SCOTLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 481, 16 February 1861, Page 6

SCOTLAND.

The Empress of France has been enjoying ! herself in Scotland. On Sunday morning, the 18th November, her Majesty and suite attended St. Mary's Church, Broughton-street, where high mass was celebrated, and, after an address by Bishop Gillis, a Te Deum for the safe return of the Prince of Wales was performed. The Imperial party in the afternoon took a walk along Princes-street and Water-loo-place, with the intention of ascending the Calton Hill, but the disagreeable state of the weather prevented this intention from being carried out. After a glance at the outside of I Holyroofl Palace, the royal party proceeded in the direction of Arthur's Seat, but the excessive keenness of the wind, and the dull, heavy atmosphere, caused her Majesty, with apparent reluctance, to agree to return to the city. The party then proceeded up the Canongate, visited the White Hor^e Close, where one of the gentlemen of the suite entered the ancient JiosJeiry, from which the close derives its name, paused a few minutes to contemplate the quaint old gables of John Knox's bouse, end returned by tlie North Bridge to the hotel. On Monday morning, her Majesty drove out as far as Dunsappie Loch, and walked some distance in the Queen's drive, but the ground was too wet to attempt to ascend to Arthur's Seat. The Empress then went through Holyrood Palace, and exhibted the greatest interest in all the relics and memorials of the hapless Mary Quetn of Scots preserved in the palace. In the afternoon, she visited the Castle, and talked very affably to a soldier of the 78th, who wore several medals, and afterwards went through the barracks. Ou Tuesday morning, her Majesty and suite went to Mcl rose in an ordinary first-class carriage, on the North British JSailvvay, aud, after spending an hour at the Abbe}', they proceeded to the George Hotel, Melfose, where carriages had been provided to convey them to Abbotsford. Her "Majesty appeared greatly to enjoy the drive through a district consecrated by the genius of Scott, and seemed to anticipate much pleasure from her visit to the picturesque pile with vfhich all the peculiarities of his t&ste, and his habits of thought and feeling are go intimately associated. On arriving at Abbotsford, the, ,Kmt>resß was conducted over the house by the * people left in charge, and exhibited the greatest interest ia the memorials of the genius loci ■ ."qrhieh werg,shovm to.her. The party returned . . £© JE,din£u ngh ,by, trpin r and, .on ; arriyiflg a* the Atatiun, wore greeted by a .«lS r J?s^BßpiTiJ.ilage/'pa Wednesday, the royal ... v> f^l^VfeitalD'alkd'th'Palaep, b'jitthe weather > from going as far as HosHn or >i ' The Lord Provost bfEdin-! &ited fat : Majesty qrt "Wednesday S^^^i%J^fi%T<f ; ««^ pre&ti£et&v4O'"--l>«r mh 'adilreisS |||!&H|fch_ Kad. been a^pte^lfiqirrftblsip'urpasfi bjf P^fi^^owii 'Council of Edinburgh. The ad-

- : :: — r~! — rr"*v;r ■ v. — r<"T' i ri T 'i '< fir.c^r — rrrrrr dress was a very quiet one,<i»er.ely wishing her Majesty health and happiness, aud expressing the hope that the visit-she had made might ba the means of promoting "good-will, peace, and friendly intercourse " between France and Great Britain. The Empress returned thanks for the address in very friendly and courteous terms. " - •

On Thursday, her Majesty left Edinburgh to proceed on a short tour to the north. She arrived at Perth on Thursday evening, and left ou the following day for Dunkeld. Before her departure, a congratulatory .address from the Lord Provost and Magistrates was transmitted to her Majesty, and a message returned conveying her Majesty's acknowledgments. The Marquis of Breadalbane visited the Empress in the course of the forenoon at her hotel. It is believed that her Majesty will vMt Tay mouth Castle, the seat of the noble marquis, and a visit co Balmoral is also spoken of before the return southward.

