“ The very capacities of enlarged phiianthrophy, gratitude and joy, muff lie in a 
manner dormant; and an inextinguishable languilhment for happier days, continu- 
ally excite the fong of woe : while the rude magnificence of the furrounding feenery, 
will be conftantly imparting fomething of their own grandeur, to elevate and pre- 
ferve independant greatnefs of foul. Such fituations have fupplied many of the no- 
ble and interesting images that dignify the fongs of Ossian. 
“ We had Hill formidable afeents inprofpeft, anddeferied the towering fummit of 
the mountain far above, beyond many an intermediate height ; it was involved in 
heavy clouds, and wreathes of milt came rolling down around us. The conden- 
fing fogs came floating on the winds with all the coldnefs aud penetrating damp of 
mingled rain and inow ; we fliuddered with apprehenfion of a general rain. On 
thole bleak and dreary mountains, how much are one’s fpirits in the power of the 
weather. Should the florm prevail, one is left utterly comfortlefs and forlorn. Were 
night to fall down with all its lhades, the phantoms of the defert would be truly for- 
midable: broken rocks and blafled pines, withered with age and mofs, feen by the 
glimple of the moon; while the roar of torrents, and unequal gales of wind howling 
around, would play fome ghaflly meafures on the ear; — how eaftly could imagina- 
tion hear, “ The fpirit of the mountain fhriek, and fee the ghofts of the departed, 
“ becoming from the pafling cloud.” 
“ Thofe chilling blatts that overlhadowed our way, and imprefled us deeply with all 
the terrors of the dreary, though fo elevated folitude, were fortunately of no long 
duration ; we foon got beyond the clouded region, and law the niilly volumes float- 
ing down to the valleys, and encircling the lower hills ; and e’er we reached the fum- 
mit, had the pleafure of looking round us in an unclouded fky. The profpeCt was now 
immenfe, full of tranfporting Sublimity ; the whole horizon round was an arrange- 
ment of diftant mountains, far beyond all poflible enumeration, immeafurably ex- 
tended both to the Weftern ifles, and to the Eaftern Ihore. The intermediate 
clouds concealing fome traCls of country, and in others fcattered and feeming to fup- 
port the loftier hills, gave nobleft expreflion of the immenfe extent of the lower world 
that was in view ; a feene of fuch boundlefs magnificence, now lighted up under an 
azure heaven, and balking in the blaze of the meridian day, was perfeftly enchant- 
ing; our minds fliare the fublimity of a profpeCt partaking fomuch of infinitude, and 
we feel fome wonderful relations to a univerfe without boundary or end. 
“ At the foot of a rock which crowns this higheft mount, there is a well built 
round with hewn (tones, with feats adjacent cut out of the folid rock. Itfeemsan 
intimation to the hardy traveller, that now his labour’s o’er, he may reft, a while, 
and take refrefhment by the limpid Itrcam ! 
“ Our defeent into the oppofite plain * was equally rapid and pleafmg. 
" Through the deep groves of the foreft of Inverisjha , we were conduced by 
winding paths, amid (lately trees, unto the entrance of the glen ; here the wooded foreft 
ends, but opens a feene of furprifing grandeur and beauty. The precipices that are 
the boundaries of the glen, are little elfe than loftv naked cliffs, of the mod pic- 
turefque form imaginable : a number of torrents which dream from the higher parts 
.of the mountains, are here poured with impetuofity over the precipice, and dalhing 
down from (helve to (helve, broken with all the wild varieties of rock, and 
foaming in their fall, exhibit fome of the mod romantic cafcades imaginable. 
" Here andthere fome venerable pines wave among the rocks, and feetned to watch 
over the inceffant murmur of the torrents, as they haften their confluence with the 
.central rivulet; while wreathes of birch trees adorn the gentler declivities, where the 
foundations of the precipices ftretch into the bottom of the glen. Had I feen a faith- 
ful painting oflome of the more remarkable parts of the feenery of the glen, I Ihould 
have admired the ingenuity of the artift’s fancy, but could not have fuppoled it a re- 
prefentation of the real features of nature ; indeed the whole was a fpeflacle (o extra- 
ordinary and unexpected, as I thought could not be fufficiently admired. 
<c After long (haring in the pleafmg enlhufiafm which thele wilds impart, I left 
ihem with regret.” 
* Gasava-mche, the environs oFRuthven Castle, and rout to Inverissa, are next deferibed, 
but have been already fufficiently particularized. 
