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in perfection, should visit Arran during the season of 

 the herring fishery. On the calm sea, in a fine summer 

 evening, the whole water is covered with boats and 

 vessels ; the dark sails of the former, no less than their 

 beautiful pyramidal outline, sprinkling the whole blue 

 expanse in every variety of combination and of magnitude. 

 Within the bay, the different groups are disposed 

 nearer the eye in a thousand picturesque assemblages, 

 varying at every moment as they are hoisting their 

 sails to stand out to sea, or as they run alongside the 

 sloops where the flag is flying to receive their cargoes. 

 On shore, crowds of men, women, and children surround 

 the sail tents, where the smoke of the fires scattered 

 along the margin of the water, is ascending to the hills ; 

 mixing with the evening mists, and contrasting with the 

 yellow sky of the setting sun. 



The traveller who has visited the ancient castles of 

 Wales or of England, will experience considerable dis- 

 appointment on meeting with those which are scattered 

 throughout Scotland; so far inferior in magnitude, and 

 so seldom characterized by those irregular, though pic- 

 turesque, arrangements of the architecture which render 

 the former so interesting, and so susceptible of all the 

 effects which the art of painting has the power of 

 bestowing. They are in fact but castellated mansions; 

 rarely sufficing for more than the habitation of a small 

 family, and destitute of all the complicated defences, 

 and the provisions for the garrison of troops, which 

 alone can produce the romantic effect and excite the 

 historical recollections that give to buildings of this 

 class their principal interest. Their most frequent plan 

 is that of a square tower, of rude but solid masonry, 

 divided into three or four stories ; the lowest, and some- 

 times a greater number, being vaulted. The windows 

 are narrow, as is the door way. Where they are of 

 greater extent, an area is sometimes added to the tower, 

 enclosed also with a strong wall, and containing some 



