rity in the distance between the different stones was not much regarded. There are remains of temples of this kind in several parts of Scotland; though so many of them have been demolished in the cultivated parts of it, that persons who reside there, have had no opportunity of seeing them. The very temple that gave. rise to these observations is now (January 1792) entirely destroyed, and the place where it stood turned up by the plough. They abound in the hilly parts of Aberdeenshire, and along the Grampian mountains. Stonehenge in Wiltshire is, without doubt, a mo-. nument referable to this general clafs, although differing from the above in many particulars. There are some vestiges of these four kinds of antiquities in South Britain; but it is doubtful if there are any of a similar nature with those of the other two classes that remain to be taken notice af. I fhall, therefore, in some future number of this work, be a little more particular with regard to them* *Since the above was written, I have accidentally learnt that Dr Thorkelin, professor of antiquities at Copenhagen, who saw many of these circular structures in Scotland, is of opinion that they were not druidisal temples, as tradition has it; he thinks they were rather erected as a kind of civil courts for the distribution of justice, or for deliberating on national affairs. He was led to think this, from having observed that circular structures of this kind abound in Norway, where the religion of the druids never did prevail. It is obvious that they might have been equally well fitted for civil, as for religious purposes. SKETCH OF THE LIFE JOHN EARL OF MARR, (Continued from p. 104. and concluded.) On the 17th of December 1615, on the fall of Ker, earl of Somerset, the king gave his white staff, as treaşurer of Scotland, to the earl of Marr, which he kept. for more than fifteen years, when, being old and infirm, he voluntarily resigned it into the hands of the king, who conferred it on the earl of Morton. As the part Marr bore in his negotiation with Cecil, in concert and commifsion with the lord Bruce of Kinlofs, has found its way into several publications, and collections of state papers, I have forborne to swell this memoir with an account of it, and shall conclude with observing, that the good old ear: lived several years after his retreat from the court, at his castle of Alloa, in the county of Clackmannan, and addicted himself to study, and rural solacements, having married his four daughters to the earls of Marishall, Rothes, Strathmore, and Haddington, and established all his sons in very honourable situations. He died at his house, as governor of Stirling castle, being the messuage of his lordship of Stirling, on the 14th day of December 1634; and was solemnly interred with a concourse of his family and friends attending, in the chapel of the family at Alloa, on the 7th of April 1635. In his person, as appears from an original portrait by Cornelius Jansen, as well as by one by George Jamesone, he appears to have had a fhrewd and animated countenance, and well-proportioned body; in his manners, he was active, sprightly, and witty, affecting much of the poignant manner of his master Buchanan, as he did occasionally to please the king, the rougher salt of the Stuarts; and many of his jokes, as well as those of the king, in his company, are repeated in Scotland, which would be improper for a grave narration. On the first day of April 1608, he had executed a last will and testament, whereby, leaving the tuition of the children of his second marriage to their mother, he gives to his son, the earl of Buchan, the hundred of Ocham, to relieve him from the incumberance of legacies to his brothers and sisters. To his eldest son, lord Erskine, he leaves, as a memorial of his particular affection, the bason and laver, set with mother-ofpearls, which he had from queen Elizabeth ‡, to remain with his house, together with all his silver plate, and fine tapestry, excepting always such part as my lord of Dryburgh. §, Mr John Preston, the mas ter general, and my cousin the laird of Dunnipaifs have got. To lord Erfkine, his fairest jewel which he got from Henry the great, king of France, To his wife, the fine jewel he bought in London from Sir William Lerick. "Lastly I leive my hairt to my maister the king's majesty, maist houmblie intreating his hieness to be a patronto, my wyffe, that nane doe her wrong; as also I leive unto my yonge sueitte maister These are still preserved entire in the house of Alloa by his heir, $ Ancestor of the earl of Buchan. || His third son of the second marriage, Sir Alexander Erfkine, blown up at Dunglafs castle, anno 1640, and died without issue. Jan. 25. the prince, my eldest sonne, and his hail briether and sister, because their greatest honor is that they were brocht up with him, in oure houfs : not doubting bott quen time serves, (giff thay be worthie of thaimselves) seeing that thair father was his faithfull servant". J. S. Marr. READING MEMORANDUMS. Continued from page 80. ALTHOUGH I despise that proud race of mortals, who, by birth and fortune, think themselves beings privileged beyond the rest of their species, because they are exalted a little higher-God formed them of the same clay, their afhes will not be distinguished in the bowels of the earth, nor will the worms pay any respect to their bodies.-Yet those truths will not persuade any one to descend from the ladder on which he is mounted; and therefore I go with the stream, and bow my head to him whom chance has placed above me. I am not superstitiously credulous; yet I think that nature sometimes designs to give us a secret presentiment of approaching misfortunes. We have ominous imprefsions of future hopes and fears. Never despise old friends, because their conduct may not always be pleasing. For if you acquire new friends, you will not find them exempt from follies and imperfections. To be continued. POETRY. TO THE AUTHOR OF THE VERSES TO THE DEBAUCHEE. For the Bee. I HERE most humbly beg and crave To differ, Sir, from you, Altho' your verses, sweet and grave, AN ADVICE TO MARRIED LADIES. Be this, ye fair, your rule, this maxim prize, Man, proud by nature, conscious of his sway, VOL. vii. T |
