TOWN AND CASTLE OF DVNSE. 41 



full conviction of the fact, that the earth had for ever closed over that form 

 which we were wont to love and reverence ; that eye, which we had so often 

 seen beaming with benevolence, sparkling with wit, or lighted up with a poet's 

 frenzy ; those hps, which we had so often seen monopolizing the attention of 

 all Usteners, or heard rolling out, with nervous accentuation, those powerful 

 verses with which his exuberant fancy was ever teeming ; and that brow, 

 the perpetual throne of generous expression and liberal intelligence. Over- 

 whelmed by the conviction of this afflicting truth, men moved away without 

 a parting salutation, singly, slowly, and silently. The day began to stoop 

 down into twilight ; and we, too, after giving a last parting sui-vey to the spot 

 where now repose the remains of our Scottish Shalcspeare — a spot lovely 

 enough to induce his sainted spirit to haunt and sanctify its shades — hastily 

 tore ourselves away.* 



The town of Dunse, the emporium, though not the capital, of the county, 

 contains an industrious and thriving population of three thousand, or upwards. 

 The new town-house, surmounted by a tower of elegant design and propor- 

 tions, is highly ornamental to the place. The ancient town, which extended 

 from the small lake along the southern skirt of the Law, has entirely dis- 

 appeared with the progress of manorial embellishment, and become a part 

 of the castle park. One relic, however, has survived, in a large stone, which 

 is now built into the wall, and points out the spot where the house of 

 Duns Scotus is traditionally reported to have stood.-j- 



Dunse Castle,J the princely seat of Hay of Drumelzier, is a modern structure, 

 erected on the remains of the ancient fortress of that name, which passed from 

 the family of Randolph, earl of Moray, by the marriage of his daughter, the 



* For a more copious detail of this ceremony, the reader is referred to an excellent paper in Tail's 

 Edinburgh Magazine — a periodical of great talent and popularity. 



+ This prince of logicians, it will be remembered, became famous in consequence of his two hundrrd 

 arguments advanced against the positions of Alberto Magnus. According to Paul Jovius, he was buried 

 in a fit at Cologne, in 1308, and was afterwards found to have turned in his coffin I Dr. Grainger, the well- 

 known author of " The Sugar Cane," was also a native of Dunse. 



I The interior decorations are splendid; some of thein, curiously beautiful. The Gothic style prevails 

 both in the architecture and furniture. The staircase is exceedingly fine ; one of the galleries is lighted 

 by a window of stained glass, the most brilliant, probably, in Scotland. Mr. Hay has collected many 

 original portraits, and possesses the best of the Seton Gallery. One of the latter, the first Viscount 

 Kingston, drawn as he appeared on alighting after the flight of Worcester, is worthy of particular notice. 

 — Chambers. 



A few miles south of Dunse, is the ancient seat of the Homes of Wedderburn, well deserving of a visit. 

 The park contains a monument to the memory of George, one of the heroes of " Polwarth Thorn," who 

 fell in resisting an attack " made upon him while at dinner," from the English border. 



M 



