ages, in former times,
meeting on its summit at the summer solstice, three days and nights for
the purpose of devotion. These three mountains, with their vicinities
are enshrined in Sir Walter Scott's _Lady of the Lake_; and the
village of Balquidder, at the foot of Ben Ledy, is the burial place of
Rob Roy. We have just described the circle: over the garden wall of
the Castle, at a considerable distance, is the well-wooded estate and
mansion of Craig Forth, said to have once belonged to a blacksmith of
Stirling: this man having placed the iron bars (which still remain to
the windows of the palace), and done other work for James VI. when that
monarch came to the throne of England, made a demand of one thousand
pounds Scots,--but by some error, the accounts being paid in Stirling
money, he with it purchased the estate and built the house of Craig
Forth. Next, to the right is Blair Drummond, formerly the residence of
the accomplished Lord Kaimes; and beyond are the celebrated ruins of
Donne Castle; not the least interesting incident of its annals was the
imprisonment there in 1745, of John Home, (the author of Douglas,)
who has left a narrative of his clambering escape over the high walls.

It is time to speak of the Panorama as a work of art; for hitherto we
have rather considered its intellectual interest. The Castle and Palace
we take to be finely painted, with admirable picturesque effect: the
huge gateway, flanked with two towers, the battlemented walls, and
battery, are in fine bold relief, as is the clinging vegetation about
the building; nor must we omit the grotesque figures or corbelled
pedestals, and the identical window bars, the work of the wily Scot
of Craig Forth; the latter especially, are clever. A portion of the
esplanade otherwise devoid of interest, is peopled with a meeting of the
Highland Society celebrating the feats of the ancient Caledonians, the
object of the Society being to preserve their language, costume, music,
gymnastic sports, and martial games. This introduction happily fills up
what would otherwise have been the only void in the scene, so thickly
is it studed and storied with objects and recollections. Altogether, we
have rarely seen a topographical panorama of such diversified character:
it has reminiscences of history and poetry to lead us through the
retrospect of chivalrous ages, princely contests for crowns that rarely
sat lightly on their wearers, and the last flickering hopes of def