Historical memoir of the family of Eglinton and Winton

EGLINTON AND WINTON. 85
and peaceful incumbency of his immediate prede-
cessor, everything here would seem to have remain-
ed in a state of the most perfectly undisturbed
conservative repose. The hoary grandeur of the old
fortalice lay deeply buried amid the dense groves
of immemorial growth which closely invested and
obscured it ; no innovating projects of improvement,
nor change of any kind, had ever been permitted to-
disturb the sanctity of its seclusion, or to ruffle the
feelings even of the most fastidious worshipper of
things as they are, or, more properly perhaps, chance
to be. But, alas ! for the instability of all sublun-
ary enjoyments ! The spirit of improvement and
progress now coming forth, change and modifica-
tion came largely over all; soberly speaking, however,
certainly not more largely than the plain circum-
stances of the case obviously required — by large and-
varied openings in the dense sombre woodlands, new
and pleasing combinations of light and shade were-
obtained as well as a freer and more graceful cha-
racter imparted to the entire domain, whilst num-
berless points of interest and beauty were thus dis-
closed and brought into view. But, at the same
time, it surely ever is deeply to be regretted, that
the unrecallable destruction of the ancient castle
should have been an unavoidable consequence and
result of these otherwise judicious and salutary im-
provements — nothing assuredly can ever compensate
the removal of these venerable and interesting*
towers, instinct with the stirring memories of long
ages of difficult turbulent life — how oft may not those