The river Clyde, above Glasgow, is quite pastoral; and the banks
of it are every where adorned with fine villas. From the sea to
its source, we may reckon the seats of many families of the first
rank, such as the duke of Argyle at Roseneath, the earl of Bute
in the isle of that name, the earl of Glencairn at Finlayston,
lord Blantyre at Areskine, the dutchess of Douglas at Bothwell,
duke Hamilton at Hamilton, the duke of Douglas at Douglas, and
the earl of Hyndford at Carmichael. Hamilton is a noble palace,
magnificently furnished; and hard by is the village of that name,
one of the neatest little towns I have seen in any country. The
old castle of Douglas being burned to the ground by accident, the
late duke resolved, as head of the first family of Scotland, to
have the largest house in the kingdom, and ordered a plan for
this purpose; but there was only one wing of it finished when he
died. It is to be hoped that his nephew, who is now in possession
of his great fortune, will complete the design of his
predecessor -- Clydesdale is in general populous and rich,
containing a great number of gentlemen, who are independent in
their fortune; but it produces more cattle than corn -- This is
also the case with Tweedale, through part of which we passed, and
Nithsdale, which is generally rough, wild, and mountainous -- These
hills are covered with sheep; and this is the small delicious
mutton, so much preferable to that of the London-market.
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