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Article MASONIC EXeUESIOET TO BOSLIN GASTLE. ← Page 5 of 14 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Masonic Exeuesioet To Boslin Gastle.
i \ ie house / we next repair to a point of rock which overhangs the river in the form of a canopy , and which is called John Knox ' s Pulpit . Theiview from this spot , as well as from others in the neighbourhood , is beautiful and romantia in the extreme . The river Esk is seen wending its way over a rugged channel amid lofty perpendicular rocks , projecting precipices , and yawning caverns , overrun with ivy
and brushwood , while on each side rises a noble amphitheatre of woods , the resort of daws , owls , herons , and many other tribes of the feathered creation . All around are the haunts of the illustrious poet and historian , William Drummond . - Here is the cave called the Cypress Grove , or Queen Mary ' s Dining-room , to which he often retired for the purposes of meditation and poetical composition , ^^ e , a little further to the east , is one of his favourite seats , with the date 1604 , to which Mrs . Sigourney , in one of her poems in celebration of this place , thus refers : —
"And here ' s the hawthorn-broidered nook , Where Drummond , not in vain , Awaited his inspiring muse , And woo'd her dulcet strain . " Here is the huge sycamore-tree , 36 feet in circumference , ^ called the Ci Four Sisters ^ 'Vunder the shade of which Drummond was seated when the famous Ben Jonson , in 1618 , arrived all the way from London , on foot , to pay a visit to his brother hard . As soon as Drummond observed him , he rose up , and saluted him in the following terms : —
" Welcome , welcome , royal Ben . " To which Jonson promptly replied , — " Thank ye , thank ye , Hawthornden . " William Drummond was born on the 13 th of December , 1585 . He received from his father , who was gentleman usher to King James VI ., an excellent classical education , and to this he added a knowledge of many of the sciences and modern languages . He fixed on the law as a profession ; but his father , at his
death , leaving him a competent fortune , he was thus enabled to abandon it , and devote himself to his favourite literary pursuits . " Embowered in the woody solitudes of his native Hawthornden , whose romantic scenery was well fitted to call forth his poetic ardour , he had everything to awaken and nothing to repress his muse ; and there he composed those exquisite poems which have rendered his
name immortal . " . He died in 1649 , regretted by the people of Scotland not less on account of his private worth than his poetic genius , and was interred in the family aisle in the old church of Lasswade . The scenery here , which is not surpassed iri Scotland for solemn seclusion and romantic grandeur , has thus received an additional charm and attraction from its being so closely associated with a man revered for his virtues and distinguished for his poetical and historical productions .
Our attention is next turned to the caves , situated immediately underneath the house . The ancient entrance to them was by an aperture in the centre of the lofty rock overhanging the river , and was accessible only by a narrow flight of steps . Communication with them could also be had by means of a well opening from the court above , and sunk to a great depth in the solid rock . Both of these passages being extremely hazardous , and suited only for times of great commotion and danger , are now discontinued , and an access to them has been
cut out on the south side , where the ground sinks to a lower level . We enter , and descend a few steps , and then , amid terrific darkness , grope our way along a passage 75 feet long and 6 feet broad , called the King's Gallery . On a table at the end of this passage , where some light is admitted by an aperture in the face of the rock , is seen a huge two-handed sword , which is said to have belonged to King Bobert Bruce . From this point we thread our way into various doleful
caverns : —one called the King ' s Bed-chamber , another the King ' s Dining-room ; a third , with no fewer than 175 square notches cut in the rock , called the King ' s Library , and sometimes also the King ' s Guard-room , & c . In a narrow recess is the passage communicating with the well , from which a good view is obtained of Yoii . hi . 5 k
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Masonic Exeuesioet To Boslin Gastle.
i \ ie house / we next repair to a point of rock which overhangs the river in the form of a canopy , and which is called John Knox ' s Pulpit . Theiview from this spot , as well as from others in the neighbourhood , is beautiful and romantia in the extreme . The river Esk is seen wending its way over a rugged channel amid lofty perpendicular rocks , projecting precipices , and yawning caverns , overrun with ivy
and brushwood , while on each side rises a noble amphitheatre of woods , the resort of daws , owls , herons , and many other tribes of the feathered creation . All around are the haunts of the illustrious poet and historian , William Drummond . - Here is the cave called the Cypress Grove , or Queen Mary ' s Dining-room , to which he often retired for the purposes of meditation and poetical composition , ^^ e , a little further to the east , is one of his favourite seats , with the date 1604 , to which Mrs . Sigourney , in one of her poems in celebration of this place , thus refers : —
"And here ' s the hawthorn-broidered nook , Where Drummond , not in vain , Awaited his inspiring muse , And woo'd her dulcet strain . " Here is the huge sycamore-tree , 36 feet in circumference , ^ called the Ci Four Sisters ^ 'Vunder the shade of which Drummond was seated when the famous Ben Jonson , in 1618 , arrived all the way from London , on foot , to pay a visit to his brother hard . As soon as Drummond observed him , he rose up , and saluted him in the following terms : —
" Welcome , welcome , royal Ben . " To which Jonson promptly replied , — " Thank ye , thank ye , Hawthornden . " William Drummond was born on the 13 th of December , 1585 . He received from his father , who was gentleman usher to King James VI ., an excellent classical education , and to this he added a knowledge of many of the sciences and modern languages . He fixed on the law as a profession ; but his father , at his
death , leaving him a competent fortune , he was thus enabled to abandon it , and devote himself to his favourite literary pursuits . " Embowered in the woody solitudes of his native Hawthornden , whose romantic scenery was well fitted to call forth his poetic ardour , he had everything to awaken and nothing to repress his muse ; and there he composed those exquisite poems which have rendered his
name immortal . " . He died in 1649 , regretted by the people of Scotland not less on account of his private worth than his poetic genius , and was interred in the family aisle in the old church of Lasswade . The scenery here , which is not surpassed iri Scotland for solemn seclusion and romantic grandeur , has thus received an additional charm and attraction from its being so closely associated with a man revered for his virtues and distinguished for his poetical and historical productions .
Our attention is next turned to the caves , situated immediately underneath the house . The ancient entrance to them was by an aperture in the centre of the lofty rock overhanging the river , and was accessible only by a narrow flight of steps . Communication with them could also be had by means of a well opening from the court above , and sunk to a great depth in the solid rock . Both of these passages being extremely hazardous , and suited only for times of great commotion and danger , are now discontinued , and an access to them has been
cut out on the south side , where the ground sinks to a lower level . We enter , and descend a few steps , and then , amid terrific darkness , grope our way along a passage 75 feet long and 6 feet broad , called the King's Gallery . On a table at the end of this passage , where some light is admitted by an aperture in the face of the rock , is seen a huge two-handed sword , which is said to have belonged to King Bobert Bruce . From this point we thread our way into various doleful
caverns : —one called the King ' s Bed-chamber , another the King ' s Dining-room ; a third , with no fewer than 175 square notches cut in the rock , called the King ' s Library , and sometimes also the King ' s Guard-room , & c . In a narrow recess is the passage communicating with the well , from which a good view is obtained of Yoii . hi . 5 k