LIBRARY T — <^,l V/^v j /^ ■ \.^^ - Attention Scanner: B rFoldout i m Book! 1 (j S-aril^^^M i ^rB L B X'^^ l9 ^R\I°^ .^4 H ik^l^ ■ ; ■ ^^^^a [ _/« ^H ^^^^^H' M.IST®miCAIj CIT^^ OF Yol.H. TTiere .Watching ligi the least alarms. like some liold veteran, gjeyia aT:nis Hy xougih rude fortress gieams afar; jftnd maried ■with jnajoy a seamy scar. **'wsiya®H sAS'SS'®- L, O :?f D O ^^ . Pao^ tyJ.&H.^.StoTer.GLa.pel Street, FentonTilleJTov.:, 1839. VIEWS IN EDINBURGH AND ITS VICINITY ; DRAWN AND ENGRAVED BY J. & H. S. STORER, EXHIBITING REMAINS OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS, AND PICTURESQUE SCENERY. IN TWO VOLUMES, VOL. II. Published by A. Constable & Co. Edinburgh ; And in Lonijon by J. M. RICHARDSON J CUAPELL AND SON j NORNAVILLE AND FELL j SMITH AND ELDER ; COWIE AND CO ; TAYLOR AND HESSEY ; T. WILSON ; AND SHERWOOD, NEELY, AND JONES. 1820. <;OE, Piinter, Litllr Carter Lane, St. PauVs. CONTENTS TO VOL. II. Vignette Title, Edinburgh Cas- tle. High Street. High School. High School Wynd. High School, Leith. Holyrood Chapel. Ditto, Interior of. Ditto, Lord Belhaven's Monu- ment. Holyrood Palace. Ditto, Interior of Quadrangle. Hume's Monument. Inveresk Church. Knox's House. Lady Yester's Church. Lying-in Hospital. Mariners' Hospital. Merchants' Maiden Hospital. Merchiston Tower. Methodists' Chapel. Musselburgh Tolbooth. Nelson's Monument. New Custom House. North Bridge. North Leith Church. Observatory. Orphan School. i'.rlii.ment House. Ditto, from the Cowgate. Physicians' Hall. Prisons, Calton Hill. Public Dispensary. Regent Bridge. Regent Murray's House. Register Office. Restalrig Church. Roman Catholic Chapel. Roslin Castle. Roslin Chapel. Ditto, Interior. Royal Exchange. Royal Infirmary. St. Andrew's Church. St. Anthony's Chapel. St. Bernard's Well, St. Cuthbert's Church. St. Cuthbert's Chapel of Ease. South Leith Church. South Bridge. St. Giles's Church, South Side. Ditto, North Side. St. George's Chapel. St. George's Church. Sr. James's Chapel. St. John's Chapel. St. Paul's Chapel. Surgeons' Square. The Castle. The Governor's House. TheCastle from theGrassMarket. The Tolbooth. Ditto, Leith. The University. Theatre Royal. Trades' Maiden Hospital. I'ron Church. Trinity College Church, Watson's Hospital. Weigh House. West Bow. Ditto, Lower End. White Horse Close. Water Gate. Vignette Tail-piece. 117646 ERRATA. Page 156, line 23, for ' leets' read lists. From page 128 to 133, four pages have been skipped in the numbering. Description of the Weigh House, 4th line from bottom, for • pre-emi- nences' Tend prominences. Hume's Monument, line 29, for * discourse' read discourses. Royal Exchange, line 4, read the south side consists. St. Andrew's Church, line 21, for ' titular' read tutelar. Heriot's Hospital, line 39, omit ' Scottish.' Regent Bridge, line 15, omit ' and on the other.' Methodists' Chapel, last lice but 4, and last line but 7, for ' bond' read band. from the Casdc Iki-ade. HIGH STREET. The whole length of the street from the Castle to Holyrood-house may be included under the general name High-street^ which in this case is about a mile in lengthy and is, perhaps, in many respects, the grandest street in the world, if indeed we except the Trongate, in Glasgow. The towering height of the houses, with the diversity of their elevation, the grandeur of St. Giles's church, and the width of the street, contribute to the formation of a view no where else to be equalled. It has all the imposing effect which is produced by the extent and magnificence of the streets in the New Town, without any thing of their tameness and insipidity. The High- street is narrow near the castle, widens at the Lawn-market, and expands still more at St. Giles's, preserving an uniform width from this to the Canongate, where it contracts into a narrower space, which it retains with very little variation till it terminates at Holyrood-house, The first remarkable object which occurs to the spectator when he enters the street from the Castle, is the reservoir. This cistern, and another on the rising ground to the southj contain about 300 tons of water, which is conveyed in pipes from a large basin at the foot of the Pentland hills. This basin is fed by artificial streams. Further down is the Weigh-house at the head of the West Bow, and a little below on the left is Bank-street. The noble church of St. Giles's next presents itself projecting somewhat into the street, and having the parliament house and square on the right. This part of the street has been much improved by the removal of the Lucken-booths, theTolbooth, and other shapeless buildings. The Royal Exchange is a little below St. Giles's, HIGH STREET. on the left, but not very conspicuous ; beyond this is the Tron church J the street is here intersected by the North and South bridges, by which it is cut into two equal divisions. At the commencement of the Canongate, St. Mary's and Leith Wynds diverge in opposite directions. Besides these more consider- able streets, an infinite number of wynds and closes, extremely abrupt and dangerous in their descent, ramify from the High- street, and lead on one side to the valley on the south of the New Town, and on the other to the heart of the Old Town, In the middle of the High-street, between St. Giles and the Tron church, formerly stood the cross. This building was taken down in the year 1756. Its form was octagonal, mea-, suring 16 feet in diameter and 15 in height, exclusive of a co- lumn rising from the centre : a small Ionic pillar occupied each of its angles, headed by a circular bastion. The entrance to the building was from the east, and over the door were placed the city arms. From the centre of the roof rose a column 21 feet high, curiously ornamented with thistles, and having on its summit the figure of an unicorn. Edinburgh cross was the place where all proclamations were made, and where the merchants assembled to transact their business ; its site is now marked by a radiated pavement, and the bustle which here prevails on a market day ; for though the Royal Exchange affords a most convenient place of resort, the ancient custom of meeting at " the cross" still continues. The middle pillar of the cross is preserved at Drum, four miles east of Edinburgh. :iIII©IEI S1.3I©®ILi TTTTS^ZS). HIGH SCHOOL WYND, AND HIGH SCHOOL. High School Wynd, is a narrow lane, leading from the archiepiscopal palace in the Cowgate to Infirmary Street. The fronts of the houses here are mostly of wood, affording one of the best specimens of the ancient style of building in Edinburgh. Arnot observes, " From confinement in space, as well as imitation of their old allies the French, (for the city of Paris seems to have been the model of Edinburgh), the houses were piled to an enormous height, some of them amounting to twelve stories, these were denominated lands ; the access to the separate lodgings in these high piles, was by a common stair, exposed to every inconvenience arising from filth, steepness, darkness, and danger from fire, such in a good measure is the situation of the old Town to this hour:" some of these staircases are exposed to the street, as appears by the view annexed. The earliest notice of a School in Edinburgh, is to be found in an act of council for the year 1519, in which it is provided, that no " bairns" shall be put by their parents to any school but the principal grammar one, under a penalty of ten shillings Scots. The town-council in 1578 began the founding of a college, but were obliged by the opposition made by the Archbishop of St. Andrews and others, to drop the design for that time. But, that their children might not be altogether destitute of education, they agreed to pay one William Bickerton the sum of £260 Scots, for building a house for a school ; and this was the commencement of the High School, the erection having been raised on the present site of that seminary. The insufficiency of the salaries, however, having HIGH SCHOOL WYNDj AND HIGH SCHOOL. led the master and usher to propose quitting their situations, the council found it necessary to ordain, " that every scholar, whose father was a freeman, should pay quarterly to the master three shillings Scots, and to the usher two shillings, exclusively of the quarterages received by them of scholars, sons of unfreemen 5" and that no person should keep a grammar school within the city or liberties, without leave from the magistrates ; encouragements, which seem to have retained the services of the teachers. In the year 1598, the system was improved by a regulation, which appointed four regents or masters to preside over that number of classes, and assigned to each class the authors to be read in it. At this time, too, it was provided, that the two under-masters should have an annual salary each, of £"20 Scots, together with 13s. Ad. per quarter from their scholars j that the third master should have a quarterly allowance of 40 merks Scots, and from each scholar 15*. and that the principal master should have 200 merks of yearly salary, and 10s. per quarter, with other regulations. The masters were thea " discharged from receiving any bleise-silver from their scholars, and likewise bent-silver, other than four pennies at one time," and were required to furnish security to the amount of 500 merks that they would not resign their offices without half a year's warning. In 1709, the common-council decreed, that for all times coming, the following should be the rule of payment : the rector to have a salary of 300 merks Scots yearly, 4*. sterling per quarter for each boy in his own class, and l.y. quarterly from every scholar in the other classes ; and the four inferior masters to receive an annual salary each of 250 merks, and 4*. sterling " from the several scholars in the respective classes." In 1595 the scholars were engaged in a barring- out, when a boy of the name of Sinclair shot Macinoran, one of the baillies, who had been sent to reduce them to submission. The culprit, notwithstanding the most strenuous exertions on the part of HIGH SCHOOL WYND, AND HIGH SCHOOL. the citizens to bring him to justice, was pardoned by the king through the superior interest which was employed in his behalf. The foundation of the present School was laid on the 24th of June, 1777, by the late Sir William Forbes, grand master of the Free Masons, assisted by the mason lodges in the city, and accompanied in procession by the magistrates, the profes- sors, and the masters and boys of the High School. The length of the building is 120 feet, its width 36. An extensive area surrounds it, inclosed by a high wall. : The course of education at this seminary is carried through a period of four years, to which two years may be added by those who wish to complete their acquaintance with Latin, and to acquire Greek. Each master conducts his own class through the successive stages, and after consigning them to the rector, returns to commence a new class. Thus the masters proceed in rotation, the rector always receiving the completed class. Those boys who are with him two years are not required to attend the initiatory department at college. The first year is occupied in learning of the rudiments, (Ruddiman or Adams), and a vocabulary, and in reading Cordery, Phsedrus, and the grammatical exercises. In the second year, the boys proceed to Cornelius, Eutropius, and Caftsar, continuing the grammatical exercises. The books of the third session, are Ovid, Virgil, and Sallust, with Mair's Introduction. Some part of Caesar also is read, and occasionally the Greek language is at- tended to. In the fourth year, Mair's Introduction, Virgil, and Sallust are continued, to which are added Quintus Curtlus, and Excerpta from different authors. Latin verses are now pre- scribed, and it is optional to read portions of works which are not then reading in the class ; an exercise which receives the name of private studies, and in consequence of which, boys are placed higher in the class. At the rector's class, various books are read ; and it is no uncommon thing for the boys to have read in the space of a year, very large portions of Livy, Horace HIGH SCHOOL WYND, AND HIGH SCHOOL. Virgil, and Homer, with miscellaneous authors, besides producing exercises both in prose and verse, characterized by the most elegant Latinity. The master conducts the whole business of his department for the first year himself, but afterwards calls in the assistance of his monitors, forming for this purpose his class into divisions, the number of which is diminished as the pupils improve. The classes are opened to the inspection of any person at all times, and, besides a public quarterly examination of his own class by the rector, there is a general examination of the whole school in the beginning of August when the Session is about to close. On this occasion the Dux of the rector's class, and the best Greek scholar receive gold medals, and in the other classes, from one third to one fourth of each class, are rewarded with prizes of books, those at the top getting the most valuable. The course commences in October, and the vacation is six weeks or two months. The hours of attendance are from 9 to 11, and from 12 to 2 during the earlier part of the course, but an additional hour is given in summer for the purpose of preparing for a respectable appearance at the genered exami- nation. The character of this institution was very much raised by the late celebrated Dr. Adams, and is still supported by the able superintendance of the present rector and his coadjutors, as is well evinced by the fact, that about 800 boys are at present attending the High School. A library, containing from 8 to 10,000 volumes, is attached to the school, the subscriptions for which, by the boys in the rector's class^ have amounted for three years past to about ;f90 annually. HIGH SCHOOL, LEITH. The Grammar School at Leith stands on the south west part of the Links or Downs, in the immediate vicinity of the town. It was erected in 1805, and the expenses were to be paid by voluntary subscriptions. The building consists of two stories, having a projecting centre, and a rusticated basement ; from the middle of the roof rises a small turret, which contains a dial. The rooms for the different classes are elegant and commodious, and the teachers of this grammar school are inferior to none, in every qualiftca- tion necessary for the instruction of youth. An article published in the Scots' Magazine, dated from Leith, March 29th, 1804, gives the following account of laying the first stone of the building. " The foundation stone of the new schools at Leith was laid this day, in the presence of an immense concourse of people ; though the day was unfavour- able, several circumstances concurred to interest the public mind. The want of proper accommodation for the instruction of youth in the different branches of education, had long been felt with great regret ; but as the town has no public funds, there was little probability of seeing this desirable object speedily accomplished. In the present flourishing and en- lightened state of the community, it occurred to some spirited individuals, that the sum necessary for erecting new schools might be obtained by voluntary contributions. This scheme was no sooner proposed than adopted ; and to the honour of the town, a very large sum was collected in a few days, every class of the inhabitants subscribing with a zeal and liberalitv, which have never been surpassed on any similar occasion. HIGH SCHOOL, LEITH. " It was known that the stone was to be laid by the chair- man of the committee, as master of the Phoenician Lodge ; who, from his situation, has fortunately the power, as he has naturally the inclination, to promote every undertaking of public utility. The Royal Leith Volunteers had offered to escort the procession, and all public and official persons in the town were invited to attend. At one o'clock the procession moved from the Assembly Hall, to the place marked out for the new building ; when it arrived at the appointed spot, it opened to the right and left ; and the right worshipful master of the lodge, accompanied by the brethren, stepped forward to the south east corner of the intended building, and there laid the foundation stone, with the usual masonic solemnities. "In the stone were deposited, a glass for containing the coins of George III. an Edinburgh almanac, newspapers, &c. The jar was covered with a tin-plate, having a suitable inscription engraved on it ; together with the names of the magistrates, ministers, masters of incorporation, and of the committee for conducting the building. The master having pronounced the usual benediction, and a suitable address being