Scotland/Scots > Black's picturesque tourist of Scotland

PERTHSHIRE.
•with the Deanston Works and their machinery, the late projects about
drainage, irrigation, the providing cities with pure water, and the disposal
of their impurities for the fructification of the soil, have all owed something
to his suggestive mind. But “the Deanston system of draining,” generally
called “thorough draining,” which has done so much to alter the face of
agricultural Scotland, was his invention. It consists of applying to
agricultural land, not merely local drainage where it seems needed, but a
general system throughout for the effective removal of the surplus waters.
About a mile to the north-west, the Earl of Moray has a
mansion named Doune Lodge, formerly designated Cambus-
Wallace, when it was the property of the Edmonstones. At
the distance of three miles westward from Doune, on the
opposite side of the river, is Lanrick Castle (Jardine, Esq.),
formerly the seat of Sir Evan Murray M‘Gregor, chieftain of
Clan-Gregor, and three miles farther on is Cambusmore (A.
Buchanan, Esq.), where Sir Walter Scott, in his juvenile
days, spent some months for several summers, and whence he
wandered beyond the Highland line into those scenes which
he said became indelibly imprinted in his recollection, and
which perhaps he little thought he was indelibly to impress
on the minds of so large a portion of the human race.*
* He has given a striking sketch of the most interesting objects on his route, in
his description of Fits-James’s ride, after the combat with Roderick Dhu:—
“ They dash’d that rapid torrent through,
And up Carhonie’s hill they flew;
Still at the gallop prick’d the knight,
His merry-men follow’d as they might.
Along thy banks, swift Teith 1 they ride.
And in the race they mock thy tide;
Torry and Lendrick now are past,
And Deanstoun lies behind them cast;
They rise, the banner’d towers of Doune,
They sink in distant woodland soon;
Blair-Drummond sees the hoof strike fire,
They sweep like breeze through Ochtertyre;
They mark just glance and disappear
The lofty brow of ancient Kier;
They bathe their coursers’ sweltering sides,
Dark Forth! amid thy sluggish tides,
And on the opposing shore take ground,
With plash, with scramble, and with bound.
Right-hand they leave thy cliffs, Craig-Forth !
And soon the bulwark of the North,
Grey Stirling, with her towers and town.
Upon their fleet career look’d down.”
lady of the Lake, c. v„ st. 18.