglecting to reap the advantage which fo decifive a stroke had put in their power, gave over the purfuit; and, while loitering in the town of Falkirk, an unfortunate accident which took place at this critical juncture greatly conduced to throw a damp on the fuccefs of the arms of the unfortunate Charles Stuart. While a foldier of the rebel-army was cleaning his mufquet, it went off, and its contents were lodged in the body

of

of a highland chieftain, who died in confequence. This accident proved no less fatal to the man in whose possession the piece was found; for he was led forth, without ceremony, and shot dead on the fpot by his own comrades;-fuch being the facrifice which they deemed indifpenfable to the manes of their unfortunate leader. Deeply affected at the irreparable loss they had sustained, the mountaineers retired in dismay to their fastness; and thus the cause in which they had embarked was fubjected to a temporary derangement, eventual mifcarriage, and all the horrors attendant on a civil infurrection when unsuccessful.

Many families of condition fuffered feverely in the fruitless enterprize alluded to: but none more keenly felt the dire effects of civil war than the family of Monro of Foulis*. Three brothers fell: two were murdered in cold blood; and the third was affaffinated, his murderers mistaking him for a person whom they fought after in vain. An elegant infcription, in Latin, to the memory of Sir Robert Monro, is to be seen in the churchyard of Falkirk; as is also another epitaph, facred to the memory of John de Graham, emphatically called the right arm of Wallace, who fell combating the enemies of his country, at the memorable battle of Falkirk, fought on the 22d of July, 1298†. The hero of this memorable battle, William Wallace, was an inftance

Chief of that name.

Mente manumque potens, et Vallæ fides Achates,
Conditur hic Gramus, bello interfectus Anglis.

Vivit poft funera virtus,-is the motto inscribed about his arms.

In Scoto Saxon, the following:

Here lyes Sir John the Grame, baith wight and wife,
Ane of the worthies refcuit Scotland thrice ;

Ane

inftance of thofe latent virtues and military talents which burst forth on some casual exigence, when public spirit and national independence feem proftrate, and almoft extinct. That high degree of difinterested patriotifm, magnanimity, and virtue, displayed in the conduct of Wallace, might be claimed with pride by any nation. His actions are worthy of remembrance; for he nobly fought for the liberties of his devoted country, and perished in the attempt to re-establish its independence.

When the independence of Scotland was first called in question, Edward I. at a time when the right to the crown was fubmitted to his decifion*, made little fcruple in annexing the regal dignities to thofe of England; thus enflaving the people, and gratifying his boundless ambition. Yet, ftrange as it may feem, it is no lefs certain, that, though neither of the competitors for the Scotish crown acknowledged his pretenfions, they both tamely fubmitted; the one because he was unable to maintain his pretenfions; the other being content to hold, under the degrading fuffrage of a tyrant, the mock dignities of royalty, on the humiliating conditions of fealty and feudal tenure.

Ane better knight not to the world was lent,
Nor was gude Grame of truth and hardiment.

When Cromwell, in his progrefs northward, had ftationed his English troops at Falkirk, one of his officers wished to have the Latin epitaph tranflated, which accordingly was done by a schoolmafter, in the following words:

Of mind and courage ftrong, and Wallace' true Achates,
Here lies Sir John the Graham, kill'd by the English baties.

A little to the left, a ftone unpolished, and without an infcription, marks the fpot where another warrior was laid, namely John Stuart the brave ancestor of the prefent family of Bute, who commanded that day a divifion of the Scotifh army, and fell in the battle, covered with wounds.

* By confent of the competitors, Bruce and Baliol, on the extinction of the royal line in the perfon of Alexander III.