on Stone Croffes. 509. 
yet exifts upon fome in Scotland; and one at 
Bew-Caftle, in Cumberland, had upon it, if it has 
not now, a verfe, in chara@ters faid to be Runic, 
in good prefervation: But this obelifk, like 
feveral others, has had its top broken off, and 
leaves a fufpicion behind of its having been 
Once a crofs. 
Few perfons at prefent will allow the gro- 
tefque and whimfical figures in and on the out- 
fide of our old churches, and upon the margins 
of our old illumined miffals, to have any refer- 
ence to particular perfons or accidents in general, 
but think them merely the whim of the 
workman; who, I fuppofe, was left to his 
own choice: for I can fcarcely perfuade myfelf 
the clergy of that period would have permitted 
fuch exhibitions upon oak, as are fometimes 
to be met with under the feats of ftalls, in our 
cathedral and collegiate churches, had they fu- 
perintended fuch works themfelves. 
The obelifks in ‘* Cordiner’s Views of 
Scotland,” and that in Nithsdale, defcribed by 
Capt. Riddell, one of our Jate worthy members, 
and engraved jn the memoirs of this Society, * 
and feveral others defcribed and engraved in 
Pennant’s Tour in Scotland, at Aberlemno, 
Meigle, and Forres, are all {culptured with gro- 
tefque figures, chain-work, love knots, and 
ramifying tracery; and where the delineation 
of ’ 
* Sco Vol, IV. Part I. p. 131, 
