FORMERLY Scotland was under the government of a king of its own, and Holyrood Palace was, during the latter period of the rule of Scottish kings, the chief royal residence. This palace is situated in Edinburgh, at the south-eastern part of the city. Between it and Edinburgh Castle is a street about a mile in length. Some of the houses in this street are very lofty. The castle stands on a high rocky eminence, and the palace is at the bottom of the hill; in a very inferior part of the city.

Before Holyrood became a royal residence it was a monastery. King David the first, one of the Scottish kings, erected here an establishment which was called Holyrood Abbey. David became king of Scotland in the year 1124. It was pretended that one day when the king was hunting he was accosted by an angel on the spot where the abbey was afterwards erected; and that the angel presented to the king a silver cross. The word "rood" signifies a cross. This at least, is one of its meanings. Holy-rood, therefore, means Holy-cross. It is said that king David built Holyrood

Abbey because on its site he received the silver cross from an angel. The tale about the angel and the silver cross must be regarded as a mere invention, designed to influence the minds of the ignorant and superstitious. There was, however, a silver cross which was regarded as the veritable cross given by the angel to king David. This cross was regarded with great veneration by the Scotch for more than two hundred years. In the year 1347 the king of Scotland invaded England, and took with him the silver cross, which was called the Holy-rood. In a battle fought at Neville's Cross, near the city of Durham, the king of Scotland was taken prisoner, his army routed, and the silver cross, called the Holy-rood, fell into the possession of the English; and was deposited in Durham Cathedral. Some Scottish writers, who refer to the erection of Holyrood Abbey by king David the first, say he built and endowed the abbey in commemoration of his escape from danger to which he was exposed while hunting in the neighbourhood; and also state that at the time he resided in Edinburgh Castle.

It is believed that Holyrood did not become a royal residence until about the close of the fifteenth century. In the year 1528 king James the fifth greatly enlarged or entirely rebuilt Holyrood Palace. A few years after a great portion of it was destroyed by the English, who besieged and took Edinburgh. The palace was afterwards restored, and was the residence of queen Mary; and here also James the sixth held his court, until the death of queen Elizabeth, when James succeeded to the throne of England; and from that time the kingdoms of England and Scotland have been united under the rule of the same sovereigns.

James the sixth repaired and embellished the church at Holyrood. He put into the church an organ, a throne for the sovereign, and twelve stalls for the Knights of the Thistle. The inhabitants of Edinburgh were strongly opposed to popery to which king James was thought to be favourable. A mob, therefore, was raised, and the interior of the church was destroyed. During the time of what are called the Civil Wars in the time of Charles the first, Cromwell and his army destroyed the greater part of Holyrood Palace. The palace and the church were afterwards restored by

Charles the Second, who erected the greater portion of the edifice represented in our engraving.

In the ancient part of the palace are the state-room, and the bed-chamber, which were used by queen Mary. The old furniture still remains, and pieces of needlework, said to have been done by the queen's own hands. Visitors to the palace are shown these apartments. The spot is pointed out where Rizzio, the queen's favourite, was murdered. Stains shown in the floor are said to have been made by his blood. In the year 1786, the roof of the abbey church fell in, and it has never been restored. In the vaults under this church many members of the royal families and other persons of rank have been interred.

The present palace of Holyrood consists of four ranges of buildings, surrounding an inner court or yard. Each side measures about 230 feet in length. Our engraving represents the west, or principal, front. In the palace there is a room about 150 feet long, 27 feet wide, and 18 feet high. This is called the gallery, and it is adorned with more than a hundred portraits of Scottish kings. In this apartment the Scottish peers assemble to elect their representatives, who sit in the upper house of the British Parliament.

In the park adjoining the palace is a lofty eminence called Arthur's Seat. From the top of this, as well as from Edinburgh Castle, there are splendid views of the surrounding country, of the Frith of Forth, and of the sea. The city of Edinburgh is very remarkable for its situation, and when viewed from an eminence presents a fine picture. Some parts of the city are very dirty, and consequently unpleasant, but other parts of the city are very magnificent.

In the year 1822 the king of England visited Scotland, and the state apartments of Holyrood Palace were fitted up with great magnificence for his reception. This, no doubt, was solely for the gratification of the national feelings of the Scotch; for there is nothing in Holyrood Palace to render it now a place of attraction to royalty.

A VISIT TO A PAPER-MILL.

THE town of Northampton, in which I at present reside, possesses many attraction. It is situated on the side of a hill, commanding an extensive prospect of delightful scenery. Its streets, in consequence of their declivity, are cleansed by every falling shower, and much taste is displayed in the formation of its principal squares, terraces, streets, and villas. The suburbs abound with fascinating scenes, and inviting walks. It is impossible for an observer to take a walk on any of the broad, smooth, even roads which branch off from this town and lead to the adjacent villages and towns, without being struck with the beauties by which he is surrounded; especially in that season of the year when vegetation is throwing off that gloomy mantle which has for awhile concealed its charms; and the fields are seen putting on robes of beauty, which indicate that "the winter is past," for "the flowers appear on the earth, the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land." But I cannot now take upon me the task of describing all the beauties which are to be seen in those walks which I sometimes take, nor would it be prudent for me to attempt now to speak of all the places of note in this vicinity which I have visited since my arrival here. I must now confine myself to the particulars connected with" a Visit to the Paper-mill."

Feeling a desire to witness the process of paper-making, and having some kind friends who are employed in this useful branch of business, I was prevailed on, a short time since, to take a walk to the paper-mill, and as I have supposed that some of the readers of the "Juvenile Companion" have never witnessed the making of that useful article called paper, I have thought I would try to describe what I have learned on this subject. I suppose that most of the readers of the " Juvenile Companion" are aware that paper is generally made from rags, and that the quality of the article produced depends on the nature of the material employed. Those which are termed coarse rags, are used in the manufacturing of common coarse papers. But the factory I visited is employed in making what is termed writing, or

letter-paper. This kind of paper is produced from fine white calico and linen rags.

The rags when brought to the paper-mill are first cut up into small pieces by females; and are then boiled for the purpose of cleansing them from all impurities; after which, they are put out of doors to bleach, in order to make them perfectly clean and white. After being sufficiently bleached, they are then ground down to a "pulp.” This grinding process is performed by a steam-engine. The rags are placed in a large trough filled with water, and in the centre of this trough is fixed the mill. This is composed of a large plate of brass which is a fixture in the bottom of the trough, and on this are placed bars of wrought iron, stretching from end to end of the plate. Above these is fixed a large cast-iron roll, grooved from end to end, so that the rags in passing between the roll and these bars, are caught and ground to pulp. But this is not done by once passing through the mill; the trough in which the rags are placed is so constructed, that they are ever in circulation, and when passed through the mill, they are carried round to the opposite side of the trough, and at length come to the mouth of the mill again, and thus the process is carried on, until they are sufficiently ground. The pulp thus produced, is then conducted through a pipe into a chest, and has there to pass through what is termed a "knotter," this is a sort of filterer, or strainer, which keeps back all the knots that may yet remain in the pulp, which would otherwise cause knots in the paper made from it. After passing through the "knotter," the pulp is conducted into a large "vat," and is there heated by steam, so as to make it in working order. In this. vat it is kept in a state of constant motion by machinery working in the bottom, which mixes the pulp with the water. By the side of the vat stands a man, with what is termed the "mould;" this is a small frame of wood, the size of the sheet which is to be made, and on the top of this frame are placed threads of wirework, so closely united, as to prevent the pulp passing through; on this again is sewn in wirework, the "watermark," or maker's name. The mould is dipped into the pulp, then taken