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L ORD OLIPHANT'S Castle is situated in the parish of Morlach, and upper district of Banff-shire. On the north there is a circular sweep of kills, whose declivities fall down into a deep bottom, in the midst of which there is a small lake formed by the streams that trickle down the fides of the hills; the borders of the lake are enriched with extensive plantations, which make a pleasing inclofure to the piece of water called Loch Park. The rivulet running from this loch gives the name of Strath-Isla to a very fertile and valuable district of the country; in which, increasing its waters as it winds along, and gliding through the barony of Keith, it is at length poured over the rocks: near to the most precipitous parts of which the remains of Lord Oliphant's Cafile stands, and forms the picturefque cascade, of which some idea is given in the annexed plate. The fituation of Milltown, on the adjacent banks of the rivulet, is altogether romantic, and forms a pleasing village; the advantages of level fields, and command of water for mills, bleaching, &c. has raised the neighbouring town of Keith into fome confiderable importance, as a place where the thread and linen manufactures are carried on with fuccess. When admiring the situation of the tower and its demesnes, Lord Oliphant feems

to demand great credit as a man of taste, for placing his refidence in so wildly rural a scene: but on perceiving that it is not the flight fimple edifice of a country feat, open around, and easy of access; but a species of fortress walled about with jealous care, placed on peninsulated precipices, constructed with these small embrazures, from which they might fearless annoy approaching enemies, and prevent the assailants attack, the illusion of the fancied choice vanishes, and less pleasing motives are seen to have determined the place of abode.

In the reign of Alexander the Second, most of the lands in the barony of Keith were devoted, at the instance of that monarch, to fupport and add splendor to the establishments of the See of Moray; and Bricius, the then celebrated bishop, employed the revenue arifing from them accordingly; chapels were endowed, to accommodate the several parts of the district with the evangelical inftitutions. The present kick of Keith occupies the walls of a Catholic building. When adding, some years ago, to the altar end of it, they dug up many tombftones, which had lain for centuries buried in the ground; on one was sculptured a mitred abbot, unknown; for either no infcription had been added to the effigy, or is now irrecoverably