Page:A Companion and Useful Guide to the Beauties of Scotland.djvu/130

112 The first sight of Edinburgh, from the Middleton road, is, for an extensive view, very grand. Arthur's Seat, and Salisbury Crags, rise high on the side of the town: the Castle in front; Calton Hill; the Forth; and the Bass in the back ground: all together forming a very grand and extensive prospect. After I left Middleton, I came to the President Dundas's, and near it crossed the South Esk. Again I crossed that river by Dalhousie Castle. At Leswade, I crossed the North Esk River. From Leswade Bridge is a view of Melville Castle, in a thick wood; it is white, and conspicuous; but some buildings, with furious red tiles (stables and washing-houses, I suppose) break, and spoil the view of it.—I would blow up all such vile erections.—It is a sin against nature, thus to disfigure its works, by fiery tiles and bricks, sufficient to set fire to the Glen. I was not at the castle; but these buildings must inevitably spoil the view from it to Leswade bridge and town, which must be extremely pretty, were it not broken by such eye sores.