delivered by one of the ministers, the company retired." ^m^j^miL QDw m®2nnm> having this inscription, HE SHALL BUILD ANE HOUSE FOB MY NAME, AND I WILL STABLISH HIS THRONE FOR EVER. BASILICAM HANG SEMI BUTAM CAROLUS REX, OPTIMUS INSTRAURAVIT. ANNO DOM. CI0.I3CXXXIII. The north side of the building is ornamented with but- tresses, enriched with canopied niches and pinnacles ; this was the work of abbot Crauford in the time of James III. The south side of the church is likewise adorned with buttresses, but differing from those of the north. At the east end is the great window, the tracery of which was thrown down by a storm in 1795, but has since been replaced. The belfry is a small tower on the north-west corner of the abbey church, and contains a finely-executed statue of lord Btlhaven. On the compartments behind are Latin inscriptions, translated as follows : " Here are interred the remains of Robert, lord viscount Belhaven, baron of Spot, &c. and counsellor to king Charles, and most intimately in favour with him, because formerly he had been most dear to Henry, prince of Wales, and master of his horse. But he being dead, and Charles his brother now reigning, he was made chamberlain to the king's household, and enter- ABBEY OF HOLVROOD HOUSE. tained with a singular degree of favour, and advanced to great honours and wealth. In his youth he enjoyed the sweet society of Nicolas Murray, daugliter to the baron of Abercairney, his only wife, Avho lived with him not above eighteen months, and died in child-bed with her child. When grievous old age came upon him (as weary of bad times and customs), withdrawing himself from the noise of the court, he returned to his country. He nominated sir Archibald and sir Robert Douglasses, baronets, sons to his eldest brother, his heirs, dividing equally amongst them all his lands and goods, except some legacies, and they erected this monument to his memory as a token of their gratitude. " Nature supplied in him by sagacity what his mind wanted of education. He was inferior to none in a good capacity and can- dour ; he would soon be angry, but was as soon calmed. This one thing he had in his life, which scarcely could be alike ac- ceptable to all, for loyalty towards his prince, love to his coun- try, kindness to his relations, and charity to the poor, he was singular. In prosperity he was meek and moderate, in adver- sity his constancy and magnanimity prevailed to his very end. He died at Edinburgh, the I4th day of January, and from the incarnation of the Messiah lb"39, and of his age 66, being the third year above his great climacteric." The annexed view from the king's park shows the palace as well as the chapel of Holyrood-house, with the Calton Hill in the distance, surmounted by Nelson's Monument. The view of the interior of the chapel, is taken from the east, and exhibits its present state of dilapidation. Mr, John Petrie, of Edinburgh, has lately published a copious and interesting description of the monastery and chapel royal of Holy rood, from which we have made some extracts. PAT. Apr OF TTni.v'Rn cm ROlTsl wit.!; it i? tli« two. iaeie apjjtars to La\c teca independent of the abbey, as early as tl)c and we fiad that most of the subseqiu-ju tjingu <^- made it their residence, or distinguishfijd it by souii able transaction. Arnot and others date the orit' palace from •'" '■'•■"■ >•" ''^"•'■<- V ^^ 'f^ ■! •■ ^'■■' '■ '■■ spring of U bt ^( ■!! ^ipon one of theui. 1 he Palace having been deslioyed its ruins there arose a fairer and more ex^ aistiuj( of five courts { in this state the > ■ the greater part of it was burnt by tlit > The present Palace of Uolyro< after the restoration, by sir Williaiii i.. v, •. . tect of th'it period, and l»u'lt by Robed M*. the apartments erected by James V. were ^ tender, and shortly afterwacdb by the duke ^! Cumberl of \vi\om slept in the same bed. After this tir tjou was paid to the Palace, till th<- Larom of about thirty jears ago, gave otiKsa for u i it was soon afterwards appro; !ian.d to <^' PALACE OF HOLYROOD HOUSE. The Palace of Holyrood-house has had its history so blended with that of the Abbey, that it is now impossible to determine at what period of time, or by whom, the former was erected. It is probable, however, that the abbey is the most ancient of the two. There appears to have been an establishment here, independent of the abbey, as early as the time of Robert Bruce, and we find that most of the subsequent kings of Scotland made it their residence, or distinguished it by some remark- able transaction, Arnot and others date the origin of the palace from the reign of James V, who, we are told, " in the spring of the year 1525, founded a fair palace in the abbey of Holyrood-house and three great towers," intending it as a place of occasional residence. These towers form the north- west portion of the building, and the name of James may still be seen upon one of them. The Palace having been destroyed by the English, from its ruins there arose a fairer and more extensive structure, con- sisting of five courts ; in this state the building continued till the greater part of it was burnt by the soldiers of Cromwell. The present Palace of Holyrood-house was planned soon after the restoration, by sir William Bruce, an eminent archi- tect of that period, and built by Robert Mylne. In 1745, the apartments erected by James V. were occupied by the pre- tender, and shortly afterwards by the duke of Cumberland, both of whom slept in the same bed. After this time little atten- tion was paid to the Palace, till the barons of the exchequer, about thirty years ago, gave orders for a thorough repair, and it was soon afterwards appropriated to the use of the royal PALACE OF HOLVROOD IIOUnE. exiles from France, who resided here for some years, and held frequent and brilliant levees. Upon their removal in the year 1799, their gratitude was expressed by a letter, addressed to the lord provost and magistrates, translated as follows : " Edinburgh, August 5, 1799. " Gentlemen, " Circumstances relative to the good of the service of the king, my brother, making it requisite that I should leave this country, where, during my residence I have constantly received the most distinguished marks of attention and regard, I should reproach myself were I to depart without expressing to its respective magistrates, and through them to the inhabitants at large, the grateful sense with which my heart is penetrated, for the noble manner in which they have seconded the generous hospitality of his Britannic majesty. I hope I shall have it in my power to make known, in happier moments, my feelings on this occasion, and express to you more fully the sentiments with which you have inspired me. Signed, " Charles PhiHp." The duke of Arg)le and other noblemen have lodgings at the Palace by royal grants, and the towers of king James furnish a city residence to the family of Hamilton, the duke being hereditary keeper. The present Palace is a quadrangle, inclosing a court ninety-four feet square ; its buildings are all four stories in height besides the attic, with the exception of the western side, which is only two stories ; this side of the quachangle contains the grand entrance, and is likewise distinguished by a double ballustrade and a flat roofj at each of its ex- tremities is a castellated square tower, strengthened on its exterior angles by round towers of elegant dimensions. The great entrance is composed of four Doric columns with a corresponding entablature, under which appear the royal arms PALACE OF IIOLYROOD HOUSE. of Scotland, the whole is surmounted by an octangular turret, terminated by an imperial crown. On the opposite or eastern side of the quadrangle within the court, is a pediment contain- ing the arms which have been assumed since the Union 5 the court is surrounded by a piazza, having Doric pilasters and an entablature ornamented with the thistle, crown, and other ensigns of Scottish royalty ; between the windows on the second floor is a range of Ionic pilasters, and above these an equal number of the Corinthian order 5 a large staircase on the right hand leads to the royal apartments, and on the north side is the great gallery, which is 150 feet long. This ' gallery is hung with the fanciful portraits of one hundred and ele\en monarchs of Scotland, painted by De Witt, these were wantonly defaced and mangled by the troops that were quartered here after the defeat of the royalists at Falkirk, in 1745. In this gallery the peers of Scotland are elected, and it is well suited to the dignity and splendour of such an occasion ; it was likewise employed by the princes of France for the celebration of mass. The apartments occupied by the duke of Hamilton fill the old portion of the Palace. On the second floor are those which were used by queen Mary, whose bed still remains. The fur- niture of this bed is of crimson damask, bordered with green silk tassels and fringes, and tradition assigns the decorations to the fair hands of the unfortunate queen ; but the whole is now in a very decayed state. There are likewise some old chairs, covered with crimson velvet ; in this room a small opening is to be seen which leads to a trap-stair, communi- cating with the apartment below. By this passage, Darnley and his accomplices conveyed themselves into the closet in which Mary was supping with Rizzio her secretary, who was dragged out of that closet through the bed-chamber into the chamber of presence, and there expired under repeated blows. Large dark spots near the outer door of this room, are said to be the indelible stains of his blood. The armour of Darnley and PALACE OF HOLVROOD HOUSE. his son, and the boots, in shape and size the prototypes of those now worn by the horse guards, with the queen's dressing box, are still shewn in these apartments. Here are besides some very good portraits ; one of Henry Darnley, or, according to Pennant, Henry Prince of Wales, Queen Mary, Charles H. Cardinal Beaton, and John Knox, &c. The Palace of Holyrood is thought to resemble that of Hampton Court. It is the only royal habitation in Scotland that is not in ruins. Its environs still afford the singular pri- vilege of an asylum to debtors ; but this privilege may have been derived from the Abbey rather than from the Palace ; for it is well known from history, that the cardinals for ages pre- tended that they had the privilege (as formerly the vestal virgins of Rome), of giving grace to the criminal, whom by chance they might meet on his way to the place of execution. In 1309, we find the cardinal de St. Eusebe, rescuing such a victim in the Rue d'Aubri le Bouchor, in Paris : and if the power of the religious extended in those days to the rescuing from capital punishments, there is no reason to imagine it ineffectual in protection from a suit for a common debt. HUME'S MONUMENT. On the south-west end of the Calton Hill is a cemetery, in which are deposited the ashes of the celebrated David Hume, and a Monument is raised over them to his memory. This structure is of a circular form, in the Grecian style, and 20 feet in diameter by about 30 feet high. The top of the wall by which the roof is concealed, is enriched by a Doric enta- blature, and the building further down is encompassed with a belt and cornice. On the south and north sides two pedestals, which are 10 feet high and 5 wide, support the same number of sphinxes. Carved in a stone pannel over the door, which fronts the north-east, is this inscription : " David Hume, Bora April 26th, 1711 — Died August 25th, 1776. Erected in me- mory of him in 1778." Above this again is a niche, containing a vase, which was lately placed there by the nephew of the philosopher as a memorial of his own wife, and which has on it the following words : " Janae Alder, feminae benignae optimae, uxori suavissimae, banc urnam felicis conjugii memor, posuit David Hume, A. D. 1817-" David Hume, the best probably of the historians of his country, and the most ingenious of its sceptical writers, was the youngest son of a family which could boast an ancient and noble genealogy. He studied at the university of Edinburgh, and was intended for the bar, but never put on the gown. The writings of Locke being then in great repute, Hume was induced to turn his attention to metaphysical studies, the results of which he gave to the world at different times in his " History of Human Nature," and his " Essays," &c. These works were variously received, but none of them so favourably HUME S MONUMENT, as his Political Discourse, and his History of England. His sceptical tenets as to the existence of matter and mind, which he resolves into ideas and impressions, have been well exposed by Rcid and Stewart, and his objections to revealed religion, most satisfactorily and unanswerably repelled by Drs. Camp- bell, Beattie, and others. After spending most of his patrimony in his earlier and more unsuccessful productions, Hume went to reside a year with the Marquis of Annandale. He was afterwards employed in several very important civil and diplomatic services. By these means, realizing a fortune of £1000 a year, he retired in 1769 to spend the remainder of his life in his native country, where he died in 1776. An account of his death was published in a letter written by Dr. Adam Smith, whose object was to show, that notwith- standing the sceptical opinion of Hume, he died with the utmost composure ; and that in his life as well as at his death, he appeared the wisest and best of men. The absurdities of this letter were ably exposed by Dr, Home, in a small volume, on the " Life, Death, and Philosophy of David Hume," which is better calculated than almost any other book to guard the minds of youth against the insidious strokes of infidelity : indeed, the presumption and extravagant aflfectation could not have been too strongly reprobated, which induced Hume on the near approach of death, to compose a dialogue between him- self and the ferryman of Styx. The following_;eM d^ esprit is not generally known : Epitaph. " Within this circular Idea, " Called vulgarly a tomb, " The Impressions and Ideas rest " That constituted Hume." iii~i'wm'iM,ji,^m. dawiaeiH, INVERESK CHURCH. Inveresk is a beautiful village five or six miles from Edin- burgh : it is situated on the lower part of the river Esk, which falls in two streams from the mountains of Morfit and Pentland, that bound the great vale of Midlothian. These streams flow together through the valley, and are intercepted in their course by the hill upon which stands the church and village of Inve- resk, The situation of this parish is esteemed the most beau- tiful of any in North Britain ; the south side of the hill, taking the form of a crescent, displays a delightful prospect over the woods of Dalkeith, and the extensive country to the south. So peculiarly healthy is Inveresk, that it anciently obtained the name of the Montpellier of Scotland : the soil being remarkably dry, and the constant freshness derived from the river and the adjacent sea, constitutes a softness and amenity in the air, that is rarely experienced in any other situation in this northern climate. According to some historians, the Romans had a station on the summit of the hill, where in aftertimes a church was erected ; but at what precise date is not to be ascertained. The foundation stone of the present fabric was laid on the 16th September, 1803, by the master of the Musselburgh Kil- winning lodge, accompanied by a deputation from several lodges in the city and its neighbourhood. The external appearance of the building is rather plain ; it has a lofty tower and spire, and being situated upon the summit of the hill, is a very con- spicuous and pleasing object. A sermon was preached in the old church of Inveresk in the year 1748, upon an occasion so memorable, that it cannot fail to interest the majority of readers. An abandoned woman. INVERESK CHURCH. named Margaret Dickson, was sentenced to be hanged in the Grass Market, Edinburgh, for the murder of her own child ; after being cut down, she was thrown into a chest, in order to be taken to Musselburgh for interment. In the way thither, the people who accompanied the cart, stopping some time at a place called Pepper Mill to refresh themselves, were alarmed by one in the company, who affirmed, that he felt some motion in the chest ; whereupon it was immediately broken open, and her friends caused a vein to be opened^ and gave her some spirits ; these operations were attended with such symptoms, that they soon anticipated her perfect recovery. She was taken the same evening to Musselburgh, and so far revived, that before the following day, she sat up and spoke to the