Ossian Collection > Description of the curious monuments and antiquities in the Island of Icolumkill

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Within the Nunnery, on the fouth-weft of the village,
are interred different Nuns. This building is a fine piece of
archite(£lure ; and one tomb irs particular cannot but attradl
the attention of the curious, viz. the tomb of the Lady
Abbefs : her effigy, in full length, is drawn in the moft lively
manner ; (lie is in a praying pofture, having uplifted hands,
her eyes open, an angel on each fide of her head playing
on a harp, her lap-dog at the fkirt of her garment, the moon
above her head, and a comb for her hair. Fronting the Lady
Abbefs, on the fame ftone, is the Virgin Mary, with the
Babe at the breaft, a crown on his head, above which are the
moon and ftars ; with the effigy of the Lady Abbefs on the
middle of the tomb, praying and faying, O holy Virgin, pray
for me ! The infcription on the tomb is as follows :
Here lies the Mrs, Annaj
the daughter of Donalds soti of Charles, late Abbess of lona,
IV ho died in the year 1540 ;
whose soul we commit to Abraham's bosom.
And the faid Nunnery is encircled with feveral cathedrals,
monafteries, and other edifices, built in the Gothic manner.
There are many other tombs, with crofies, in the ifland,
having infcriptions in difi'erent languages. The chief crofs,
called St. Brandan's, is now the crofs at Campbeltown ; and
the bell of St. Mary's Chapel, is in one of the fteeples of
Glafgow.
The following Figures are still visible in the Island.
Figure I. The fin of Ingratitude, repvefented by three
ruffian-brethren robbing their nurfe of a cow, one holding
the cow by the horns, the fecond by the tail, the third
attempting to kill her, and the woman behind, with open
mouth and uplifted hands, appealing toHeaven for protedtion.
Figure 2. Upon the right fide of the Place of Contempla-
tion, is the figure of an Archangel, with beam and balance,
weighing the fouls of men ; the devil crouching behind to
catch either beam or balance, if found wanting in their
feparate fundlions.
Figure 3. Our firfi; parents, Adam and Eve, in the garden
of Eden, flanding on oppofite fides of the tree of knowledge,
having aprons of leaves, and hands acrofs, covering their
nakednefs ; the Archangel, with a fword in his hand, turn-
ing them out of the garden, and threatening deftru£lion ;
the promifed Saviour appearing for their prefervation, and
bruifing the head of the ferpent.