JST. 28.] JOURNAL. 107 



abandoned the coach until to-morrow, secured a gig, 

 and was soon on my way to Abbotsford. ... I walked 

 back from Abbotsford, noticing more particularly the 

 beauty of the valley, and the fine Eildon Hills which 

 rise behind Melrose, from whose summit, it is said, a 

 very beautiful prospect may be obtained. I then 

 spent the remainder of the afternoon about Melrose 

 Abbey, the most beautiful ruin I have ever seen or 

 expect to see ; more beautiful than I had imagined, 

 and just in that state of dilapidation in which it ap- 

 pears to the greatest advantage as a ruin, for were it 

 entire it would be indeed magnificent. I feel now as 

 if I should never care to see another ruin of the kind ; 

 and therefore I shall not visit Dry burgh Abbey (where 

 Scott is buried), as I had intended ; although I suppose 

 we shall pass by nearly in sight of it to-morrow. I 

 wish I could bring you some sketch or print that 

 would give you some idea of Melrose, but I fear this 

 is impossible. The exquisite carvings in stone, espe- 

 cially, cannot be appreciated until they are seen. It is 

 said (I forget the lines) that Melrose should be seen 

 by moonlight, and this I can well imagine ; but this 

 evening there is neither moonlight nor starlight. . . . 



DURHAM, Saturday evening, January 12, 1839. 



Soon leaving the Tweed we crossed a range of 

 hills, and came down into the fertile Teviotdale, so 

 famous in border story. Again leaving this valley, 

 we wound our way up the Jedwater, a tributary of 

 the Teviot, rising high up in the Cheviot Hills, just 

 on the line between England and Scotland. We 

 passed Jedburgh, a Scotch village of considerable size 

 and importance, dirty and comfortless of course. Here 

 is an old abbey, which I should have been loth to 



