230 Annicersary Address. 



The caligraphy was remarkably accurate and beautiful ; but 

 it was especially interesting, from having the first letter M, 

 illuminated with two miniature portraits — one of Malcolm, 

 and the other of his grandfather David, the founder of the 

 Abbey. 



The party afterwards proceeded to the grand old Abbey, 

 which, with its projecting corner towers, has some features of 

 a baronial castle added to a christian church. The magnifi- 

 cent proportions and beautiful ornaments of tliis impressive 

 structure were much admired ; and it was considered one of 

 the happiest examples of transitional Romanesque architec- 

 ture ; for here the massive and sombre characters of the 

 Norman style are in parts relieved and enlivened by the 

 light piers and elegant capitals, which give grace and beauty 

 to early English architecture. The rich ornamentation of the 

 Norman porch, and the interlacing arcades, which are sup- 

 posed to have been the origin of the pointed Gothic, were 

 particularly noticed. 



After -going through the well-kept garden adjoining the 

 Abbey, in which several sculptured Abbey stones are pre- 

 served, the party visited the Kelso Museum, which contains 

 a valuable and varied collection of objects in natural history 

 and antiquities. All were pleased with their excellent pre- 

 servation and orderly arrangement, which reflect great credit 

 on the skill and attention of Mr. Heckford the curator. It 

 was gratifying to notice, that local natural history and anti- 

 quities, which are often neglected while foreign objects are 

 assiduously collected, find a place in the Kelso Museum. 

 There are several celts, hammers, and weapons of the stone 

 and bronze periods, which have been obtained from the dis- 

 trict ; and there are a good Herbarium of Berwickshire, pre- 

 sented by the late Dr. Johnston, and an interesting collection 

 of Roxburghshire ferns. Some disappointment however was 

 feltj because no examples of the rocks and fossils of the dis- 

 trict were to be seen, as these with no great labour might be 

 obtained, and would form an instructive department of the 

 Museum. 



