I n v e r c a t j l d .
p. I I J .
K in c a irn
* O N e il .
p. 120.
A b e r d e e n .
p . 122.
I muft not omit, that there are in the moors of thefe parts, what I
may call, fubterraneous forefts of the fame fpecies of trees, overthrown
by the rage of tempefts, and covered with vegetable mold.
Thefe are dug up, and ufed for feveral mechanical purpofes ; the
finer and more refinous parts are fplit into flender pieces, and ferve
the purpofes of torches. Ceres made ufe of no other in her fearch
after her loft daughter:
Ilia duabus
FlammiferaPiNus manibus fuccenditab JEtna.
Ov id . Met. lib. v. 7.
It gives me real concern to find any hiftorical authority for overthrowing
the beautiful relation that the powerful genius of Shake-
fpeare has formed out of Boethius's tale of JVipcheih. If we may credit
Fordun, that ufurper was ilain in his retreat at Lunfanan, two miles
north-weft of this place.
To Sir David Dalrymple’s -f- accurate inveftigation of a dark period
of the Scottifh hiftory, I am obliged "for this difcovery. “ Near the
church of Lunfanan” adds that gentleman, “ is the veftige of
“ an antient fortrefs once furrounded by a brook that runs by.”
This he conjectures to have been the retreat o f Macbeth.
In the time of Henry VIII. this place was noted for a confiderable
trade in dried cod-filh, at that period known by the name of Hah-
berdyn fifh.
E v e ry great family had in former times its D emon or G enius,
• By miftake, in the former edition, called Kincardine.
t Annals o f Scotland, p. z ,
with
with its peculiar attributes. Thus the family of Rothemurchus had
the Bodach an Dun, or Ghoft of the Hill. Kincardine’s the Spedtre
of the Bloody Hands. Gartinbeg’s houfe was haunted by Bodach
Gartin; and Vtelloch Gorm’s by Maag Moulach, or the Girl with the
Hairy Left Hand. The Synod gave frequent orders that enquiry
Ihould be made into the truth of this apparition : and one or two
declared, that they had feen one that anfwered the defcription *.
The little fpeftres called Tarans, or the fouls of unbaptized infants -f,
were'often feen flitting among the woods and defert places, bewailing
in foft voices their hard fate. Could not fuperftition have likewife
limited their fufferings ; and, like the wandering ghofts of the unburied,
at length given them an Elyfium?
Centum errant annos, volitant haec littora circum :
Turn demum admiffi fliagna exoptata revifunt*
This town had two oonvents; one of Dominicans, founded in
1233, or 1244, by Alexander II. another of Ohfervantines in 1479,
by ‘John Innes.
This thanedom was transferred into the houfe of the Camplels by
the theft of the heirefs of Colder, (when fhe was an infant,) by the fe-
cond Earl of Argyle. The Calders raifed their clan, and endeavoured
to bring back the child, but were defeated with great lofs. The
Earl carried off his prize, and married her to Sir John Campbel, his
fecond fon, fome time before the year 1510.
E l g i n .
p . 147.
C a l d e r .
p. 154.
This fund, amounting now to 66,000 /. was formed by the con- p. 1 J 7 .
Shaw’ s Hift. Murrey, 306» t Idem, 307.
tributions