com- pany, and shortly afterwards was in perfect health. It was' conjectured, that the motion of the cart whereon she lay, pro- voked a renewed circulation of the blood, and led primarily to her recovery. The sermon was preached by the Rev. Mr. Wil- liamson, before a very numerous auditory ; the immediate sub- ject of the address was likewise present. A sliort time after- wards, the woman having occasion to visit Edinburgh, such an immense body of people were attracted to see, as it were, one alive from the dead, that she was in danger of being stifled by the pressure, and was obliged to take refuge in a dwelling, and finally to escape by a back door. She kept an ale house for many years after this event in the neighbourhood of Inveresk, and at length died as she had lived, an impenitent profligate. sssT'Qs'g ms^sn i. -. Tru)' k fui'fy J &KS.Stirra; Oiapd Jlrca J?ava7>riBe JiifyljAJ HOUSE OF JOHN KNOX. The house of this eminent person has, in this advanced age, a singularly mean appearance, being situated in a part of the Old Town, inhabited by the inferior ranks of society, and is distinguished by a small effigy of the reformer occupy- ing a pulpit on one of its angles. Many houses in this neighbourhood, remarkable solely for their great age, and still greater deformity, were, nevertheless, the dwellings of our an- cestors most distinguished for rank and literature ; but when we contemplate the venerable residence of the great Scottish Refor- mer, the associations recalled to mind are flattering to our pride, and are highly honourable to his memory. We think less of the greatness of his power, and his intimacy and influence with his most illustrious contemporaries, than of his unadorned plainness of character, and unaifected humility. John Knox was born in the year 1505, at a place called Gifford, near Haddington. He was educated at the University of St. Andrews, where he obtained a degree in arts, and while very young exercised the profession of a teacher. Like the cele- brated German Reformer, he imbibed in his youth the principles of the most bigot ted Catholicism ; but, hearing the discourses of a certain friar, hegrew undecided in his opinions, anti, finally, by the advice and representations of George Wishart, (an early martyr to the cause of Protestantism), he threw off his adherence to the Romish church, and became an ardent reformer. After a variety of trials and dangers, which he bore with sin- gular patience and unshaken fortitude, he became a minister in Edinburgh, and so zealous was he in the discharge of his pastoral functions, that the highest rank was not exempted from HOUSE OF JOHN KNOX. the most acrimoulous reprehensions. A proof of this may be seen in his address to the queen, before whose council he was summoned on the following occasion. Certain of her Majesty's family who remained in the palace of Holyrood-house, had a priest, who performed service as usual in the chapel during her absence. Many papists resorting thither, the ministers were so offended that, at their instigation, the citizens of Edinburgh went down one day, when they were told the congregation was con- siderable, and being denied entrance, forced the gate ; some of the auditors were taken and dragged to prison, but the priest escaped by a back way. Mary was so incensed at the indignity, that she determined not to return to the city till the perpetra- tors had undergone an exemplary punishment. Knox being considered the principal author of the tumult, was called before the council, and charged, among other things, with pre- suming to assemble the people from all quarters whenever he thought proper. After vindicating himself with great spirit, he addressed himself to the queen, and conjured her in the name of Almighty God, as she regarded the eternal welfare of her soul, to forsake the idolatrous religion she professed, and by her authority maintained against the statutes of the realm. After a life of incredible hardships, during which he main- tained the most unshaken integrity, Knox died in the year 1572, full of age and honours. The dark side of his character, was an inflexible and an undiscriminating sternn«s,' which never permitted him to at- tempt conversion by gentle means 3 but, it must never be forgot- ten, that had he not been of a temperament harsh in the extreme, he could never have accomplished the present work of reforma- tion, in a period of a peculiarly dark and savage complexion. An eulogium pronounced over his grave, by the earl of Morton, (who was his friend), was highly characteristic of the man, and honourable to his memory, " Here lies a man who never knew fear." LYING-IN HOSPITAL. This building was formerly a private dwelling house, but is now appropriated for the reception of poor or unfortunate females, whose circumstances deprive them of proper assistance at their own houses. The situation of the house is extremely well adapted to the purposes for which it is Intended, being well aired, and standing in the middle of a small park, re- moved from the noise and bustle of the street ; It Is chiefly under the care of the professor of midwifery in the university of Edinburgh. The business of the institution is managed by a president, four vice-presidents, and a number of directors, annually elected ; and is supported by yearly subscriptions and donations. Long before the establishment of the Lying-in Hospital, it appears, that attention had been paid to the necessities of patients, who required the gratuitous aid of midwifery. For in the year 1756, Dr. Thomas Young was appointed by the town-council, professor of midwifery in the University or College of Edinburgh 5 and he was the first established pro- fessor who gave lectures on his particular branch of practice. His plan was to give three courses in the year, each of which lasted about three months ; they comprehended not only the prac- tical part of midwifery, but the several diseases peculiar to women; likewise the management of new-born Infants, and the disorders to which they are subject. To render this branch of education still more complete, the students had access, under certain regulations, to the lying- in ward, which was fitted up at the expense of Dr. Young, in the Royal Infirmary, and LYlNa-IN HOSPITAL. there frequent opportunities were afforded them of practising iu midwifery. From the earliest ages to no great distance from our own times, midwifery was performed, perhaps, exclusively by women ; and there is every reason to believe, that those em- ployed by the Hebrews, the Greeks, and the Romans, were all females. Nor do we meet with a single instance, of a chirur- gical, or medical practitioner, having been had recourse to, and actually employed, earlier than the middle of the seven- teenth century. Perhaps among the earliest practitioners on the continent, was M. Julian Clement, a surgeon of high reputation at Paris, who attended in a difficult case, Madame de la Valiere, in 1663, and Dr. William Harvey. The latter having published his celebrated treatise on generation, shortly afterwards engaged in the practice of midwifery, and followed up his practice with his Exercitatio de Partu. '-■^^ m'^ MARINERS' HOSPITAL, LEITH. The Inhabitants of Leith were divided into four classes, and were erected into as many corporations by the queen dowager, Mary of Lorraine, These were the mariners, maltmen, traders/ and trafficers : the first consisted of ship masters and sailors j the second of malt makers and brewers ; the third of coopers, bakers, smiths, wi'ights, &c. and the fourth of merchants and shopkeepers. Of these corporations, the mariners are the most considerable ; they obtained from Mary of Lorraine, a gift, afterwards ratified by William and Mary, of one penny duty on the ton of goods in the harbour of Leith, for the sup- port of their poor. This duty, which about the year 17^0 did not amount to £40 per annum, in less than twenty years had increased to above £lOO a year, and must still be augmented in proportion as trade flourishes : for the further support of the poor belonging to the corporation, the ship masters pay an- nually sixpence in the pound out of their own wages, and the like sum they give out of the wages of their sailors. From these sums, and from property acquired and money lent from former savings, this corporation has been enabled to devote a very considerable sum for the yearly support of their poor. The mariners formerly occupied, as their hospital, a large house standing opposite to South Leith Church, called the Trinity Hospital, because originally consecrated to the Holy Trinity. In this house some of the poor were maintained, but afterwards they were all out pensioners. The Trinity Hospital, besides other apartments, contained a large hall for MARINERS HOSPITAL, LEITH, the meetings of the corporation. In the room of this Hospital, an elegant edifice was erected in 1817, in the Grecian style of architecture, at the expense of £2500, and is a very consi- derable ornament to the Kirkgate : the pediment contains an ingenious device, consisting of the globes, quadrant, and other instruments used in navigation. ' Below it is placed a stone, which was removed from the ancient Trinity House, having this inscription, " In the name of the Lord we masteris and marenelis bylis this hous to the pour, anno 1555." The streets of Leith are in general extremely narrow, and laid down without any regard to design or regularity, and the buildings for the most part are of mean appearance ; but the streets which have been newly built towards the south and east, contain a number of houses which are finished with much taste and elegance. The Kirkgate is the principal street, and is entered at the foot of the great road leading from Edinburgh, called Leith Walk. The Hospital is situated on the west side of the street. 'm IE 1E,(S SCASr IT'S BfiML® lEKT EI® S IP H ITASi . MERCHANTS MAIDEN HOSPITAL. The Maidens' Hospital was founded in the year 1695, by the company of merchants of Edinburgh, and other well disposed persons, for the education and maintenance of poor children, the daughters of decayed burghers. It was originally instituted without the Bristow Port, where Mrs. Mary Erskine, who was one of the principal promoters of this charitable work, pur- chased a handsome and convenient building, with large and pleasant gardens^ at the expence of 1*2,000 merks Scottish, The governors, who were at first all the contributors, held a meeting in 1697, for the formation of rules for the government of their establishment ; these were again revised in 1702, and two years afterwards an application was made to the town- council of Edinburgh, for a ratification of their proceedings j they likewise had recourse to Parliament, who erected them into a body corporate in 1707- Their charter declares, " the said hospital in all time coming, to be a free hospital, and the great lodgings, houses, yards, and pertinants thereof in Bristo, purchased and doted for the use of the said hospital, by the said Mar)- Erskine, to be free of all public burdens whatsoever, for the pious uses abovementioned, with power to the go- vernors thereof, not only to administer the funds and rents of the said hospital, with all donations already made, but likewise to purchase and procure lands and tenements, for the use, benefit, and advantage of the said hospital ; and for that effect to make and gi-ant all manner of writs, deeds, and securities, and to have and to use a common seal with such inscriptions as the governors shall think fit, for confirmation of the said writs aud deeds." By the statutes of the hospital, agreed oa SIERCHANT S SfAIDEX HOSPITAL, in 1708, a benefactor, who gave the sum of 2000 merks, was entitled to a right of presentation j but in 1718, the qualifica- tion was increased to 360O merks. The building represented in the plate, stands in Bristow Street, and has nothing particular in its appearance to attract attention ; it having long been considered incommodious and unfit for the purpose, the foundation of a new erection was laid on the 2d of August, 1816 ; this edifice, which is in the Grecian style, stands on a gently rising ground to the west of Lauriston Lane, in the meadows, on the south side of the city. The girls, at this time about eighty in number, are taken in from seven to eleven years of age ; they are taught English, writing, arithmetic, geography, French, and needle work 3 if any other branches of education are required, the friends of the girls are expected to pay the extra expenses. The cloth- ing is respectable, and the diet of the best quality ; on leaving the house, each girl receives £9:6: 8. The yearly revenue of the Hospital is estimated at £3000 sterling. 2£ril3iS2III3^"'®W ^©■T'TIIIE,, MERCHISTON TOWER. This interesting building stands a little to the south-west of Gillespie's Hospital. The scenery in the neighbourhood is truly romantic and captivating, particularly from an eminence called Craiglockhart Hillj to the north-west of this com- manding site may be seen the hill of Corstorphine, adorned with a number of gentlemen's seats with rich plantations. Two walls, which cross each other at right angles, were built on part of this hill by Mr. Keith, of Ravelston ; each of the four angles containing a seat, from which may be enjoyed the most varied and delightful prospects. Merchistoa is w^orthy of attention, having been the resi- dence of the celebrated author of the logarithms, John Napier, baron of Merchiston, who was born in the year 1550. Having given early discovery of great natural parts, his father was careful to have them cultivated by a liberal education. After going through the ordinary courses of philosophy at the university of St. Andrews, he made the tour of France, Italy, and Germany. Upon his return to his native country, his literature and other fine accomplishments soon rendered him conspicuous, and might have raised him to the highest offices in the state ; but declining all civil employments, and the bustle of the court, he retired from the world to pursue literary researches, in which he made an uncommon progress. He applied himself chiefly to the study of mathematics, but at the same time did not neglect that of the holy scriptures. In both these he discovered the most extensive knowledge and profound penetration. His essay upon the book of the Apocalypse, indicates the most acute investigation, and an MKRCIIISTON TOWER, uncommon strength of judgment, though time has discovered, that his calculations concerning particular events had proceeded upon fallacious date. Napier having a great attachment to astronomy and spherical trigonometry, had occasion to make many numerical calculations, which being expressed in large numbers, occasioned a great deal of labour and trouble ; to obviate which he contrived the logarithms, which he published in 1614. Briggs, at that time professor of geometry at Gresham College, in London, and who afterwards improved upon the invention, addressed a letter to archbishop Usher upon the subject; in which he says, Napier, lord of Merchiston, hath set my head and hands at work with his new and admirable logarithms ; I hope to see him this summer, if it please God; for I never saw a book which pleased me better, and made me more wonder. Accordingly, he paid him a visit, and being introduced, almost one quarter of an hour was spent in beholding each other, before one word was spoke; at last Briggs began, " My lord, I have undertaken this long journey, purposely to see your person, and to know by what engine of wit or ingenuity, you came first to think of this excellent help into astronomy, the logarithms : but, my lord, being by you found out, I wonder nobody else found it out before, when now known it is so easy." 1 >^ THE METHODISTS' CHAPEL. This beautiful structure was erected in 1814^ and stands ia the south-west corner of Nicholson's Square. The length of the building is about 80 feet, and its width 60 : attached to it is a very neat house, appropriated to the minister ; and under the chapel and house are some excellent rooms for sabbath schools. — The whole buildings cost upwards of £5000. The front is rendered extremely pleasant and picturesque by the shrubberies of the adjoining gardens ; besides which, the square has its centre enclosed with an iron railing, and is adorned with a plantation of trees. This congregation had a chapel formerly in the low Calton, but it was taken down to make way for the erection of the Regent Bridge. The Methodists in Great Britain form a very considerable part of the community. They first sprung up at Oxford in the year 1729, under Mr. Morgan and Mr. John Wesley. In the month of November of that year, John