295 Anniversary Address. 



Perched on its rock foundation, it stands above the neigh- 

 bouring flat in a position most favorable for the display of its 

 ample size ; and, although considerably shorn of its original 

 extent to the north, it yet remains a grand and imposing 

 object. The contrast, however, between the castle and its 

 supporting buttress of pseudo-pillared rocks is not so favor- 

 able as if these were higher ; the lichens and the scanty tufts 

 of grass giving a raw grey colour, mixed with darker tints, 

 not in unison with the sandstone of the buildings. The 

 grassy slopes are covered with wild flowers : including the 

 gay viper's bugloss, a treacherous plant to pluck, as it stings 

 the tender hand ; the curious seeded hound's tongue, with 

 its livid hue ; henbane, Lycopsis arvensis, Carduus mari- 

 anus, C. tenuiflorus, Asperuga procumbens, the common 

 stork's bill ; while pendant from the rocky brows and chinks 

 hung the fair white sea-campion, and the bearded wall- 

 barley ; and up above these, the thrift and the buckshorn 

 plantain. Inside, the pellitory of the wall was noted ; and 

 the spots by the yellow lichen, Parmelia parietina, were very 

 obvious. On the way to the castle, a single Painted Lady 

 (Cynthia CarduiJ was observed, sunning itself under the 

 shelter of the southern cliffs. From the battery, a calm sea 

 met the view, on which lay resting in that day's quiet the 

 dark and rocky islets, with their suggestive buildings — once 

 the abodes of the religious anchorite or ruthless pirate, and 

 always reminding one of storms, shipwreck, and disaster. I 

 shall not detain you by any description of the buildings of 

 the castle. The Club, in viewing these, was honoured with 

 the company of several ladies, who thus added a new feature 

 to the day's proceedings. After visiting the principal rooms 

 of the keep, the court room, armoury, and library, the party 

 descended to the famous draw-well, whose occupant, an 

 English queen under enchantment, is doomed every seven 

 years to appear in the shape of a toad. Its depths were viewed 

 by the aid of a candle sent down, whose flicker shewed that 

 it was the bucket, and not her majesty uprising, that ruffled 



