162 SCOTLAND ILLUSTRATED. 



man, we come to that period which was to terminate a career ripe in every 

 ennobling virtue, and rich beyond precedent in that series of events which 

 were the commencement of a new era. for the county, and a source of the 

 purest satisfaction to himself. 



In July, 1833, after he had been raised by the unsolicited favour of his 

 sovereign to the highest title in the peerage, the Duke set out on his last visit 

 to Sutherland, where the whole population were anxiously employed in making 

 arrangements for his welcome such as might best express their respect and 

 gratitude, and the joy they felt at seeing the oldest title in the kingdom 

 revived in the person of their munificent landlord. The warmth of congra- 

 tulation, however, was speedily chilled by the most painful apprehensions. On 

 his landing at Dunrobin, on the fifth of July, the Duke was still suffering from 

 the debilitating effects of influenza. The symptoms, though twice partially 

 subdued, gradually assumed a more serious character, till, on the nineteenth of 

 the same month, he closed in tranquillity a life of unblemished honour and 

 extensive beneficence. 



In the words of the Lord Chief Commissioner Adam, " he devoted his splendid 

 rank and fortune to promote the happiness of mankind in all its ranks. He 

 successfully improved the condition of all under his extensive protection, by 

 a most judicious and well-directed beneficence ; and added most materially to 

 the satisfaction of that class of society whose leisure and education render the 

 improvement of the fine arts a principal part of their enjoyment : to which it 

 may be added, that his perfect goodness rendered his own family, in all its 

 branches, a scene of uncommon happiness."* 



Restricted by the limited nature of the present work.f we must now close 

 our brief sketch of Sutherland with a cursory notice of the two subjects chosen 

 for illustration. The first of these, Dunrobin Castle, is said to be the oldest 

 inhabited mansion now existing in Britain. It is situated on a high natural 

 terrace, overlooking the sea, with a large sloping garden in front, enriched with 

 verdant masses of fruit and forest trees, and a magnificent park in the back- 

 ground. But the noblest feature in the landscape is undoubtedly the sea, which 

 harmonizes well with the Castle, whose antique towers soar with feudal pomp 

 and sternness over the subject waves. On the platform near the gate, a few 



* The respect and affection in which his memory was held are powerfully exhibited by the fact, that, 

 immediately after his funeral was over, meetings were simultaneously held in Staffordshire, Shropshire, 

 and in Sutherland. At each of these, il was determined to erect a monument to his memory. In Suther- 

 land, the summit of Ben Bhraggie (as seen in the engraving) was the site chosen for this memorial, the 

 contributors to which amounted to two thousand two hundred and ninety-nine." 



f The history of Sutherland, and other remarkable districts, will be resumed on another occasion. 



