Nothing sets off a work of this kind more than proper plates. As they take time to contract and engrave, these may be going on, while a ride is performing in May from Edinburgh to Berwick, up to Kelso, Melrose, Jedburgh, Hawick, Langholm, Moffat; back to Edinburgh. At Moffat, that grand fall of water, the Gray Mare’s Tail, and the curious loch it issues from, are worth notice. The latter is called Loch-Skeen, and is of a pretty large extent; in the midst of which is an island, where a pair of eagles nestle every year. This loch is clear on one side, where trouts, beautifully speckled, are to be had, and muddy on the other, where black trouts take up their abode.
Then a ride in the end of June, or beginning of July, to Dumfries, Drumlanrig, Kirkcudbright, Air, Saltcoats, Irvine, Greenock, Paisley, Glasgow, Hamilton, Linlithgow; back to Edinburgh.
In the end of August, or beginning of September, to Hopeton, Borrowstounness, Falkirk, Carron, the Canal, Stirling, Alloa, Dunfermline, Inverkeithing, Dunybristle, Kinghorn; back to Edinburgh.
Next year, in May, to Kinghorn, coast-side to St Andrew’s, Cupar, Falkland, Abernethie, Perth, Scoon, Carse of Gowrie, Dundee, coast-side to Inverness, making little excursions from the coast into the country, to remark what is curious, as Forfar, Glammis, Brechin, &c.
Then let the curious traveller take a proper time to journey into Rosshire, Sutherland, and Caithness, to John o’ Groat’s House. If he thinks fit to stretch his tour into Orkney and Zetland, he will find many particulars worthy of observation. In returning, let him visit the Weem, Blair of Athol, Dunkeld, Taymouth, Inverary, Loch-Lomond, &c.
The traveller will find his curiosity particularly gratified in traversing the Highlands of Scotland. Icolmkill, though visited by many, and though there are some accounts of it, with drawings, both in manuscript and in print, ought not to be omitted.—Roslin and Hawthornden should by no means be overlooked.
Plates may be copied from Sletzer’s Theatrum Scotiæ, Gordon’s Itinerarium Septentrionale, and the Master of Elphinston’s plates of Edinburgh. Keith’s Map of the Frith of Forth, and Bryce’s Map of the north coast of Britain, from Row Stoir of Assynt to Wick in Caithness, &c., may prove very useful; as may Straloch’s Maps, though not easily to be had.
But there are many noble find landscapes, which I have not seen any draught of, as from Drummond Castle, the top of the hill of Myat, one of the Montes Ocelli, from Stirling-castle, from Arthur-seat, Hopeton-house, Inveresk, &c. If the author has a knowledge in drawing, these may be easily done.
A map of Scotland prefixed to this work, with a preliminary discourse, giving a concise, geographical description of the country, of its monarchy, the changes made, first, by the union of the two crowns, usurpation of Cromwell, then by the restoration, revolution, and union of the two kingdoms, could not fail to be acceptable to the inquisitive and candid reader.
But the greatest care should be taken to stand clear of all party-work, either in religion or politics, because such peculiarities will disgust some readers, and thereby effectually condemn the work, be its merit otherwise ever so great.