Granite for Ornamental Purposes. 343 



rain, sudden frosts, and succeeding thaws are soon perceptible 

 on Carrara marble, or any other kind exposed freely to the 

 weather. Marble thus soon loses its glossy surface, it con- 

 tracts greenish stains from the vegetation of minute Byssi, and 

 inscriptions, in a few years, from these causes, become ille- 

 gible. The polished granite of Aberdeenshire retains its po- 

 lish most perfectly under all atmospheric changes, does not 

 contract any stain from vegetation ; and, imless wantonly 

 mutilated, will transmit the inscription engraven on it to dis- 

 tant ages. The sharpness of the Egyptian hieroglyphics, 

 carved in a very similar rock 3000 years ago, at this day, proves 

 the durability of granite carving. A beautiful cenotaph of 

 red granite, from the works of Messrs Macdonald and Leslie, 

 has been exposed to all the vicissitudes of our changeable cli- 

 mate, for six or seven years, in the church-yard of Falkirk, 

 and appears in the full lustre of its original polish, as if it 

 wei-e erected yesterday. 



Fine specimens of granite monuments by the same artists 

 may be seen in the noble new cemetery at Glasgow, which are 

 chaste in design, beautiful in execution, and seem calctdated to 

 bid defiance to every destroying influence, except wilful injury. 



On visiting the establishment of Messrs Macdonald and 

 Leslie at Aberdeen, I saw several finished specimens, and 

 many works of this material in progress, as 1 was conducted 

 through the different departments, by the iatelligent, and most 

 respectable head of this interesting and new employment of na- 

 tional art and industry. 



• The grey granite is of a close grain, and contains more mica 

 than the red. It is brought from quarries on the Dee, a short 

 way above Aberdeen. The red granite is of a larger grain, 

 abounding in felspar and in quartz, intermingled with small 

 specks of mica, and bears a strong resemblance to the syenitic 

 rock, of which the finest ancient Egyptian monuments are fa- 

 bricated. This comes from the vicinity of Peterhead, and is 

 brought by sea to the works. Both are susceptible of a fine polish, 

 Avhich they retain unimpaired by the weather. Blocks of almost 

 any size may be obtained free of flaws or imperfections. In 

 the sawing room, several blocks were then under the machines, 

 which are moved,by a 14-horse power steam-engine. I observed 

 one block, 10 feet long, cutting into 6 or 8 slabs. The saws 



