are common, and afford, in many instances, good opportunities of viewing the country; but, to the real and enthusiastic traveller, we would recommend walking over the finest scenes, lingering about them, and taking opportunities of coaching, sailing, or car-driving, as his fancy may lead him. The mere glance of Nature from a post-chaise window is the most unsatisfactory thing imaginable.

Next to commanding time, and being a good pedestrian, is that of a propitious season. Would that we could lay down rules for the regulation of this! Not that we would recommend an uninterrupted series of sunny days. Sunshine and cloud, calm and storm, are essential to the view-hunter. But a day or a week of dull and unremitting rain is a fatality. In such weather, the finest scene in existence appears but "flat, stale, and unprofitable."

From the second week of August to the end of October is generally the best season for a Highland tour. Earlier, the scenery has not assumed its full beauty; although in June and July, if the weather be dry, nothing can be more delightful than a full and long summer's day of such ramblings.

Ye rich and luxurious, then, as soon as the Lammas floods have passed away, leave your nauseated artificial splendours, and take to the mountain and the lake! Ye toiling citizens, throw your cares aside, emerge from your smoked alleys, and taste the pure air of the hills, and visit sights which will astonish you! Ye happy lovers of the commencing honeymoon, fly to the still groves, and the silvery fountains and waterfalls, and dream days of bliss, which will be bright visions to you during your long years of sober

matrimony! Ye stomach-tormented spleen-eaten hypochondriacs, throw your "physic to the dogs," forswear the fatal luxury of a slow-rolling coach, take wallet on back, and staff in hand, and search for appetite's and hunger's sweet sauce, and kind nature's balmy restorer, among the heather and the birchenshaws! Come, each and all of you, arouse as at the sound of some thrilling pibroch;-the spirit of nature and beauty is abroad, the great magician of song and romance is sounding sweet in your fancies; and, lo! a genuine guide is at hand to direct your steps aright

ARRANGEMENT OF THE TOURS.

TOUR I. The Tweed and its Tributaries. From Berwick by Kelso, Dryburgh, Melrose, and Abbotsford, to Edinburgh, either crossing, in a direct route, the Lammermoor Hills to Edinburgh ;or passing along the Ettrick by Selkirk, and from thence by the banks of the Yarrow to St Mary's Loch, thence by Moffat, and thence to Edinburgh; or along the Tweed to Inverleithen and Peebles, to Edinburgh.

TOUR II. From Edinburgh to Stirling, Callander, Loch Katrine, and Loch-Lomond, returning by LochArd to Stirling and Edinburgh; or, striking off by the Pass of Leney, and going to Perth by Loch-Earn-head, Crieff; or by Glenfalloch, Killin, Loch-Tay, Aberfeldy, Blair-Atholl, from thence by Dunkeld to Perth.

TOUR III. Edinburgh, by way of Dollar, Vale of Devon, Kinross, Loch-Leven, &c., to Perth.

Environs of Perth-Scone-Kinnoul—and from thence to Dunkeld-Blair-Atholl.

TOUR IV. Edinburgh to Glasgow; and from thence
to Lanark, visiting the Falls of the Clyde.-
Glasgow to Dunbarton, Loch-Lomond, Tarbet,
Glencoe, Loch-Awe, Oban; and from thence
along the Caledonian Canal to Inverness.
Environs of Inverness-Beauly-Ross-shire.
TOUR V. From Glasgow to Oban, and from thence to
Staffa, Iona, and the other islands.

Itinerary from Inverness to Aberdeen, Dundee, and
Edinburgh.

And from Edinburgh to Dumfries-Ayrshire.

EDINBURGH.

EDINBURGH, the capital of Scotland, possesses a situation which, for picturesque beauty, is perhaps unrivalled by any other city in the world. It is built on three elevated ridges of hills, so that its towering edifices rise up in irregular masses, amid the rocky precipices which hang around. A rich and fertile valley extends on either side, and at the distance of two miles the Forth, studded with its islands, spreads out its shining waters.

The city is of considerable antiquity. In the beginning of the 11th century, the castle and province came into the possession of Malcolm II. of Scotland; and from that period became frequently the residence of the Scottish kings. Anciently the town was circumscribed within the limits of the fortification, and previous to the year 1753, the city was confined to the central ridge, forming the Old Town, the principal or High Street extending from the Castle, built on an elevated rock at the western extremity, to the palace of Holyrood on the east.

Between the years 1768 and 1772, the North Bridge was built, and thus a communication was opened up to the north, the situation of the New Town, which after this increased rapidly, till it has far exceeded in size the ancient portion of the city.

The regularity of the buildings, and the broad and spacious streets of the New Town, contrast strikingly with the irregular turreted structure of the Old; while