136 SCOTLAND ILLUSTRATED. 



point for embarkation, on account of its vicinity to Hopetoun House, to the noble 

 owner of which he had promised a visit on that day, and where preparations 

 had been made in a style and splendour that well corresponded with the occasion. 

 For ten days previous to the royal visit, nearly a hundred workmen had been 

 employed on the picturesque road which winds along the right bank of the Forth, 

 and opens on this magnificent mansion. Under the two colonandes which connect 

 the wings with the centre of the house, ranges of tables were fitted up and 

 covered with the choicest viands. On the north side were the West-Lotliian 

 cavalry, and on the south, the tenantry resident on the Hopetoun estate. In 

 the park was an extensive range of tents, tastefully decorated with laurel and 

 other evergreens, and furnished with every variety of refreshments which the 

 best larders and wine-vaults in the kingdom could supply. The eastern division 

 was set apart for the company invited to meet his Majesty, amounting to about 

 four hundred. The other division was destined for the Royal Archers, and 

 in the intermediate space were green bowers for the accommodation of bands of 

 music. Detachments of the " Scots Greys," the county yeomanry, and about 

 a hundred of the earl's tenantry, well mounted, and stationed at intervals 

 among the multitude assembled on the lawn, produced a highly animated and 

 picturesque eflTect — reminding us of the scene in the " Thane of Fife :" — 



" All these, with all the various bands from all 



Their coasts, with banners spread, and trumpet's blast, 



To meet their king — " 

 " Congratnlant in sounding tumult past .... 



And with the gleam and gairishness of war 



Emblazing half the soil that swarms with life afar." 



In the mean time, the king having left Dalkeith House and passed through 

 Edinburgh, under salutations from the guns of the Castle, entered the grounds 

 of Dalmeny — followed by continued acclamations of loyalty from the crowds of 

 spectators that lined the road.* This manor was acquired in the reign of 



• Dalmeny Park is alike remarkable for the beauty of its position and the richly diversified scenery of 

 which it forms the centre. Its bold waving surface ; pleasant pastures, fringed with long ridges of rocks, 

 shaded by trees of luxuriant growth ; the majestic I'ortli, studded witli islands, and seen commencing its 

 serpentine course at the base of those mountains which form the august boundary of the Highlands j the 

 rich and rugged scenery on either side ; the ancient castellated buildings upon the coast — nodding to their 

 loundaiions, but rich in the " traditions of eld " — presented a scene from which both painter and poet have 

 drawn inspiration. From Monshill in this neighbourhood the panorama takes in a portion of sixteen dif- 

 ferent counties, and is entitled to a place among the finest prospects in Europe. In this neighbourhood 

 is " Barnbougle Castle, once the noted seat of the gallant Mowbray," 



