That Man Is Little To Be
Envied, Whose Patriotism Would Not Gain Force Upon The Plain Of
Marathon, Or Whose Piety Would Not Grow Warmer Among The Ruins Of
Iona!
We came too late to visit monuments:
Some care was necessary for
ourselves. Whatever was in the Island, Sir Allan could command,
for the inhabitants were Macleans; but having little they could not
give us much. He went to the headman of the Island, whom Fame, but
Fame delights in amplifying, represents as worth no less than fifty
pounds. He was perhaps proud enough of his guests, but ill
prepared for our entertainment; however, he soon produced more
provision than men not luxurious require. Our lodging was next to
be provided. We found a barn well stocked with hay, and made our
beds as soft as we could.
In the morning we rose and surveyed the place. The churches of the
two convents are both standing, though unroofed. They were built
of unhewn stone, but solid, and not inelegant. I brought away rude
measures of the buildings, such as I cannot much trust myself,
inaccurately taken, and obscurely noted. Mr. Pennant's
delineations, which are doubtless exact, have made my unskilful
description less necessary.
The episcopal church consists of two parts, separated by the
belfry, and built at different times. The original church had,
like others, the altar at one end, and tower at the other: but as
it grew too small, another building of equal dimension was added,
and the tower then was necessarily in the middle.
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