A grand ball was given at Hamilton Palace on Tuesday evening, in honour of the Empress; but her Majesty was not present, as at one time it had been anticipated. The Glasgow Daily Mail has a flowery and enthusiastic description of the ball. " Her Grace," we are told, " wa' remarked to look exceedingly well and happy, anil, besides her usual jewellery, wore a necklace of brilliants of peculiar beauty, which, we are informed, was acquired at a cost of ,£IO,OOO. Her Grace did not.dance. Not an insignificant item in the display, as lending to the effect, was the splendid state liveries of his Grace's retainers, which are of a beautiful description — embroidered scarlet, inwrought .conspicuously with the arms ot the noble house. Their stockings cost two guineas a "pair (sic.J Everybody seemed to enjoy themselves vastly. The very atmosphere was exhilarating,' and suggestive of poetry and romance."

The Empress's visit on Wednesday to Dalkoith Palace the seat of the Duke of Buccleuch, was provocative of a rather amusing incident. On arriving at the Duke's lodge-gate on the Dalkeith road, the Marquis de la Grange alighted, walked up to the lodge, and asked the keeper if it was a day when admittance was to be had to the grounds. 'The keeper replied that strangers were not admitted by that gate, but by the palace-gate in Dalkeith ; adding, from having been pre\iously apprised, and from the appearance of the Marquis, the interrogation "is it the Empress ?"' To this the Marquis replied "No." The gatekeeper was staggered; but as No was the answer, " No admittance" must be the rejoinder. The Marquis returned to the carriage, and the royal company drove on to Dalkeith, and throughout the principal street of that town, without excitiEg the slightest attention, till they arrived at the principal entrance to the Duke of Bucclt'iich's palace. There they announced them<ie]ve<t simply as strangers wishing to visit the palace. The royn] party Being readily admitted, proceeded along the 'avenue on foot. Their mantle of incognito could not now be worn, as recognition immediately tool; place at the palace, and was followed by a hearty welcome.

Winter h.is set in round Edinburgh in earnest. The pent lands have heen covered with snow for some days, and at Portobello the sharp frost of Saturday (the 17th,) when the thermometer (Fahrenhet) £.11 to 28 degrees, was succeeded by a heavy fall of snow u,ion Sunday, and a brilliant aurorn borealis in the evening. Ou Tuesday morning the glass ranged at 30 degrees, with the snow hard frozen, and every prospect of the cold continuing. The winds most prevalent are west.

It is stated (says the Border Advertiser ) that Mr. Hope Scott, Q.C., of Abbotsford, is shortly to be united in marriage to a daughter of the duke of Norfolk. Mr. Hope Scott married first a daughter of Mr. Lockhart, a granddaughter of Sir Walter Scott, who died about two years ago, and by whom he had several childien, of whom only one now survives. This, the last lineal descendant of the great minstrel, is Mary Monica Hope Scott, aged about eight years, and the heiress of the estate at Abbotsford.

Tiik Rkvival Movement in Ayrshire. — The Ayrshire Advertiser of 9th November, has the following: — "In Beith lately, night after night, the young and aged ha*e been trudging a weary five miles to Dunlop, numbers in carts— others in gigs and other vehicles — returning at two and three o'clock in the morning. OnThursday last, being the Fastday, everj' conveyance procurable at the inna was engaged by t he-previous dtiy, and hosts of our townspeople — from ten years of age* to seventy — were, by four in the afternoon, weivding their way to Duulop. The Key. Messrs. Martin, of Kihnarnock, and M'Call, of Ardrossan, assisted the Key. Mr. Gebbie, and in the evening the Rev. Messrs. Browne, Dickie, and Martin, were present, although they took no part. Several cases of prostration have taken place. One, that of aDo 3', appears incredible, but can be well authenticated. From the evening of one day until the afternoon of the next he was apparently insensible — so much so that a medical gentleman, after severe pinching. &c, pronounced him completely so, and utterly oblivious. However, on his recovery, and after expressing hia heartfelt conviction that he had found his Saviour and was happy, he identified gentlemen who had surrounded him during his swoon, and conversed on subjects about which, be assured his audience, he had distinctly heard them talking."