Wesley being then fellow of Lincoln college, began to spend some evenings in reading the Greek Testament, along with Charles Wesley, student Mr. Morgan, commoner of Christ Church, and Mr. Kirkham, of Merton college. Next year two or three of the pupils of Mr. John Wesley obtained leave to attend these meetings. Two years after they were joined i)y Mr. Ingram of Queen's college, Mr. Broughtou of Exeter, and Mr. James Hervey ; and in 1735 they were joined by the celebrated Mr. Whit- field, then in his eighteenth year. They soon obtained the name of Methodists from the exact regularity of their lives ; THE METHODISTS CHAPEL. but tlie name is now very coiuuionly used in a reproachful sense, and applied by the irreligious to every person who ma- nifests any zeal for the salvation of mankind. The heads of this party soon differing upon some religious points, distributed themselves into two parts ; the one under Mr. George Whit- field, the other under Messrs. John and Charles Wesley, and both were indefatigable in promoting their own views of the Christian religion. The Wesleyan Methodists are now iuoorporated into a re- gular and compact body, and have adopted a system of church government which has a wonderful tendency to unite the mem- bers to each other. Their meetings for worship and business are of various kinds, and are distinguished into prayer meet- ings, class meetings, bond meetings, watch nights, love feasts, and yearly covenants : their church officers are denominated travelling preachers, local preachers, class leaders, prayer leaders, bond leaders, trustees, and stewards. Several persons have written the life of Mr. Wesley ; and Mr. ^Vhitfield's memoirs were drawn up by the late Dr. Gillies, of Glasgow. MUSSELBURGH TOLBOOTH. Musselburgh is a small village, which derives its name from an extensive muscle bank, which lies in the sea below the town, and was probably the pi-incipal cause of its early popu- lation. The muscle bank still affords great relief to the poorer inhabitants in times of scarcity, and supplies the tables of the more opulent, who have a taste for such food, with an agreeable variety. The parish takes a semi-circular form, upon the deepest bay of the Frith of Forth : the lowest part is only a few feet above the level of the sea, between which, and the towns of Musselburgh and Fisherrow, are very spacious and pleasant links. These beautiful downs, which are almost peculiar to the shores of Scotland, furnish a field for that favourite exercise called the golf, and excellent walks at all seasons of the year. Musselburgh affords to Edinburgh a plentiful supply of fish, and from its proximity to the city, its freshness is almost insured^ it is conveyed by the fisherman's wives, three of whom re- lieving each other at every hundred yards, will arrive at their market with a heavy load in the space of three quarters of an hour, the distance being about five miles. . In early times, the city was nearly furnished with vegetables from the gardens at Musselburgh and Fisherrow ; the nature of the soil is well cal- culated for early crops, and perhaps the skill derived from the example of the Roman colony, may have led the inhabitants to this branch of trade, which is still followed here, though the people are far from possessing that monopoly of garden stuffs which they had in former times. The Tolbooth, which is one of those prisons which have MUSSEJ^BURGU TOLBOOTH. been so often complained of for their inconveniences of every kind, stands in the middle of the town : it has a high tower and spire ; the tower contains four stories, the lowermost of which is elevated above the roofs of the adjacent houses. This prison is reported to have been erected about the year 1590, out of the ruins of a building which stood at the east end of Musselburgh, and belonged to the abbacy of Dumfermline. This ancient structure was the first religious house in Scot- land, whose ruins were applied to a prophane and unholy use, for which act, the people of Musselburgh have, till lately, been annually excommunicated at Rome. The stairs of the Tolbooth, which were repaired some years since, were evidently the bases of the column of some anterior building. The bridge of Musselburgh, over which the Scottish army retreated on the day of the battle of Pinkie, is of very great antiquity, and was probably the work of the Romans, as they certainly had many houses in what is now called Fisherrow, as well as their haven for shipping ; and it is not likely that they would suffer their colony to be divided by a river that is frequently unfordable for many days together. There are tvvo other bridges here, one of stone, the other of wood ; the latter is now seld«m used. J^^ (Cahon. Mil J NELSON'S MONUMENT, CALTON HILL. This elegant pillar, erected to commemorate the greatest of naval commanders, is likewise a monument of the patriotism and good taste of the citizens of Edinburgh : being situated on the most commanding point of the Calton Hill, it may be seen at a very considerable distance, in approaching the city, either by sea or by land 5 and is accounted one of its most prominent ornaments, especially when viewed from the extensive parade afiForded by Princes Street. It was designed by Mr. R. Burns, architect, who proceeded with its erection till the work was suspended, owing to a want of funds; Mr. Burns dying in the interim, it was resumed and completed by Mr. Dickson, in 1815. Its form is circular, rising from a broad basement, which is flanked by substantial embattled towers, and divided within into several apartments, which were originally intended for the accommodation of disabled seamen. Over the entrance, is the Nelson crest, the stern of the San Josef in bas-relief, taken most correctly from a drawing procured by the dean of guild, R. Johnson, esq. ; the rooms are neatly furnished, and decorated with many tributes, which the sister arts of painting and poesy have consecrated to the memory of their unrivalled hero. The foundation of this pillar is 484 feet above the level of the sea at high water, and the column itself is upwards of 100 feet in height j the view from its summit, (where a flag is continually displayed), is of the most diversified and delightful kind, and is said not to be exceeded even by that of the bay of Naples. The lower part of the building, in deviation from its original purpose, is now occupied by the widow of a petty officer of the NELSON S MONUMENT, CALTON HILL navy, who is allowed to provide dinners and suppers for strangers, but not to sell wines or strong drink, this restriction, however, is of little avail, as those who are inclined to such indulgence may supply themselves from other quarters; a garden, which surrounds the building, supplies plenty of vegetables, with strawberries and other fruits in their season. A few of the most respectable of the citizens of Edinburgh have formed themselves into a society, called the Nelson Club, and dine here on the anniversaries of the hero's victories. In one of the garden walks, a stone obliquely placed, exhibits the following veiy appropriate lines from Milton : Hither shall all the valiant youth resort. And from his memory inflame their breasts. To matchless valour, and adventures high. Upon a tablet immediately under the stern of the San Josef, which appears in bas-relief over the entrance to the building, is this inscription : To the Memory of Vice-Admiral Horatio Lord Viscount Nelson, And of the great \'ictory of Trafalgar, Too dearly purchased with his blood. The grateful citizens of Edinburgh Have erected this Monument 5 Not to express their unavailing Sorrow For his death ; Nor yet to celebrate the matchless glories of His life; But, by his noble example. To teach their Sons To emulate what they admire. And, like him, when duty requires it. To die for their Country ! A. D. MDCCCV. BELLVUE, NOW THE CUSTOM HOUSE. This elegant mansion is solitarily situated to the west of London Street, and at the northern termination of a line of streets running from St. Andrew's Square to the verge of the city. It was built by the late general Scott for a family resi- dence, but has since been converted to its present use by the magistrates, who purchased it, together with the extensive pleasure grounds in its vicinity, for the annual feu of £1000, the present proprietor, however, reserving the right of redeem- ing it at the end of twenty years, on paying the sum to which the yearly rent would amount in that time. It consists of four stories, one of them below ground. The front is adorned with a handsome porch, over which are the royal arms j the ground about it is enclosed by a railing, and tastefully laid out in walks and shrubberies. This spot is to be the centre of a number of diverging streets, which are already planned, to form another New-Town, surpassing the present in the grandeur and beauty of its architecture. From this quarter of the city, there is a most delightful view of the Forth with its adjacent scenery. The office for the customs was at a remote period kept in the Parliament close, but more recently the back part of the Exchange was appropriated for its accommodation. Previously to the middle of the last century, the commissioners, five in number, had each a yearly salary of £1000, which about that time was reduced to half the sum. At present there are four commissioners. BELLVPE, NOW THE CUSTOM HOUSE. The produce of the customs of Scotland for the year ending January 5, 1804^ was the following : £. s. d. Gross receipts in money 729,694 14 4| Deductions. 1. Debentures, drawbacks,&c. 161,703 2 01 2. Charges of management . . 63,564 18 IJ 225,268 1| Net produce £504,426 14 2| Of this sum £375,800 was remitted to the Exchequer of England; £58,016 : 5 : 3i expended in the promotion of national objects ; and £58,492 : 5 : 1| devoted to the service of his majesty's civil government in Scotland. The balance after these deductions remained in the hands of the receiver- general of the custom^ or the collectors at the different ports. 3 g 3 I I NORTH BRIDGE. The foundation stone of this Bridge was laid by George Drummond, Esq. Lord Provost of Edinburgh, on the 21st of October, 1763. The contractor, Mr. William Mylne (a brother of the eminent architect who built Blackfriars Bridge), engaged to complete the undertaking before November 1769, when two months before that period, the vaults and side walls on the south end of the Bridge fell in, burying five persons in the ruins. It is natural enough to conceive that this unfortunate event excited, in a high degree, the popular clamour against Mr. Mylne. The general cry was, that the builder's want of skill had occasioned the unhappy accident. There is reason to believe, that it was partly owing to the severity of the contract, which was obtained by the city on such terms, as could never have enabled the contractor to have performed his task in a sufficient and durable manner. It is but fair, however, to mention, that Mr. Mylne seems not to have considered minutely the circumstances of the ground on which the Bridge rested, as many asserted, that the fall of the Bridge was the natural consequence of the insufficiency of the foundation, which indeed could hardly have been too strong for the impending structure. The site on which it was erected was formerly the bed of a piece of- water called the North Loch, which was drained with considerable lal)our and expense. The earth on which the foundation was laid, is stated to have been the common rubbish, collected by digging the foundations of the houses on the south of the Bridge, which for the sake of coa- venience was naturally deposited in the vale below. This not being cleared away, constituted, it may be supposed^ a NORTH BRIDGE. most insecure foundation, being what is technically deno- minated travelled earth. The Bridge was soon repaired, and may now be considered a handsome, as well as a very durable one. The upper part serves as a communication between the Old and New Town. A considerable excitement was lately occasioned at Edinburgh, by the erection of houses on the side of the North Bridge ; a general meeting of the inhabitants was held on the 2d of December, 1817, to consider what measures should be adopted to prevent, or lessen, the injury done to the city, by such a deviation from the original plan of the New Town. Seldom had there been seen on any occasion an assembly so numerous and respectable } more than 1000 gentlemen were present, and many were obliged to retire for want of room. A letter was read which had been addressed to the Lord Provost, requesting him to call the meeting, and his lordship's reply declining it, after which, a number of reso-- lutions were agreed to, and among them the following. — " That this meeting having obtained the opinion of eminent council, that the magistrates had no legal powers to authorize the erection of such buildings, as are now in progress on the west side of the North Bridge, resolve to take immediate legal steps to prevent their being further proceeded with, it being the understanding of this meeting, that no buildings higher than what may be necessary for a row of shops, can be permitted to be erected on the North Bridge, without serious injury to this city ; and in order th^t all necessary steps might be taken, a committee of twenty gentlemen was nominated, legal proceed- ings were immediately taken, which were subsequently proposed to be withdrawn, on condition that the town council would agree that the buildings should rise no higher than fifteen feet above the causeway of the Bridge." Notwithstanding these conces- sions, the houses are reared to the height of four stories, some of them having ornamented parapets, and though elegant in them- selves, they obstruct several of the finest views in both the Old and New Town. NORTH LEITH CHURCH. The town of Leith is divided by the water of Leith into two parts or parishes, the northern part being of more recent erec- tion than the other. The ancient Church, which is yet stand- ing, is a buikling of great antiquity, but is now so much de- cayed that it became necessary to erect a new one ; accord- ingly, a plot of ground was selected in a large field, south- east of Leith Fort, and the foundation stone of the Church was laid with much ceremony in March 1814. Upon this occasion, the different public bodies who were to make up the proces- sion assembled in the old church, and afterwards moved off to the ground, escorted by detachments of the Norfolk and Northampton regiments of militia. After an appropriate prayer, the stone was laid in due masonic style by the Rev. Dr. Johnstone, when the whole assembly gave three cheers, and a royal salute was fired from two field pieces, which were stationed at a short distance. The procession, which con- sisted of more than 500 persons, then returned, and the ma- gistrates and principal gentry repaired to the Assembly Rooms, where they were regaled with a sumptuous dinner. The Church was designed by Mr. Wm. Burn, and it is thus described by a writer in the Scot's Magazine. " The whole of the building appears to be a purely Grecian edifice fronting the east ; and from the face of the columns to the back wall we find it in length one hundred and sixteen feet and a half j the extent of the front is rather more than seventy-eight feet and a half : the church is calculated to contain with convenience 2200 persons. The proportions of the portico are, in our opinion, taken from the little Ionic temple on the Illyssus, near NORTH LEITH CHURCH. to Athens, indeed it appears to be entirely similar. The first story of the steeple is Doric, the second is Ionic, and the third Corinthian. The spire is fluted, and its height from the ground to the top of the cross is one hundred and fifty-eight feet. The ceiling of the church is partly covered and partially ornamented, and the walls are plastered in imitation of stone. Even the minutest parts of this edifice, where design is requisite, appear to us to possess some affinity to Grecian buildings. The front of the gallery (in place of being pannelled like every common place church, is not pannelled at all like the uncommon church in Charlotte Square) possesses the regular entablature of the columns, which are Ionic and fluted; the pulpit also has Corinthian columns, and the top of it is classically finished with the entablature of the order, taken from the Temple of Lysicrates, which is certainly a very appropriate design for the purpose. The estimated sum for finishing the church and spire was only £8500 ; and although some additional expense has been incurred from the great depth of foundation, the total outlay, we are assured, will not exceed £9000. The work was undertaken by Mr. John Russel, builder in Leith." ^1 OBSERVATORY. The erection of an Observatory at Edinburgh for astronomical purposes^ was first projected in the year 1736 ; but the com- motion excited by the Porteous mob, occasioned the magistrates at that time to lay aside their intention, and apply themselves to matters more deeply interesting. Some years afterwards, the earl of Morton gave £lOO towards the building of an Observatory, and appointed the celebrated Mr. Maclaurin, professor of mathematics, and others, as trustees for carrying the work into execution. Mr. Maclaurin, intent upon accom- plishing the design, read a course of lectures on experimental philosophy, the money arising from which he appropriated for that purpose ; these sums amounting to about £300, a grant was obtained from the magistrates, of part of the south row of buildings in the upper part of the college, which were to be taken down, and the Observatory erected on their site ; but, Mr. Maclaurin dying, the design was abandoned. About the year 1776, the money which had been collected for this purpose, with the accumulated interest, amounted to £400, and the plan for building an Observatory was again revived. A design was then made by Mr. Craig, architect, and the foundation stone of the present building was laid by Mr. Stodert, lord provost of Edinburgh, on the 'Zbih of August, 1776. Mr. Adam, the celebrated architect, happening at this time to be at Edinburgh, he conceived the idea of giving the whole the appearance of a fortification, for which its situation on the Calton Hill was very much adapted. Accordingly, a line was marked out for enclosing the limits of the Obserxatory with a OBSERVATORY. wall, constructed with buttresses and embrasures, and having Gothic towers at the angles. In the execution of this design, the money that had been raised was totally exhausted, and the building left unfinished, in which state it remained till 1792, when it was completed by the magistrates, but in a style far inferior to what the utility of such an institution deserved ; it was possessed of no instruments, nor any funds for procuring them. It continued thus till the year 1812, when a society was formed for the establishment of a scientific Observatory, to be furnished with all the instruments required for the nicest observations of astronomy, and anew building was soon erected a little to the eastward of the old one. The directors, however, have not altogether neglected the latter j they have fitted up its higher story with a camera obscura, which foims the chief attraction to visitors. The room below contains a four feet achromatic telescope, some smaller ones, and a pair of twenty- one inch globes. The annexed View is taken from the prome- nade ; in the distance appear some of the Pentland Hills. ORPHAN HOSPITAL. This institution was founded by some benevolent individuals, particularly Mr, Andrew Gardiner^ a merchant, who com- miserating the dreadful state of ignorance and vice in which those children were found, whose parents were either indigent or dead, raised a sum of money, by means of which he provided education and other comforts for a few of those objects. The success of their first efforts, encouraged them to project the erecting of an hospital for the maintenance of poor and destitute children. This design was made known in 1773, to several persons of rank, and to various associations, especially the Society for propagating Christian Knowledge, and met with universal approbation and coun- tenance. A plan of the institution was subsequently framed, and rules made for its government. A subscription paper was circulated, which drew so large a sum, as to enable the managers in the month of November, 1733, to hire and furnish a house, and to receive into it thirty children, providing a matron and servants to take charge of them, and two masters, the one to instruct them in reading, writing, and the principles of religion, and the other to teach them the trade of weaving. For the further benefit of the undertaking, collections were made in the following year at the doors of the different places of worship in the city ; and many provisions, and a variety of necessary articles were furnished by private contributions. The managers now purchased a piece of ground, upon which the erection of the Hospital was commenced on the 28th of June, 1734. Though most of the materials and work had been gratuitously supplied, the expences of the edifice when completed ORPHAN HOSPITAL. were £800. The proceedings were now laid before the magis- trates and common council, who on the 2^nd of January, 1735, formally expressed their approbation of them, and gave to the contributers a charter, by which they became possessed of the powers and privileges of a corporate body. In 1742^ the managers obtained a charter of erection from government, by which their rights were extended and confirmed. On the institution of the Charity Work-house, which was intended for the city orphans, they were removed thither from the Orphan School, consequently much of the support which the old charity had received was withdrawn and bestowed on the newone^ but the revenues, though necessarily impaired by this circumstance, were much augmented by Mr. Thomas Tod, treasurer, who also in other respects materially improved the Hospital ; and by Mr. Scott Moncreiff, ofNewhall, who subsequently filled the same office. By their exertions, and those of the respectable managers, this institution has reached a high degree of excellence, and proved how well it has merited the high eulogium of Howard, who pronounced it to be one of the most useful charities, as well as one of the most perfect of its kind, in Europe. This building is situated between the theatre and lady Glenorchy's Chapel : besides the principal establishment, seen in the plate, there are apartments adjoining appropriated to the master 3 with a school room, a laundry, and an hospital for the sick. An agreeable view of the Calton Hill is seen from the grounds, with the Monument of Nelson, and other recent erections. l||l||ii|l!lli!!!,mwiiv|jj[i ^m^ jrr-f ) iPAmiLE£isn.mmT Irctm ttie Cowo-ac< PARLIAMENT HOUSE. This building occupies the west and a part of the south side of Parliament Square, the remaining portions of it being filled by St. Giles's Church, and by dwelling houses, remarkable for being twelve stories high behind, while they are only six in front. The Parliament House is an irregular structure, part of which was begun in 1631, and completed in 1640, at an expense of £11,600 sterling. The other part is of a much more recent date. The whole, which has been altered at dif- ferent times, forms the figure of an L, and is 133 feet long by 98 broad, at its wider, and 60 in its narrower part. Owing to the depression of the back part of the site, the height of this side is 60, while that of the other is only 40 feet. A flight of steps called the back stairs, conducts from Cowgate and the back part of the Parliament House to the front of it. Entering by the principal door, we pass through a lobby, and are introduced into the great hall, an apartment which derives its chief claims to our attention, from its having once been the room in which the parliament assembled ; it is 123 feet long by 49 wide, and has an arched inner roof of oak, supported by abutments, and ornamented with gilding and painting. It is now best known by the name of the outer house, as causes which come before the court of session are judged here before they pass into the inner house. Besides a marble statue of the late lord Melville, by the celebrated Canova, which was placed there very lately, the room is adorned with full-length portraits of king William the Third, his consort queen Mary, queen Ann, George the First, and John and Archibald, dukes of Argylc ; the three first the productions PARLIAMENT UOUSE. of sir Godfrey Kneller^ and the others from the pencil of Mr. Aikman, of Cairney. In former times the parliament of Scot- land, though consisting of three estates^ sat in this one apartment ; but the high throne for the sovereign, has been since displaced by a judges bench. The seats round the room, which were formerly occupied by the bishops and nobility, are now used by advocates and men who have business before the court, and solicitors fill the middle space, where there were at one time seats for the representatives of the counties and boroughs. This hall has undergone various changes, and is to be altered stiU farther ; the judges here, or the lords ordinary as they are called, are to have recesses made for them, one of which is already finished. Attached to the great hall are two chambers, one on each side, which are appropriated to the first and second divisions of the inner house. They are each about 40 feet square, and are furnished with seats for those on business, together with galleries for the spectators, and a robing room for the judges. The lord president and four other judges sit in the first division, the lord justice Clerk presides over the four judges in the second. A niche behind the chair of the president, is filled by a marble statue of the late lord president Blair, which was executed by Canova, and placed there at the same time with the erection of lord Melville's in the other house. The same artist was employed to superintend the removal of the statue of president Forbes, from its original place in the outer house, to its present situation over the seat of the lord justice Clerk. This statue, representing the judge in his robes, was done at the expence of the faculty of advocates by Roubiliac, and has under it the following inscription, " Duncano Forbes de CuUoden, supremae in civilibus curiae Praesidi, judici intergerrimo, civi optimo, priscae virtutis vivo, facultas juridica libens posuit, anno post obitum C. N. M,DCC,LII." Six of the judges, of whom there are in all fifteen, are also lords of justiciary, and go the circuits twice a year. In this capacity PARLIAMENT HOUSE. their dress is different from that of the lords of session, the former being a crimson silk robe faced with ermine, and the latter consisting of a purple robe, turned up with crimson velvet. Above these rooms are those for the use of the exchequer, consisting of a court-room and a variety of offices. Under ground there are six apartments, in two of which the public re- cords used to be kept prior to the erection of the Register Office. The other four are devoted to the accommodation of the advo- cates library. This library, founded by sir George Mackenzie, lord advocate, now consists of 60,000 printed volumes, besides a numerous collection of valuable manuscripts. At first it de- pended for its enlargement chiefly on donations, of which it contains some that are princely. Now, however, it has regular resources, as every advocate has to pay a certain sum, and as along with the universities it receives a copy of every work entered in Stationers' Hall. Besides the books and manu- scripts, this library is furnished with a collection of prints, a great variety of coins and medals, and with an entire mummy, preserved in its original chest, which the earl of Morton, the lord register of Scotland, presented to the faculty, having paid for it £300. Of this library, the first regular catalogue was made out in the year 1472, by the celebrated grammarian Ruddiman, assisted by Mr. Walter Goodall, both of whom were librarians, A second was printed in 1776, by Mr. Alexander Brown, in which the later accessions to the library were mentioned. Both of them follow the plan of the bib- liotheca card, imperialis. It may not be useless here to state, that David Hume was for some time keeper of this library. As these rooms are under the hall where the parliament sat, it is expressly stated, in the gift from the city to the faculty, that they are liable to a search by the lord high constable of Scotland, a measure of security which took its rise from the Gunpowder Plot, In the middle of the square there is an excellent equestrian PARLIAMENT HOUSE. Statue in metal of the second Charles, in the Roman dress, and holding a truncheon in the right hand. It is not known who executed this masterpiece of statuary. In 1685, it was elevated on a pedestal at the expence of the citizens. When some rubbish was removing in 1816 from the Parliament House, two stones were found, containing the following lines, now inscribed on the pedestal, for which they seem to have been originally designed. Augustissimo magnificentissimo Carolo Se.c.undo Britanniarum Gralliarum et Hiberniae Monarchae Invictissimo Cujus natalitiis Providentiae arrisit divina, Asterisco meridiano eodem momento conspicua. Qui postquam adolescentiam in acie sub patre egisset, lUo demun obtruncato, jus suura per bienniura Strenue quidem sed improspere vindicavit, Rebellioni namque saepius victrici impar. Solum prope per decennium vertere coactus est. In exteris autem regionibus divinis excubiis (Pactis dolis, minis, armis incubatoriis Non obstantibus) munitus et custoditus, lastar Solis tandem clarioris, e nubihus In regna sua sine caede ex postliminis reversus, Ecclesiam, politiam, civilem pacem, commercium Erexit, auxit, firmavit, et stabilivit : Bello deinde Batavico insignis, statim devenit Inter bellantes vicinos, belli pacisque arbiter : Rebellione denique pristina nuper repuUulante, Palladis non Martis minesteris Basiliscum In ipso ovo compressit, contudit, et conculcavit, Huic ergo miroculorum principi snma in pace et gloria. PHYSICIANS' HALL. The Physicians' Hall, which stands in George Street, nearly opposite to St. Andrew's Church, was founded in November, 1775, after a design by Craig, the architect, ^vho planned the New Town. The foundation stone was laid by that ornament to medical science. Dr. CuUen, attended by the other members of the faculty. Tiie edifice in front extends to upwards of 80 feet, having a portico supported by four beautiful columns of the Corinthian order, which project about six feet from the wall. The base upon which these columns are elevated, rises about seven feet above the level of the street 3 the ascent to it is by a flight of steps, 30 feet in width. The under floor is principally occupied by a librarian and porter, attached to the institution. The chief apartments are those devoted to the usual meetings of the college, the accommodation of the library, and various articles interesting to the profession ; this last room is upwards of 50 feet long by 30 broad, and 20 feet high, being encompassed on three sides by a gallery, and lighted by two rows of windows, five in each row ; besides these, there are several other apartments, which the members of the society resort to for the purposes of writing, or reading such books as they are unwilling to take out of the Hall. The library is esteemed a good one, but is particularly rich in the department of natural history, most of the books relating to which were presented to the society by the heir of Dr. Wright, of Kersie ; the latter having, before his death, expressed a wish, that such should be their destination. The medical school cannot be said to have flourished in Scotland, previously to the commencement of the 18th century ^ PIJYSlCIANS HALL, till then, the public were the dupes of ignorant and presump- tuous empirics, who were numerous enough at that time to infest all Enrope. Before the days of the first Monro, we know of no medical person of any eminence ; from his time the science made rapid progress, and now the medical school of Edinburgh is the most celebrated in Europe. It may be regarded as the principal nursery, which has furnished our army and navy for many yeai-s, with the ablest practitioners in the world j and multitudes annually repair to it from every quarter of the globe. THE PRISONS, CALTON HILL. Previously to the erection of the Bridewell on the Calton Hill, a similar establishment existed in the city of Edinburgh, under the name of the House of Correction, but this in process of time, becoming insufficient for the increased population, a new erection was projected, which was completed in the year 1796. The building is of a semi-circular form, and was erected after a design by the celebrated Robert Adam ; it consists of five stories, the upper one is used as an hospital and for store rooms. A passage divides the semi-circular part of the building exactly in the middle j on each side are the apartments ; those on the outside of the circle being smaller than those within, are double in number, and occupied as separate bed chambers. The rooms of the inner side, of which there are thirteen on each floor, are allotted for labour. They have a grating in