392 RAMBLES OF A GEOLOGIST. 



gow are in such close proximity, that, seen together, relieved 

 against the blue gleam of their lake, they form one magnifi- 

 cent pile ; but we have here a taller, and, notwithstanding 

 its Saxon plainness, a nobler church, than that of the south- 

 ern burgh, and at least one palace more. And the associa- 

 tions connected with the church, and at least one of the pa- 

 laces, ascend to a remoter and more picturesque antiquity. 

 The castle-palace of Earl Patrick dates from but the time of 

 James the Sixth ; but in the palace of the bishop, old grim 

 Haco died, after his defeat at Largs, " of grief," says Bucha- 

 nan, "for the loss of his army, and of a valiant youth his 

 relation ;" and in the ancient Cathedral, his body, previous 

 to its removal to Norway, was interred for a winter. The 

 church and palace belong to the obscure dawn of the national 

 histoiy, and were Norwegian for centuries before they were 

 Scotch. 



As I was coming down the hill at a snail's pace, I was 

 overtaken by a countryman on his way to church. " Ye'll 

 hae come," he said, addressing me, " wi' the great man last 

 night ?" " I came in the steamer," I replied, " with your 

 Member, Mr Dundas." " O, aye," rejoined the man ; " but 

 I'm no sure he'll be our Member next time. The Volunta- 

 ries yonder, ye see," jerking his head, as he spoke, in the di- 

 rection of the United Secession chapel of the place, " are awfu' 

 strong, and unco radical ; an' the Free Kirk folk will soon 

 be as bad as them. But I belong to the Establishment; and I 

 side wi' Dundas." The aristocracy of Scotland committed, 

 I am afraid, a sad blunder when they attempted strengthen- 

 ing their influence as a class by seizing hold of the Church pa- 

 tronages. They have fared somewhat like those sailors of 

 Ulysses who, in seeking to appropriate their master's wealth, 

 let out the winds upon themselves ; and there is now, in con- 

 sequence, a perilous voyage and an uncertain landing before 

 them. It was the patronate wedge that struck from off the 



