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ries, not prompted by defire of rejoic- to fhine by his own light, he seeks re

ing with the fortunate or condoling with the wretched, he liftens to the relation of calamity without pain, of good fortune without pleafure. Whether the objects of his inquiry be finking into poverty, or rifing into wealth, whether fick, dying, or dead, he hears their story with the fame vacant compofure of mufcle, the fame complacent nod of apprehenfion. Happy is the company when the fortunate lapfe of a letter in the recollection of a name, or fome confufion in afcertaining a particular day or place, fufpends his voJubility.

Equally frequent and wearifome is the man who is in the oppofite extreme. As the converfation of the one is more copious than fluent, that of the other is more fluent than copious: the one bewilders himfelf among a thoufand different perfons and things, the other confines himself to a very few favourite topics. It is fometimes amufing to obferve with what dexte rity he conducts the difcourfe round to his darling fubjects, and with what delight he expatiates on the wellknown ground. I have an old and refpectable acquaintance fomewhat of this defcription; and when he falls into thefe harangues, he fometimes brings fo lively to my recollection the place and time in which I first heard them, that I almost doubt whether all which has intervened is not a dream, and half perfuade myself that I am feveral years younger, and in quite a different part of the kingdom, than I afterwards find 1 really am. But let me be just to his merits. One fome times is indifpofed to ta'k or liften, yet neither affects filence or folitude; at fach feafons, what hours of indifcribe able luxury have I paffed in the converfation of my friend!

Another leading perfonage is one who fits mute while the converfation Continues general, and fcarcely feems to exit till he has turned it against fome unfortunate individual: unable

lief in the darkness of another. One of this character is found in most small societies, and two or three in every common room. He may be easily diftinguished; for when he enters the company, argument is relinquished and laughter fubfides, and a general filence of expectation and apprehenfion prevails, till it appears who is to be tingled out for the evening's perfecution. When once the spirit of raillery is conjured up, every one becomes interested in fixing it in its circle, and the whole evening wastes away in the diftreffes of one man, and the ungener-> ous triumph of the reft: and while all are actuated by one illiberal feeling, and unite in one fruitless purpose, no mutual courtefies refine the manners, no collifion of fentiments ftrengthens the taste, no interchange of information enriches the mind.

But of all impertinents he is the most insufferable who talks from books in great fwaths.' He is pofitive in his affertions, because he believes he has read them, and angry if they are controverted, because he has not a fingle idea by which he can maintain them. In what inextricable confufion have I feen fuch a man involve himfelf and all around him, by having turned over two leaves together, or o verlooked a comma in a critical place. Such a character generally poffeffes a feeble intellect, which entirely bends under the weight of ftudies which, with violence to nature, he pertinaci oufly impofes on himself. You may track him through all the labyrinth of his reading by the thread of his converfation; his mind is a fhallow ftream, where every acceffion of rubbifh appears above the furface.

Difgufted at the frequent recuṛrence of fuch characters among men, we fly to female circles. In women we perfuade ourselves trifling will lofe its infipidity, ignorance its arrogance, and mirth its licentioufnefs. A little experience teaches us that the con

verfeable

verfeable qualifications of both fexes are very equally poised.

In moft companies we obferve a lady who draws her chair close to one, of her own fex, with whom the difcuffes all those important topics which transfer the burden of entertainment from the brain, which is fufceptible of every exertion, to the tongue, which is proof against all fatigue. While the thus breaks the current of converfation, the wonders at its want of fluency, and by the fignificant glances which fhe darts around her at every paufe, filently reproves an inattention in the men which she seems ftudious to provoke. At length the retires from the company full of complaints of its infipidity, forgetting, that to one who mixes not in the difcourfe, fenfe will often feem dull, and wit pointlefs; and that they who bring indifference into fociety, will depart with difguft.

Another character equally frequent is one who, after the customary for.ns of falutation, addreffes herfelf to none, and if any man addrefs her, inclines to him with frigid compofure of feature and averted eye. Not content to withhold by her filence the contributions due from berfelf to the general fund of amufement, by her prying looks and intent pofture the becomes a restraint upon others. Not a compliment paffes on one fide, or an acknow. ledgment on the other, but that at her return home she details it to a maiden aunt or a younger, fifter, with a vivacity and volubility, an hundredth part of which, seasonably exerted, would make her one of the most agreeable companions in the world.

But above all in folly is the whom the weak of both fexes term a fenfible woman. To compliment her is an impeachment of her understanding; to argue with her, an infult to her charms. If a man contradi&t her, the openly affonts him; if he affents, the fecretly defpifes him. She is faftidious to fhow her judgment, and farcaftic to exercife her wit. If the company be gay, he is all gravity and referve; if

ferious, all vivacity and levity; fhe is invariably careful never to join in the prevailing topic, at which she is ever difpofed to fneer, as too fuperficial, or too profound.-If a character of this defcription be of an age verging on thirty, and yet of the filterhood of virgias (which not unfrequently happens) the becomes particularly troublesome to the men, whofe company she avowedly affects, declaiming on the inanity of her own fex; a preference, for which the one feels little gratitude, and the other little concern.-Such a character is generally a very extenfive and excurfive reader. Her favourite volume is a thin folic, which takes up much room and contains little matter. One fubject is not more difficult to her than another, except as it employs a greater number of pages; and if a fentence be but fairly printed, fhe feldom finds any obfcurity.-There is a very literary lady, efteemed a great ornament to our family, who often lays down Reid and Horfley, and runs over the Loiterer without the leaft remiffion of the wisdom which, on these occafions, the fummons into her countenance. Under the preffure of most of the mortifications of life, I preferve a tolerable balance of temper; but I confefs this circumftance fometimes fways me entirely from my wonted equability.