front, opening to an inner court ; in the centre of which is a watch-tower, which has on its second story, an apartment fitted up with several long and narrow windows, and being circular, the inspector has a complete view of every thing that is passing in the working cells, without being discerned himself. This arrangement of the building is also very convenient for another purpose ; for on the outside of the watch-tower, in the court, is the pulpit, from which the minister may be distinctly seen and heard by all the prisoners, whilst they continue in their respective apartments, and thus the Avhole forms an excellent and most commodious chapel. The prisoners are principally employed in weaving woollen, cotton^ and linen, and they are kept in a comfortable state of THE PRISONS^ CALTON HILL. warmth by means of flues ; those who have been bred to handi- craft trades are employed about the prison, as carpenters, painters, &c. the garden is also cultivated by the prisoners, all the bedding, and every article of clothing used here is manufactured within the walls ; some of the more trusty females are occupied in cooking and washing. Immediately on the east side of Bridewell stands the gaol or New Prison. It was founded in September 181.5, and finished for the reception of offenders in September 181T ; the plan of this structure is very similar to that of Horsemonger Lane, in London ; the ground floor is divided into seven com- partments, each containing a good day room and a court yard ; the yards meet at a point, at which is placed an octangular watch-house. Above this, on a steep hill impending over the prison is the governor's house, from which there is a view into the several yards, though not into the day rooms ; of the seven compartments, one is occupied as an infirmary ; others by the women prisoners j debtors ; and untried men ; and the remaining three by male convicts. In the upper stories of the building are the night cells, ranged on both sides of long galleries ; some of these are allotted to prisoners under sentence of death, and are distinguished by a long iron bar fixed in the wall, to which these miserable wretches are fastened by chains. Mr. Gurney remarks, " that the gaoler considers this provision necessary to his safety ; the experience, however, of almost all other prisons, is sufficient to prove him mistaken, and so cruel a mode of confinement appears to be particularly objectionable in Scot- land, because in that country six weeks elapse in capital causes between condemnation and execution." It is to be hoped, that the Bible, which is so laudably placed in the cell of every prisoner here, will have its due influence upon the keepers, and that they will act consistently with that admonition, which cannot l)e too frequently repeated, '' Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." PUBLIC DISPENSARY. Ir is allowed, that no place of its extent, displays so great a number of charitable institutions as the city of Edinburgh. After the establishment of the Infirmary and Medical Schools, it was regretted by many, and especially by the students of Medicine, that a Dispensary was still wanted to complete the system of relief already afforded to the necessitous j for while hospitals and infirmaries were calculated to receive and succour those who were incapable of exercise, and in many instances confined to their beds, there were other cases, in which air and exercise were highly beneficial, and these could not be attended to without the institution of a Dispensary. The present establishment was projected by Dr. Andrew Duncan, now professor of the theory of physic in the Univer- sity of Edinburgh. It was founded in the year 1766, and stands on the south side of north Richmond Street, and though not remarkable for its architecture, it is sufiiciently convenient for the purposes of its erection. Over the entrance is repre- sented, in alto-relievo, the story of the good Samaritan, with this inscription : " And when he saw him, he had compassion on him." Luke, x, 33. The patients who attend here, receive medicine and advice four days in the week ; they are re- commended by the minister or elder of the parish where they reside. The concerns of the dispensary are managed by a president, two vice-presidents, and twenty directors, annually elected from among the contributors, all the expenses being defrayed by voluntary contributions ; the donation of one guinea entitles to recommend patients, and to exercise the office of governor PUBLIC DISPENSARY. for two years ; a gift of five guineas confers the same privileges for life. Surgeons attend at stated periods for the vaccine innoculation of the children of the poor. An account is kept at the dispensary, of the state of every disease that occurs ; and to the case are subjoined regular reports of its progress during the patients attendance. In the year 1815, a branch of this useful and benevolent institution was established in the Physiciaiis' Hall, in the New Town, for the better accommodation of persons residing in the northern districts of the city ; in the following year the Edinburgh New Town Dispensary was founded, in Little King Street, where advice and medicine are not only given daily, but attendance at the patient's house is allowed when requisite. REGENT BRIDGE. This Bridge was erected for the purpose of connecting Princes Street with the Calton Hill, and forming a communication with the London new road. It consists of one spacious arch, which stretches over the lower Calton, affording an easy access to the charming walks and \news, which may be enjoyed in this part of the town ; it likewise gives additional length to the very extensive terrace of Princes Street, and as the approach to Edinburgh from London is intended to be by this bridge, a most preposessing idea will be conveyed of the boasted metropolis of Scotland, to strangers who visit it for the first time from this entrance. The bridge is ornamented on either side, as far as the arch extends, by a handsome Grecian parapet, in form of a colonnade, having a circular opening in its centre J above this, on one side, is inscribed " Regent Bridge," and on the other, " Commenced in the ever memorable 1815, Sir John Marjoribanks of Lees, Baronet, M. P. Lord Provost of the City ; Archibald Elliot, Architect." These inscriptions being upon the inner parts of the parapet, may be read in cross- ing the bridge. The city of Edinburgh is much indebted to the provost already named, for many of the improvements which it has lately received. Besides his exertions in Parliament, he liberally assisted by his private purse in promoting a plan, which forty years ago had been suggested by that eminent architect Robert Adam, and is now realized in the construction of the Regent Bridge. It is intended to cover this bridge with buildings in the same manner as the South bridge, leaving the openings formed by the colonnade, for the sake of the prospect which is presented on REGENT BRIDGE. eilliei hand. The houses, some of which have been erected, are to be used as shops, dwelling houses, and for the accommo- dation of public institutions. A large edifice, at the further end, and on the left side of the bridge as we advance towards the Calton-hill, is to be appropriated as an inn, to be called the Waterloo tavern and hotel. This inn is expected, when finished, to be one of the most commodious and elegant in the kingdom ; its construction is estimated at £20,000, which has been already subscribed in shares. Opposite to this it is proposed to erect a building for the use of the post ofi&ce. Further on, and on the left hand, a house, in which the corporation of Calton are to hold their meetings, is nearly completed j corresponding to which, on the right, a wall of hewn stone, with niches at regular distances from each other, stretches between the intended post office and the gaol, serving Xo fence the adjoining cemetery. It was at one time proposed to raise a triumphal arch at this part of the Bridge, and some progress was made in the execution of the design, but it has since been abandoned. The view which we have given is taken from low Calton, and it was dra\vn in 1817j before the completion of the Bridge. Part of Leith Street is seen through the arch. REGENT MURRAY'S HOUSE. This ancient mansion stands in the Canong&te, on the south side of the street, and is at present occupied as a dwelling and warehouse by Mr. Cowan, an eminent paper maker, and lately one of the magistrates of Edinburgh ; it was some time since used as a linen hall, and afterwards as the British linen com- pany's bank. The period of its first erection, cannot now be accurately ascertained ; above one of the doors on the right side of the court as entered from the street, are the remains of an inscription, and in all probability a date, but so much obli- terated, that it is impossible now to read it : on the top of one of the windows is a monogram, indicative of the name of Murray. The house contains several splendid apartments, and behind it is a spacious garden, consisting of four parterres ; each of the three lower ones are descended to by a flight of steps : on the south-west corner of the first or highest parterre, which is immediately behind the house, is a very curious arbour, com- posed of three or four highly picturesque elm stumps, whose branches have completely incorporated and grown together. Under these (as tradition reports). Queen Mary used frequently to read. On the east side of the lowermost level of the garden, stands an unroofed oblong building, twenty-one feet by nine, having an archway at each end, and three others on its front ; this ruined building is said to have been the place where the Union of the two Kingdoms was signed. Opposite to this building, there was formerly a fish pond, and on its bank, the statue of a boy in the act of angling j the pond is now converted into a well for the use of a family, but the statue still remains reclining against REGENT MURRAY S HOUSE. the hoary trunk of a fine birch tree, which at one time must have overhung the pool. The garden and back parts of the house, bear evident marks of its ancient grandeur. The place is still the property of the earl of Murray. In 1561 James Stewart, prior of St. Andrew's, was created earl of Murray by queen Mary, and acted a very considerable part towards the close of her unsettled reign. He held the first rank in public affairs, not from any affection that the queen entertained for him, but on account of the frequent occasion she had for his advice and friendship, he being considered as the head of the reformers. The queen being brought to Edinburgh in 1567^ over- whelmed with ignominy on account of the murder of Darnley, was soon prevailed upon to resign the crown, and the regency was bestowed upon the earl of Murray. In consequence of his attachment to the reformation, he had many enemies, and his rule was of short duration : for on the 23d of January, 1570, he was basely murdered by one of the family of Hamilton. His character is most favourably drawn by the historians of his country: Melvil calls him the " good Regent j" and another writer says, above all his virtues, which were not a few, he shined in piety towards God." THE REGISTER OFFICE. This building is situated at the end of the North Bridge, in Princes Street ; it was formerly a very striking object in passing from the Old to the New Town, but it is now almost hid by the houses lately erected on the Bridge. The plan of this building was designed by Mr. Robert Adam, and the foundation stone was laid on the 17th of June, 1774. In order to carry on the work, a grant was obtained from George III. by the earl of Morton, to the amount of c£l2,000, out of the money arising from the sale of the forfeited estates. The ceremony of laying the foundation was performed under a discharge of artillery, in presence of the judges of the courts of session and exchequer, and a brass plate was placed in the stone, having this inscription : " Conservandis Tabulis Publicis, positumest anno MDCCLXXIV. munificientiaoptimi et pictissimi principis, Georgii Tertii;" a glass vase was likewise enclosed, in which were deposited the different coins of his late majesty. The building, as it now appears, is only one half of the original design, and consists of a front, ranging from east to west, about 200 feet in length, with a moiety of each wing j the breadth, including the dome, is 120 feet, and as there is sufficient room for the records, an extension of the edifice is not likely to take place at present. The dome, which occupies the centre of the building, is fifty feet in diameter, and eighty in height ; it is lighted from the top by a window, fifteen feet in diameter, the frame of which is of copper. Under the dome stands a fine statue of George III. executed by the honourable Mrs. Damer. THE REGISTER OFFICE. At each angle of the front of the building is a small pro- jection, with a Venetian window ; and on the top, a beautiful stone balustrade with a cupola; in the centre is a pediment, supported by four Corinthian pilasters : the whole front is ornamented with a fine entablature of the same order, and the grand outer staircase is peculiarly elegant. In the walls, within the building, are numerous arched divisions, disposed into presses, for holding the records ; the access to these is by a hanging gallery, which encircles the whole edifice. The lord register has the chief direction of tlie business carried on in this ofiice, and the principal clerks of the court of session are his deputies ; these have a number of inferior clerks under them, for carrying on the affairs of the court of session, and other concerns which belong to the institution. The internal arrangements of this office have recently been much improved, and every thing connected with the order and preservation of the public records, put on the best establish- ment, under the superintendance of Tiiomas Thompson, esq. advocate. The erection of the Register Office cost nearly £40,000. RESTALRIG CHURCH. This venerable ruin is situated in a hollow plain, about a mile eastward of Edinburgh ; it was founded by James III. in honor of the Trinity and the Virgin Mary, and was endowed by the two monarchs who were his immediate successors. James V, placed here a dean, nine prebendaries, and two singing boys ; but at the reformation, an order was giving by the general assembly for its demolition. But, notwithstanding this man- date, which declared the fabric to be a monument of idolatry, a beautiful window at the east end, and some of the walls, are yet standing. The cemetery around the ruined church is used as a burying place, principally by the English, and such as are of the episcopal communion. In the middle of the church-yard, stands a large mausoleum, of an octangular form, overgrown with yew trees; this ap- pears on the left side of the print ; within the tomb, in the centre, is a small column, from which rise a number of ribs that form the groining of the roof ; the ground is covered with enclosures of wood, which mark the spots where bodies have been interred. This spacious mausoleum was originally the family vault of sir Robert Logane, of Restalrig, knt. (or as it was anciently denominated Lestalrig) ; it afterwards became the property of the lords of Balmerino, and from them passed to the earl of Moray. In this vault, there are the remains of persons who have been interred some hundred years, particularly lady Jonet Ker lady Restalrig, who died May 15th, 1526. Restalrig Church being divested of its parochial right, which was conferred on the church of South Leith, its inhabitants were enjoined to RESTALRIG CHURCH, repair to Leith for the purposes of public worship ; the parson- age, benefice, glebe, parsonage-house, &c. of Restalrig, were likewise annexed for the support of the incumbent at South Leith, and the patronage of the new church was ordered to be reserved to the patron of that which had been suppressed, and to his successors. This endowment of the church at Leith, was confirmed by a charter of James VL in the year 1614 ; an extract from which will shew what kind of emoluments the clergy received in those times. " Moreover know ye, that for several good causes and considerations us thereunto moving, we have given and granted, and by this our present charter, confirmed to the minister, elders, and deacons of the church session, of South Leith, and their successors in the said office, all the lands, tenements, houses, buildings, gardens, orchards, crofts, churches, chapels, annual rents, dial silver, death pennies, yearly fruits, alms duties, profits, and emoluments whatsoever, which pertained, or in