Ossian Collection > Journal of a tour in Scotland in

TURRIFF 81
round is broken in such a manner that orna-
mental culture might make it very beautiful.
The town or village itself more straggling
than Old Meldrum, but larger : it has one
kirk in ruins, the one which is in use stands
in a kitchen garden. The best house in the
place is a Lawyer's — proof how the profession
flourishes in Scotland. Watchmakers as well
as booksellers seem much more numerous
than in England ; there are three in this
little place,
Banff lOj, over the same kind of open
country, everywhere inoculated with culti-
vation. The road - menders here have not
profited by the example which has been set
them in the West and North. Large heaps
of large stones are lying in the middle of
the way, and when they break them and
lay them on, it is so rudely that no carriage
which can avoid it will go over them. In
some places they are actually cutting sods
and earth from the sides, and laying them
on the middle ; to make mire in the wet
season, and dust when it is dry. The
approach to Banff is fine, by the Earl of
Fife's grounds, where the trees are surpriz-
ingly fine considering how near they grow to
the North Sea ; Duff House, a square, odd
F