THE BEE, 



LITERARY WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER, 



WEDNESDAY, JUNE I, I79I. 



'i'he Cajlle of Lochleven. 

 With a Plate. 



During that ariftocratical influence which prevailed 

 in Scotland for many ages, every chieftain had a caftle 

 or fortalice for his own perfonal fafety, Thofe who 

 poflefled a lake with any iflands in it, thought them- 

 felves very fortunate ; for, by erefting their fortalice on 

 one of the iflands, they were fecure from any fudden 

 attack, at leafl: while they were pofl^efled of all the 

 boats that were upon the lake. This is the reafon why 

 at this day we fee fo many fortrefles fliil remaining, on 

 fmall iflands in lakes in every part of Scotland. 



The caftle of Lochleven owed its origin, no doubt* 

 to this kind of polity, though, on account of its high 

 antiquity, I have not met with any account of its firft 

 foundation. The iflai^d on which it ftands lies near 

 the well end of a beautiful lake by Kinrofs in Fifefliire, 

 and is fo fmall as to be almofl; entirely covered with the 

 few buildings that are upon it. This fortalice had been 

 Vol. III. t P 