time coming may pertain, to whatever chapelry, altarage, vivarage, or prebend ; founded in whatever church, chapel, or college, within the towns of Leith and Lestalrig. In the year 1745, the patron of this living was lord Bal- raerino, who being taken in the rebellion with other Scotch noblemen, was beheaded on Tower Hill, London, and the patronage forfeited to the king. ROxMAN CATHOLIC CHAPEL. This elegant little Chapel is situated south east of York place, near the north-eastern extremity of the New Town ; it was erected in the year 1813, from a plan by Mr. Gillespie. The original design by that celebrated architect was more elaborate in its ornamental parts, but the funds were not adequate to carry it wholly into effect, though it was so much admired as to have occasioned a very general adoption in Scotland of tlie English, or pointed style of building. The view represented in the plate is taken from the west, and shows the principal front of the chapel ; it measures within 100 feet in length and 52 in breadth, and is adorned by an original painting by Vandyke, the figures as large as life, representing the Infant Saviour in the lap of the Virgin : here is likewise an excellent organ. In consequence of a proposition to repeal the penal laws against catholics about forty years ago, violent commotions were excited, particularly in Edinburgh, where the reformation has left deep traces of attachment to the protestant religion, and of aversion to popery. Petitions from the town-council, praying to be heard by counsel against the bill, were transmitted to par- liament, having been signed by the lord provost in name of the community. The populace, however, were too impatient to wait the result of this application ; copies of the following letter were dropped in several places of the city : " Men and Brethren, " Whoever shall find this letter will take it as a warning to meet at Leith Wynd, on Wednesday next, in ROMAN CATHOLIC CHAPEL. the evening, to pull down that pillar of popery lately erected there." " A Protestant. " Edinburgh, Jan. 29th, 1779. " P. S. Please to read this carefully, keep it clean^ and drop it somewhere else. " For King and Country. — Unity." The magistrates immediately took measures with a view to prevent the effects of this letter, and put a paragraph in the newspapers, ascribing it to some popish incendiary. On Tuesday evening, February the 9th, however, a numerous mob assembled at the foot of the Trunk Close, where stood a building not long before erected, in which a popish bishop resided, and ^vhich was supposed to be a chapel ; and though the magistrates with the city guard, and the duke of Buccleugh with a party of his regiment of fencibles, repaired to the place, and endeavoured without bloodshed to prevent any mischief, the house was set on fire and entirely consumed. On the following day the rioters proceeded to the mass-house in Blackfriars^Vynd, which they likewise set on fire, and destroyed the furniture, books, &c. They forced open also the shops of some Roman Catholics 5 but the military arriving prevented further mis- chief, by committing some of the rioters to the Castle, and tranquillity was afterwards completely restored, the people having been assured that the obnoxious bill would be withdrawn. ROSLIN CASTLE. At a short distance from Roslin Chapel are the remains of Roslin Castle, beautifully situated upon an almost insulated rock, on the north bank of the river Esk. It is said to have been first erected about the year 1100, when Wm. De Sancto Clero, who came to England with William the Conqueror, obtained from Malcolm Canmore, a great part of the lands and barony of Roslin. The Castle is now principally demolished, and large fragments of its walls lie scattered about in indiscri- minate ruin^ it appears to have been of considerable extent, and its walls were of immense thickness. Part of the Castle, as appears by a date inscribed upon it, was rebuilt in 1563, and is now in the occupancy of a gentleman ; in the grounds are cultivated strawberries, which are famous for their beauty and . flavour. The access to this mined fortress is on the eastern side, by a narrow bridge over a deep natural ravine, the sides of which are solid rock ; the gate of entrance was originally very formidable ; on its right side are remains of arches, but- tresses, and broken walls. Sir William Sinclair, who founded the beautiful chapel of Roslin, kept a splendid court within the Castle about the year 1440, and the town of Roslin then became very populous by reason of the great concourse of all ranks and degrees of visitors that resorted here ; he was served at his own table in vessels of gold and silver ; lord Dirleton was master of the household, lord Borthwick his cup- bearer, and lord Fleming his carver, in whose absence deputies of similar rank were appointed to execute their several offices ; his halls and other apartments were richly adorned with sumptuous hangings, and every other appearance was of the BOSLIN CASTLE. most princely and magnificent kind. Tlie state assumed by the lady of this nobleman, has been noticed in the description of Black Friars Wynd. In the year 1455, sir James Hamilton was imprisoned in Roslin Castle by order of James II. on account of his having espoused the cause of James, earl of Douglass, who had raised considerable forces against the au- thority of the king. Sir James, however, was not long detained in custody ; for the king, in consideration of his professions of allegiance, and the loyalty of his father, lord Hamilton, not only pardoned him, but, according to some historians, pro- mised to give him his eldest daughter in marriage. In 1544. this Castle, with that of Craigmillar and the town of Leith, as well as tlie city' of Edinburgh, with every other habitable place within the compass of seven miles, was destroyed by the army sent by Henry VIII. so that the present buildings must have been erected since that period. In December, 1681, the Castle and Chapel were plundered by an enraged mob, chiefly tenants and inhabitants of the barony ; this outrage took place in resentment of the treatment which this lord had experienced from the republican party, he being an active loyalist, and so firm was his attachment to the royal cause, that he thereby greatly encumbered his estate. la the year 1650, this fortress was surrendered to general Monk, S.Ea^r end. ROSLIN CHAPEL. This ancient and beautiful fabric is situated upon a peninsu- lated rock which overhangs the river Esk^ and is in the immediate vicinity of tlie village of the same name, distant about seven miles south of Edinburgh. The surrounding country having rather an unpleasant aspect, a most agreeable surprise is felt on being introduced to the fine specimens which this place affords of the magnificence of nature and the ruins of art. The scenery is singularly picturesque and romantic, comprising all the sylvan beauties of impending woods, beetling rocks, hills, dales, precipices, and mountains j here may be realized, the glowing and highly wrought representations of the most fascinating romance, reviving the enthusiasm which few have not felt in early life. The chapel stands east and west, and is sixty-nine feet in length and thirty-four in breadth 5 both the interior and exterior are adorned with sculpture of the most delicate workmanship, affording one of the most beautiful specimens of architecture any where to be seen j it has been pronounced unique, being conformable to none of the styles of building which have at any time prevailed in this or in other countries. Mr. Gandy, who has favoured the public with several fine views of this chapel, which were engraved for Britton's Architectural Antiquities, describes it as a combina- tion of the Egyptian, Grecian, Roman, and Saracenic styles. The exterior of the building is ornamented with a number of beautiful pinnacles, richly wrought with flowers ; the abut- ments under them contain many curious and grotesque devices. The interior consists of a body with north, south, and eastern aisles : beyond the latter is a chapel or chantry, in which ROSLIN CHAPEL. are standing four altars. The roof is supported by two rows of clustered pillars^ about eight feet high, which divide the aisles from the body of the chapel. The capitals of the pillars and the friezes are enriched with foliage, and an infi- nite number of emblematical figures, chiefly representing the most interesting naratives of Scripture, such as Sampson puUing down the house on the Philistines, Abraham about to sacrifice his son, the various works of charity described in Holy Writ, together with some representations of circum- stances founded on the peculiar tenets of the Catholic reli- gion. The star that appeared to the wise men terminates one of the four elegant pendants which adorn the roof of the eastern chapel, and around it are displayed representa- tions of several passages relative to the birth of Christ. At the south-east angle of the chapel is a wreathed column called the " Prentice's Pillar," deriving; its name from this tra- dition : — The master mason having received a model of a co- lumn from abroad, which was of an unusual character, resolved upon inspecting the original before he proceeded upon his work ; during his absence his apprentice finished the pillar, which gave great satisfaction. The master, upon his return, hearing so many praises bestowed upon the lad, in a fit of jea- lousy killed him with a hammer. Two heads in this part of the chapel are said to represent the master and his apprentice ; one appears like an old man, with a frowning savage aspect ; the other having a scar or indenture on his forehead. The spot is pointed out where ten barons of Roslin were deposited in the fauiiiy burial place, which was a spacious vault under the pavement, so dry, that in 1693 the bodies were found entire, some of them having lain nearly a century. — " They were of old," says Hay, " buried in their armour, without any coffin ; the late baron being the first that was buried in a coffin, against the sentiments of the duke of York, who was then in Scotland, and of several other persons well versed in antiquity 3 but his widow would not hearken to ROSLIN CHAPEL. such a proposal, thinking it beggarly to be buried after that manner." Other individuals connected with the family were buried in this place. At the west end there is a monument with a Latin inscription, now scarcely legible, to the memory of George, earl of Caithness, who died in 1583. A flight of steps leading from the east end of the south aisle conducts to a small subterranean chapel ; at the east end stood an ciltar, which was demolished at the reformation. Near its site is an opening which conducted to the confessional j a basin for the holy water is placed in the south wall. Roslin Chapel .was built by the earl of Orkney and Caith- ness, in the year 1446, according to the opinion of those who have written on the subject ; but rather in 1306, if we may attach this meaning to a date which was lately discovered by some persons who were employed in repairing the roof. The church here was founded for a provost, six prebendaries, and two choristers or singing boys ; it was endowed with ample revenues, and consecrated to St. Matthew, the apostle. The earl, notwithstanding much expense, did not complete the chapel. In 1523, various lands in the neighbourhood were granted for dwelling houses, gardens, and other purposes, to the provost and prebendaries, by sir William St. Clair, who in his charter makes mention of four altars dedicated respectively to St. Matthew, St. Andrew, St. Peter, and the Virgin Mary. At the time of the reformation this church was spoiled of its revenues ; and the whole property, of which they had been virtually deprived for many years, was finally resigned by its possessors in 1572. The chapel was defaced on the night of the 11th of December 1688, by a mob. In the last century it was repaired by general St. Clair, and since by his suc- cessors. At present the interior is in good preservation, and care is taken that no wanton dilapidations shall take place. In conse- quence of the delicate mosses which vegetate upon the walls, the tinting is rich and various, and the effect produced upon ROSL,IN CHAPEL. the different parts of the building by sunshine is beautiful beyond description. The celebrated Walter Scott, in his Lay of the Last Min- strel, has noticed, in connection with this place, a superstition which prevailed among the common people in ancient times. It was believed, that previously to the decease of any one of the St. Clair family, Roslin Chapel was seen for a time all in flames. O'er Roslin all that dreary night, A wondrous blaze was seen to gleam ; 'Twas broader than the watch fire light. And redder than the bright moon-beam. It glared on Roslin's castled rock. It ruddied all the copse-wood glen j 'Twas seen from Dryden's groves of oak. And seen from cavern' d Hawthornden. Seem'd all on fire that chapel proud. Where Roslin's chiefs uncoffin'd liej Each baron, for a sable shroud. Sheathed in his iron panoply. Seem'd all on fire within, around. Deep sacristry and altars pale ; Shone every pillar foliage bound. And glimmer'd all the dead men's mail. Blaz'd battlement and pinnet high, Blaz'd every rose-carv'd buttress fair- So still they blaze, when fate is nigh. The lordly line of high St. Clair. S-GTASL, lEZCSIIIAFr©^;. I S^''£JiLi.'^U J^kS^SStsrer Aofiel Str-cei: TerUcn^UU JJec.t.j&S. ROYAL EXCHANGE. This large and elegant building is in the High Street, and nearly opposite St. Giles's church. Its form is a square, having a court 96 feet south and north by 86 feet east and west. Three sides are wholly occupied with shops, warehouses, &c. The south sides consist of a colonnade having a platform, above which there are pilasters and vases. Under this colonnade there were at one time several arches, which are now built up, with the exception of the principal one, which forms the entry to the court. On the north side of the square is the Exchange, pro- perly so called, which is 111 feet long by 57 broad. Owing to the great declivity of the ground, the back part of the build- ing is 40 feet higher than the front. In that part facing the square there is a piazza, surmounted by a platform. On this platform rest the bases of four Corinthian pillars, supporting a pediment, ou which are sculptured in stone the arms of the city. The top is ornamented with vases. The ground-floor is laid out in shops. A hanging stair, from which a very fine view of the New Town is to be had, leads to the upper stories. In these there are upwards of twenty apartments, employed partly by the board of customs j some of the rooms have been lately fitted up as offices and chambers for the town council. The office of the trustees for the improvement of fisheries and manufactures in Scotland, fills the south west angle of the Exchange. The fund in their hands is part of the equivalent money given to Scotland at the Union, and is employed in premiums to those who have distinguished themselves by im- provements in the arts. The population and trade of Edinburgh having in the BOYAL EXCHANGE. beginning of the last century increased to a great extent, much inconvenience was experienced from the want of houses for pri- vate families, as well as of buildings for public meetings, and for the accommodation of those who were employed in transacting the business of the town and nation. It was proposed therefore to enlarge the City, and render it more commodious ; for which pur- pose strenuous exertions were made on the part of the royal bo- roughs, likewise by individuais of patriotism and wealth. An act of parliament was obtained to sanction and give energy to their plans. One of the first fruits of this spirit was the erection of the Royal Exchange, which was thought most pressingly necessaiy, and which was designed for the use of the merchants. The commissioners appointed by Parliament authorized the town council to contract with tradesmen, and the present situation, then covered with decayed houses, was selected as the most eligible spot for such a building. The foundation-stone was laid on the 13th September, 1753, George Drummond, esq. then grand master of the freemasons, presiding on the occasion. To give an imposing effect to the ceremony, a triumphal arch was constructed, and pavilions erected for the magistrates and the officers of the grand lodge, besides galleries for the other lodges and the spectators. The building, however, owing to the contract not having been settled sooner, was not commenced till the 13th of June, 1754. It was finished in 1761, costing upwards of £30,000, which would