AT. 28.] JOURNAL. 107 
abandoned the coach until to-morrow, secured a gig, 
and was soon on my way to Abbotsford. ... I walked 
back from Abbotsford, noticing more particularly the 
beauty of the valley, and the fine Eildon Hills which 
rise behind Melrose, from whose summit, it is said, a 
very beautiful prospect may be obtained. I then 
spent the remainder of the afternoon about Melrose 
Abbey, the most beautiful ruin I have ever seen or 
expect to see; more beautiful than I had imagined, 
and just in that state of dilapidation in which it ap- 
pears to the greatest advantage as a ruin, for were it 
entire it would be indeed magnificent. I feel now as 
if I should never care to see another ruin of the kind ; 
and therefore I shall not visit Dryburgh Abbey (where 
Scott is buried), as I had intended ; although I suppose 
we shall pass by nearly in sight of it to-morrow. I 
wish I could bring you some sketch or print that 
would give you some idea of Melrose, but I fear this 
is impossible. The exquisite carvings in stone, espe- 
cially, cannot be appreciated until they are seen. It is 
said (I forget the lines) that Melrose should be seen 
by moonlight, and this I can well imagine; but this 
evening there is neither moonlight nor starlight. 
DuruHamM, Saturday evening, January 12, 1839. 
Soon leaving the Tweed we crossed a range of 
hills, and came down into the fertile Teviotdale, so 
famous in border story. Again leaving this valley, 
we wound our way up the Jedwater, a tributary of 
the Teviot, rising high up in the Cheviot Hills, just 
on the line between England and Scotland. We 
passed Jedburgh, a Scotch village of considerable size 
and importance, dirty and comfortless of course. Here 
is an old abbey, which I should have been loth to 
