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The rock on which the Caſtle of Stirling is built, is, in a high degree, bold and romantic.“ This fortreß is of great « antiquity, though no certain account can be given of its “« frft eretion. Old chronicles inform us, that Agricola « raiſed fortifications upon the rock on which it ſtands; nor “ js it improbable that the Romans had a ſtation there, in « which they made the neceſſary preparations for the paſ- Gage of the Forth, and the invaſion of Caledonia. Their “ military caufeway points diredtly to this town, from the « ſouth, and appears again going out from it upon the « north."(Nimmo's Hiſt. of Stirling hire.) The caſtle might be confidered as pretty ſtrong during the old military ſyſtem. Ir was the reſidence of ſome of the Kings of Scotland, and ſuffered many fieges. It is one of the four garriſons which, according to the articles of the Union of the two-kingdoms, are to be maintained as fortifications in Scotland. The proſfpe& from the Caſtle-hill, eſpecially in the diretion down the Forth, whoſe beautiful meanders it comprehends, is by moſt of ſtrangers accounted the fineſt in the kingdom; for, in the words of an elegant poet, it cer- tainly

des ad 2 0er100K5«a fertile Tand.

Moſt of the hills in the county confiſt of whinſtone or granite; but in many places freeftone of various colours makes its appearance- There is not perhaps in the iſland a greater field of freeſtone of different kinds, fome of them the moſt valuable, than is to be ſeen in the eaſtern parts of this county, particularly at Torwood, and from thence north- ward. The pariſh of Killearn is ſupplied with an excellent millſtone quarry, which ſupplies the country round to 2 great diſtance with. millſtones. It began to be regularly worked about 49 Years ag0; it is now cut down to the depth of 24 feets and can afford ſtones of any Üze, and of three different qualities. No where perhaps in Britain, the land of Staffa excepted, do the baſaltic columns appear in fuch numbers, and lie in ſuch wild confuſion, as in the pa- rihes of Campfie, Fintry, and Strathblane. Huge rocks,

exhibiting