NIMROD'S NORTHERN TOUR. 77 



opinion of Dunse-castle from the following description of it in the " Pic- 

 ture of Scotland" (Vol. I. page 42), published in 1834, and illustrated 

 by several plates — a very amusing work : 



*' Dunse-castle is a magnificent new house, in what is called the cas- 

 tellated style. It was erected partly upon the remains of a former castle, 

 which had been the property of that glorious patriot, Randolph Earl of 

 Moray, and it went into the hands of Cospatrick (Earl of Dunbar), by 

 his equally glorious daughter, Black Agnes, who married that powerful 

 nobleman. The former castle was remarkable on account of having been 

 the head quarters of General Leslie, when he lay with the Scottish army 

 of 1639 on the top of the neighbouring Law. The apartment in which 

 he and his officers dined, having fortunately been preserved untouched 

 at the re-edification, can now be seen in the castle ; it is the butler's 

 room. 



" The interior decorations of Dunse-castle are truly sjdendid ; some 

 of them, indeed, curiously beautiful. The gothic style prevails in both 

 the architecture and the furniture of the house, the stair-case is exceed- 

 ingly fine, and one of the galleries is lighted by a window of the loveliest 

 stained glass to be seen in Scotland. The best rooms are full of pictures, 

 many of which are very good. The portraits are worthy of especial 

 attention ; for besides those of his own family, Mr. Hay has collected 

 many others, and possesses, in particular, the best of the Seton gallery. 

 One of the latter, the first Viscount Kingston, drawn as he appeared, on 

 alighting from the flight of Worcester, is worthy of more than ordinary 

 notice ; the dusty sweat of battle and flight glistering with all the force 

 of reality on the brow of the fatigued soldier, who seems just to have 

 laid a&ide his head-piece." 



