64 A VISIT TO TWEEDSIDE IN 1833 



Arrived at Melrose from Kelso about and stayed 



near the ruins till , when we set off for Abbotsford 



and passed thro' Darnick. [Here is inserted a sketch of 

 the 'old bastil-house ' of Darnick. Plate III.] 



Arrived at Abbotsford, Friday. Eound the top of the 

 north and south walls of the entrance hall is inscribed in 

 old Gothic letters, north "These be the coat amouris of 

 ye clannis, and men of name quha keepit the Scottish 

 marches in y® days of auld " ; south, " They were worthie in 

 thair tyme and in thair defens God them defended." 



Around the pedestal on which lies the figure of his 

 favourite dog, Maida, Sir Walter has had engraved the 

 following: — Maidae marmorea Donnis sub imagine Maida 

 ad januam Domini sit tibi terra levis. 



[We] stayed all Friday night at Melrose. John Bower 

 the person to whom the care of the ruins is intrusted, is in 

 very truth a character. He has no mean notion of his own 

 literary attainments, and thinks himself quite justified in 

 considering Sir Walter Scott an ordinary man. He has 

 written a description of Melrose*- in 8vo., which, to use an 

 old saying, is as full of mistakes as an egg's full of meat. 



You enter the ruins through a gate put up on the 

 original great western entrance. The south wall only of 

 the nave — or rather the south wall of the south aisle (for 

 none of the nave, properly so called, remains) only is entire. 

 This space is partitioned off into eight small oratories or 

 chapels each lighted by a large window and having a small 

 beautiful nich, or recess, for holding the holy water etc. 

 They have also served as the burial-places of certain Border 

 families some of whose monuments still remain. The rest 

 of the building may be almost called entire; for with the 

 exception of the cloisters, everything but the roof, and that 

 even in some places, is standing. It is worthy of remark 

 that the division between the nave and choir differs from 

 the generality of sacred edifices in being made a good deal 

 to the west of the cross. 



* Description \ of the \ Ahheys of Melrose \ and | Old Melrose \ with 

 their Traditions | By John Bower, Janior, Melrose | Kelso | Printed 

 hy Alexander Leadbitter j for the Author | 1813 | 