But to return to my fubject.-A thou and other improprieties might be pointed out, which ought to be avoided by all who wish to excel in converfation. One man cuts you fhort in the middle of your fpeech by contradiction; another, which is ftill more vexatious, by affent. One difcountenances your brighteft fallies with provoking gravity; another has always a laugh ready to ap prove your graveft remarks. Most of thefe errors may be confidered as the effect of affectation and perhaps one general maxim may be fufficient to direct us in converfation. We may study to conceal our defects-let us leave our excellencies to display them❤ felves."

Account

Account of Rollin Chapel.

HE Chapel or College of Roflin,

the fhire of Mid-Lothian, about four miles fouthward from Edinburgh, is fituated on a rifing ground, called the College-Hill, charmingly beautified with wood, water, and rocks, the Eik gliding along the weft and fouth foot of the hill.

The church-yard is furrounded with "a good wall of tone and lime; on the north fide of which you enter by a door, whose pilafters and architrave are adorned with fculpture of flowerwork: on the middle of the architrave is placed a stone cut into an equilateral triangle, on which are carvings refembling net-work; no doubt there have been other ornamental ftones placed on each fide of this triangle, and perhaps on the top of it, which is a little flat, as there are fome fuch ftones, refembling pieces of leffer pillars or fpires, lying at the foot of this entry into the church yard.

The Chapel, of old called The Chapel amid the Woods, is all of freeftone, and one of the most curious pieces of old Gothic workmanship in Europe, having on the north fide twelve turrets, or spires, feven lower arifing on the face of the outer wall, and five higher arifing from the top of faid wall, and placed exactly behind an equal number of the lower: the other two of which are placed nigh, and at the east end of the wall, making up the north part of the outfide of the altar. The lower and higher fpires are united by two fhort fegments of an arch; a longer fegment paffing from each higher fpire to the top of the in. ner wall upon each of thefe fpires, both lower and higher, there are feveral niches for ftatues; but there are no ftatues in them now. However

the pedestals are ftill extant, curiously cut out into antique and gròtefque figures in baffo-relievo.

There are five large arched windows below in the outer wall, with a pillar or column rifing in the middle of each, and waving to the top of the arch in various fhapes, fome circular, others femicircular, &c. fo that not one waving on the top of a pillar is like another. All these windows are prettily carved even on the outside, particularly on the arches, with foliage, &c. having niches on the jambs, in which probably there have been ftatues of old, the pedeftals of which are (till remaining.

There are five leffer arched windows above, reaching almoft to the top of the inner wall, which appear to have had no pillar in the middle of each. The roof between the outer and inner wall, formerly leaded, now flated, with a flop to make the rain run the better off, covers the greatest part of these higher windows, and fpoils the fymmetry of the fabric.

On the east end, or altar, there are five lower fpires, with niches for ftatues, all adequate to those of the fame model on the north fide, with four large windows, a pillar raised in the middle of each, as in the windows below in the north fide, but differing from these in the various wavings on the tops of the arches, as well as from each other. The pedeftals on which the ftatues have been placed, are all curioufly wrought off in fculpture of antique and grotefque figures in bafforelievo, varying from one another, and from thofe on the north fide.

The fouth fide is exactly the fame with the north, as to the number and. proportion of fpires and windows, in the many ornaments of which still the

A Gaelic word, fignifying a hill in a glen.

fame

There are spouts at proper distances for letting the rain down from the roofs, cut into various fhapes, as the body of a lion the head of an old man, &c.

On the weft gable is a very plain or. dinary bell-houfe, with places for two bells, and an iron crofs ftill entire at the top of it. There have been two other iron croffes, one on each corner of this gable, of which the erect parts are only now remaining: the tranfverfe pieces being quite worn away by the injuries of the weather.

fame wild agreeable variety is moft no doubt, there has been an altar, tho’ carefully obferved. there be no veftige of one now: When looking towards this window, on your right hand, i. e. on the south fide of the window, there is an efcutcheon couped CAITHNESS and Rus LIN: the second part couped of three. In the first part three stars or mullets in the fecond three flowers de-lace: in the third a heart. In a direct line with the faid efcutcheon, on the north fide of the window, is a ragged cross very diftin&t.—It has had a lofty arched door, now shut up with stone and lime, on the fouth wall, by which one could enter into the veftry, without going into the large chapel above ground-It has two fquare niches in each fide wall, wherein, I fuppofe, the facred veffels have been kept; but, particularly, in the north wall there is a large arched opening, like a prefs, in which the iron hinges, or hooks of a door, are ftill to be difcerned: in this I fuppofe the clerical veftments have been laid up. There has been another like arched opening in the fouth wall, which is now filled up with ftone and lime. In the fouth-eaft corner there is a font, with a little fquare nich clofe by the eaft fide of it.-The arched roof of the facrifty is pretty plain, having only fix ragged lines cut a-crofs from fide to fide in baffo-relievo, and one on the top, from end to end, in the fame way, and croffing the former ones at right angles.

