The Teviot takes its course through wide valleys of smooth, extended
pasturage, sloping down to it in all directions, and in general forming
beautiful lines, though otherwise void of all those circumstances, and
that variety of objects, particularly of wood, which give beauty to
landscape. In some parts these valleys are also contracted, but in a
different manner from those of the Esk. The same breadth of feature is
still preserved which we had in the more open parts, only it is here
brought nearer to the eye. Though the lofty skreens rush down
precipitately to the river, and contract the valleys, you see plainly
they are the parts of
a large-featured country, and in a style of landscape very different
from those little irriguous valleys which we had left.
The downy sides of all these valleys are covered with sheep, which often
appear to hang upon immense green walls. So steep is the descent in some
parts, that the eye from the bottom scarce distinguishes the slope from
a perpendicular. Several of these mountainous slopes (for some of them
are very lofty) are finely tinted with mosses of different hues, which
give them a very rich surface. This, however, is probably the garb which
nature wears only in the summer months. She has a variety of dresses for
all seasons, and all so becoming, that when she deposits one, and
assumes another, she is always adorned with beauties peculiar to
herself.
GILPIN’S “_Highlands of Scotland_.”