TrantsactionH. 27 



Proceedings of Nova Scotian Institute of Science, 1893 ; Tran- 

 sactions of Edinburgh Geological Society; Transactions of Botani 

 cal Society of Edinburgh. 



Communications. 



1. Notes on the Antiquities of Dunscore, 



By the Rev. Richard Simpson, B.D. 



The position of Dunscore among the hills places it far out of 

 the stream of the busy world's activities as it flows to-day, but in 

 former times tliose secluded glens and bleak uplands were the 

 scene of many an incident worthy of remembrance, and had an 

 influence all their own on the course of events. Few country 

 parishes are richer in associations with the history and the 

 literature of our native laud. Dunscore counts as its own 

 names that are celebrated all tlie world ovei', and reverenced 

 and loved wherever men read and think, and wherever there 

 glows the flame of poetry or of patriotism. The strongest and 

 sternest blood of the Covenant, as well as the most active and 

 hated of the persecutors, came from within its bounds. It was 

 in Dunscore that Burns made " a poet's, not a farmer's choice," 

 wlien he preferred EUisland to Foregirth, and settled down to 

 write the very best of his poetry and spend the happiest and 

 most prosperous days of his troubled life. In Dunscore Scott 

 found one of liis feudal castles, and laid there the scene of the 

 grim episode in " Redgauntlet." And it was on the western 

 border of the parish, with the far outlook from Craigenputtock 

 over the wilds of Galloway always before him, tliat Carlyle 

 liammered out the pure gold of " Sartor Resartus " on the anvil 

 of his own soul. 



There is a singular vitality about words ; and a good deal may 

 be learned about the history of any locality from its place names. 

 Through this medium Dunscore is connected with the earliest 

 period of our national life of which we have any knowledge. 

 Leaving out 'of consideration a group of modern invention and 

 barbarous taste, the majority of our names are of Celtic origin. 

 One or two are English, and there are traces of Norse or Danish. 

 The Celtic names seem to be survivals of the time when our 

 uplands were included within the ancient kingdom of Galloway, 

 and the others are marks left by the successive waves of invasion 

 that beat against its frontiers. As is the case with most ancient 