The high roof is arched, and well covered with flag-ftones. The entry into this grand and facred ftructure is by two doors, ohne on the fouth, the the other on the north fide; and no person can enter into it, without being track with reverential awe at its august appearance.

The height of the Chapel within, from the floor to the top of the high arched roof, is 40 feet, 8 inches. Breadth 34 feet, 8 inches.-Length 68 feet.

At the fouth-eaft corner you go down four steps to a flat, having on each hand a plain fquare nich in the wall; from which flat you defcend twenty steps more, into a fubterrane ous chapel, which has been likewife the facrity and veftry, whofe height cannot be fo exactly afcertained, as the floor is not laid with flag-ftones, but is very uneven with rubbish and ftones: however, with the utmost exactness that can be obferved, it is in height 15 feet, 2 inches.-Breadth 14 feet.-Length 36 feet.

This facrifty is only fubterraneous at the entry, or weft end of the eat gable, being all above ground, occafioned by the fudden declivity of the rifing ground. There is only one window in it, which is in the east wall, and is arched and large, but without eny pillar in the middle of it. Here, H VOL. XIV. No. 79.

On the top of the entry, which is an arch, down to the facrifty, is the high altar, 2 feet 7 inches, by two fteps up from the fouth end of the large altar, with a beautiful font above: it in the fouth wall. Part of the floor of the high altar is demolished. On the high altar, upon the eaft wall, is built fomething like a feat, about two feet high, which, perhaps, may have, been a prothefis or fide-altar table.

The low or large altar is only one ftep up, though perhaps more of old, from the floor of the chapel, of fix

inches.

inches and an half. It is in breadth, 11 feet, 3 inches.-Length, 26 feet, 10 inches and an half.

The roof of the altar, composed of four double arches, not being fo high as that of the chapel by one half, the height of it, from the floor to the tops of the double arches within, is fifteen feet.

There are feven pillars, or columns, on the north fide from end to end, including the pillar on the weft wall, which is cut in baffo-relievo; and as many on the fouth fide. There are likewife two pillars exactly in the middle of the chapel, proceeding from the ftep up to the altar weftward.

The height of each pillar, including bafe and capital, is the exact fourth of the whole height of the chapel, from the floor to the top of the high arched roof.

Each range of pillars, from the oppofite wall to the centre of the colonnade, or range, is diftant eight feet two inches; from the centre of each of the two pillars in the middle, proceeding from the face of the altar weftward, to the centre of the pillars on each hand, north and fouth, nine feet two inches; diameter of the fuft or fhaft of each pillar, at the middle point between bafe and capital, is two feet four inches; therefore the circumference must be seven feet.

The three pillars on the face of the altar have, oppofite to them on the eaft wall, or back of the altar, three fmaller pillars cut out in baffo-relievo; and each range of pillars from caft to weft has, on the oppofite wall, an equal number of fmaller pillars, cut out in the fame way, each large pillar being united to its fmaller oppofite by an architrave; excepting the three columns on the fore part of the altar, which are united to their fmaller oppofites by an arch, as all the large ones are from east to west, except fome few which fhall be remarked as we go along. Every one of the three fmaller pillars on the back of the altar has a

nich on each fide of its capital, in which a ftatue has been placed.-A the back of the altar, on the eaft wall, are three rifings like feats, each of them about two feet high, which perhaps may have been fo many prothe fes, or fide-altar tables; and who knows but that the large altar may have been divided into three equal parts, as fo many different altars?There are three little arched niches in the eaft wall, or back of the altar, apparently for facred veffels to ftand in ; the bottom of each of them being almoft in a line with the tops of the above rifings, like feats.

All the ornaments are in baffo-relievo, or cut out of the folid ftone, as not one of the ftatues in niches, either within or without, is now to be seen.

Each architrave is united to the oppofite architrave by a broad arch, ever ry one of which arches is carved in like manner as the roof of the facristy; and thefe arches, from architrave to architrave, form the roof between the outer and the inner wall, both on the north and fouth fides.

All the capitals of the pillars are prettily cut out into flower-work, foliage, or chaplets.

The principal pillar, placed at the adjoining corner of the low and high altar, juft as you go down to the facrifty, on your left hand, is commonly called the Apprentice's Pillar, buț by Slezer, in his Theatrum Scotia, fol. p. 63, London 1693, the Prince's Pillar, I fuppofe from the princely founder.

At the north-west corner, is the tomb of George Earl of Caithness, which (though fomewhat defaced by the mob in 1688) hath this infcription, in capitals, ftill very legible:

HIC JACET NOBILIS AC POTENS DOMENYS GEORGIVS QVONDAM' COMES

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