be above £80,000 in the present day. An attempt was lately made to induce the merchants to do business in the Court of the Exchange, but without success, confirmed habit leading them to prefer meeting in the street. ^1 =i t3 ^ ROYAL INFIRMARY. Between Drummond and Infirmary-streets, and parallel to them, stands the Royal Infirmary, at once a plain and stately edifice. It consists of a body and two wings. The body, which lies in a line east and west, having its principal front to the north, is 210 feet long ; the wings project 70 feet. The height is three stories, exclusive of the ground-floor, attic stor}', and garrets. Every part of the building is quite simple, except- ing the front, which is elaborately ornamented, having a rusti- cated basement, supporting four three-quarter columns, and two pilasters of the Ionic order, finished with a proper enta- blature and attic over it. In a niche over the principal door there is a statue of George II. dressed in the Roman costume, and a little above this a clock. An octagonal spire crowned ■with a dome rises from the centre of the building. A large gate, at the sides of which there are vases, opens into a spacious court in front of the house, to which there are other entrances on the right and left. The interior is well laid out : besides two small staircases at both ends of the house, a very wide one, capable of admitting sedan chairs, conducts to the higher apartments. On the ground-floor are the kitchen, hall, and other offices. The managers' room, the consulting-room for physicians and surgeons, and a waiting room for students, be- sides the several wards, which are in number fifteen, occupy the middle part of the house. In the fourth story is the opera- tion-room, in form of a theatre, lighted from above, and fitted to hold about one hundred spectators. The many accidents and diseases that occur, particularly \i\ a populous town, render an infirmary one of the most ROYAL INFIRMAKY, necessary and useful of charitable institutions ; by it immediate relief is afiforded to those who would otherwise perish, and the best surgical assistance furnished to persons who from poverty or other causes could not elsewhere procure it. Many useful lives are thus preserved to society, and much comfort imparted to individuals and to families. Impressed with these considerations, several benevolent individuals in 1721, published a pamphlet, stating the urgent necessity of erecting an hospital, and containing proposals for raising a fund for this purpose ; but the difficulties in the way of such an object appeared so formidable, and the success so problematical, that the scheme was dropped. In the year 1725 the matter was resumed, and something definite done towards its completion. The copartnership of the Scottish fishery being this year about to be dissolved, application was made by the college of physicians for a part of the stock to be appropriated to the founding of an hospital. After obtaining this, they set on foot a subscription, which was cordially supported by the public. A meeting of subscribers was called in February 1728, when those gentlemen who had the me- rit of originating and carrying forward the measure, gave a statement of their proceedings, and of the situation of affairs. A committee consisting of twelve was then appointed for the purpose of promoting the subscriptions, and preparing a plan of the projected institution. Agreeably to a resolution at this meeting, a petition was addressed to the general assembly, praying that they would be pleased to request of the different ministers under their jurisdiction to exert themselves in pro- curing contributions for an undertaking which would be of such essential benefit not only to the capital, but likewise to the whole country. The assembly entered very warmly into the measure, and recommended it to the support of all under their authority, by passing, in May 1728, an act in its favour, of which copies were circulated among the ministers ; but such was the apathy or indolence of the clergy in this matter, that only eighty-three of them made collections. ROYAL INFIRMARY, Some time thereafter, another meeting was summoned ; and as it was then ascertained, that the funds were in such a state as to warrant the commencement of the undertaking, a house was accordingly provided ; patients were admitted into it on the 6th of August, 1729. The funds having accumulated to jf.SOOO, it was deemed time to begin operations on a larger scale, and accordingly, in the month of August 1738, the foun- dation of the present edifice was laid ; people of all descriptions and professions came cheerfully forward with their gratuitous aid to the work, some contributing money, some materials, and others personal labour. Even persons at a great distance assisted in furthering the undertaking ; the proprietors of the plate glass-houses at Newcastle upon Tyne, supplied a quan- tity of glass sufficient to glaze the windows of the house, and money was remitted from England and Ireland, and even from different places on the continent, and America. Since this time, the Institution has been frequently benefitted by the liberality of individuals. The earl of Hopetown bestowed upon it an annuity of £400 during a period of twenty-five years, when its funds were in a very depressed state. An estate in Jamaica, yielding annually upwards of £200, was bequeathed to it in the year 1750 by Dr. Archibald Ker, of that island. In 1750, the lords of the treasury granted to the corporation a sum of =£8000, which enabled the managers to fit up sixty beds for sick soldiers, and in the same year a wari Avas allotted for servants, from another benefaction, which still continues. George Drummond, esq. so often provost of Edin- burgh, and to whom it has been so much indebted for ornamenta and improvements, ranks very high among the benefactors of this charity. In memory of its obligations, a bust of him has been placed in the hall. It was done by NoUekins, and bears the highly complimentary inscription, " George Drummond, to whom his country is indebted for all the benefits which it derives from the Royal Infirmary." LADY YESTER'S CHURCH. This Church takes its name from Lady Margaret Ker Yester, daughter of the first earl of Lothiau, who was bora about the year 1572, and died on the 15th March, 1647, as appears from her monumental inscription. The town-council having given up a design which they had formed of building a church on the Castle-hill, about the middle of the 1 7th centuiy. Lady Yester, concerned at the great want of places for public worship, granted to the magistrates a sum amounting to £555 : 11 : 1§ to be employed in building a church, and a moiety of that sum in addition for the support of its ministers, the whole to be devoted to the former purpose, should it be found necessary. Accordingly a church was begun, which was finished in the year 1655. As both sums were expended on the church alone, this liberal lady allowed out of her jointure £55 : 1 1 : 1 yearly, till it should accumulate to a competency for the clergj-man. When the church was completed, the town-council marked out a district for its parish. It is only a few years since this building was taken down, and the present oYie erected exactly on the same site. Lady Yester' s Church is directly opposite the Infirmary. It stands in a line north and south, having one of its ends fronting the street. The front is the only part of the building which is constructed of hewn stone, and has nothing to dis- tinguish it except three gothic windows ; the church is light and spacious within, and will contain about 1500 persons. Eastward and adjacent to it, there is a small cemetery for the burial of those who die in the infirmary. There is but one minister over this Church, which, with the exception of the New Grey-Friars, and St. George's, is the only instance of a single charge in Edinburgh. s? i^jt^TEDmi^w^ :siiawmsiai I)nr,m:Ev'!cFui^!yJiV.^-^''^-'^'^'^ •'^''^ ST. ANDREW'S CHURCH. St. Andrew's Church stands on the north side of George's Street, to which^ notwithstanding its unfortunate projection beyond the regular line of buildings, it is a considerable ornament. The body of the church is more remarkable for simplicity than elegance ; and, indeed, but for the beauty of the spire, which tapers to a majestical height above it, would be reckoned an indifferent object. It is of an oval form, mea- suring 87 feet by 64 in the interior j the height of the spire being 186 feet. Fronting the street is a portico, supported by four pillars of the Corinthian order, which are well executed ; and, in some degree, give the body of the church a picturesque effect. St. Andrew's possesses a chime of bells, eight in number, a peculiarity which distinguishes it from any other church in North Britain. No good reason can be assigned for the exclusion of bells from Scottish churches ; but as the melody produced by them is not of the highest order, it is hoped the people will not be thought destitute of musical taste. The lover of mirth may amuse himself by supposing that these solitary chimes were conferred on this church in compliment to its titular Saint (a great favourite, indeed, in Scotland), though we cannot deduce from any historical or traditional source a proof of his affection for this branch of the fine arts. The native of the south may reckon it unfair that the neighbouring edifice, dedicated to the patron of England, should have no distinction of this kind j but St. George would probably have thought it no compliment, as he plumed himself entirely on his fame as a warrior. That these ST. AXDREW S CHURCH. tu'O reverend personages, however, should, in a manner, be consecrated afresh, by being made the tutelar saints of Presby- terian kirks, is a circumstance not a little curious. It may be observed, that the projecting situation of the church, as opposed to the building opposite, which seems to retire from view, occasioned a witty remark by the ingenious Henry Erskine, " that the forwardness of the clergy and the modesty of the physicians, had ruined the appearance of the finest street in Europe." George's Street is the middlemost of three main streets that ran in parallel lines through the whole extent of the New Town j it is about half a mile in length, and thirty-eight yards in breadth, and is bounded by Charlotte Square on the west and by St. Andrew's Square on the east. Hill liipi !lii|IIllll|i||lllillll ST. ANTHONY'S CHAPEL. This picturesque ruin is situated on the eastern side of the king's park, on the acclivity leading to Arthur's Seat, and about a quarter of a mile from the palace of Holyrood. The vicinity of this hallowed pile, was formerly the haunt of con- templation in its various moods, and even now is frequently \'isited with a superstitious awe. A celebrated living author has drawn one of his most interesting scenes from this place, and excited the imagination by a recital of its various horrors ; here, in the year 1720, a miscreant, Nicol Muchet, murdered, his wife, and a carne or heap of stones was raised by the passing traveller, stone after stone, in token of detestation of the barba- rous act ; in some parts of Scotland this practice of rearing carnes is still continued on similar occasions. St. Anthony's Chapel is in length 43 feet, and in breadth and height about 18 ; it had a tower at the west end, great part of which is now broken down, but in its original state it is supposed to have been 40 feet in height. The chapel had two doors and two windows on either side, with a stone roof of three compartments, part of which may be seen by referring to the subjoined engraving. In the southern wall, which is now entirely demolished, was a small arched niche, containing a receptacle for holy water ; and on the opposite side a niche of larger dimensions, strongly secured for keeping the pix with the consecrated bread. The chapel appears to have been enclosed by a stone wall extending to some distance upon the hill. The hermitage to which this chapel was appended, has a cell still remaining, which is frequently visited by the curious ; its dimensions are 16 feet by 1'2. " The hermitage," observes ST. ANTHONY S CHAPEL. an author, who appears to have allowed its inmates all the sanctity they professed, " though situated in the vicinity of a populous city, yet bore the appearance and possessed the pro- perties of a wilderness ; secluded from the hurry and bustle of the world, the hermits enjoyed every favourable opportunity of cultivating devotion. The sterility of the rock was well fitted to inculcate a lesson of humility. The site being lofty, and com- manding a most extensive prospect, could not fail to assist their pious meditations, and if at any time they cast their eyes on the royal palace below, what a striking contrast might not imagina- tion form between the court, so frequently assaulted by an unprin- cipled rabble, and their own tranquil situation, in which they were gladly preparing for the regions of everlasting repose." The monastery of Knights Templar, dedicated to St. Anthony, to which both the hermitage and chapel belonged, was situated near the present church of South Leith. Tlic monastic seal is still to be seen in the advocates' library at Edinburgh 3 it dis- plays a St. Anthony in an old gown or hermit's mantle, with a sow towards his right foot, and on the circumference this inscription : — Sigillum commune capituli sancti Anthonii prope Leith. The accompanying view shews the south east aspect of the chapel of St. Anthony ; it is now in a very dilapidated state, and so rapidly have its remains diminished during the last half century, that it has been conjectured no traces of it will be found after the lapse of fifty ) ears more . On the right side of the print appears the town of Leith, and on the left Nelson's Monument ; the new prison and the lofty spire of St. Andrew's Church in the New Town. Xh-^n Sfw^JLAI i'fvJ.jtMS. Stvro-, Owftl Stri^. PenamiUc. -V.- {'UaWr ofZeUhJ ST. BERNARD'S WELL. On the margin of the Water of Leitli, at the clistance of about a mile from Edinburgh, stands St. Bernard's Welh Edinburgh and its vicinity, are remarkable for romantic views and extra- ordinary legends, it is therefore not surprising, that a number of idle traditions are in circulation relative to this Well. The waters are considered to possess several medicinal qualities, and are much resorted to by invalids. The late Lord Garden- stone, who appears to have properly appreciated the virtues of this spring, purchased the property, and erected over the Well a beautiful temple, of the Doric order, composed of a circle of columns surmounted by a dome, and enclosinga statue of Hygeia, the goddess of health. The figure is of a colossal size, and rather indifferently executed ; the face, however, is expressive of sympathy and kindness. The Well is kept by a person, who generally receives a gratuity for a morning draught of the sulphureous water of the saint : a flight of steps lead to the Well, which is enclosed by the basemer.t of the temple ; the entrance is by a door, seen in the print. The late Walter Ross erected a tower nearly opposite to St. Bernard's Well, which, as it is composed chiefly of stones from ruinous buildings, and ancient sculptured ornaments, attracts the traveller's attention. Here may be seen the four heads which decorated the ancient Cross of Edinburgh, and over which Walter Scott makes doleful lamentation. Here is also the baptismal font that belonged to the chapel of St. Ninian's, a religious house that stood formerly near the spot where the Re- gister Ofhce now rears its majestic front. Nor are they civil and religious relics alone that Ross has worked into this odd ST. BERNARD S WELJ^. Structure ; for in the same inclosure with the tower, stands the unfinished effigy of Oliver Cromwell, which the magistrates of Edinburgh purposed to erect in the Parliament Square ; it is very generally known that the equestrian statue of Charles II. decorates, at present, the above Square. Another well, equally famous with that of St. Bernard, is situated about three miles south-west of Edinburgh, called the RowUng JVell; it is a draw-well, about 35 feet deep, and has obtained its name from certain noises which proceed from it previously to a storm. These sounds sometimes resemble the beating of a coppersmith's largest hammers, at other times, a shower of hail falling into the water ; and a violent bubbling, often raises the water more than a foot above its natural level. This Avell is one of those phenomena \vhich can be explained in hydraulics, by the principle of intermitting and reciprocating springs. ■£,T-irii:s33iT'^ saiiirjiss. ST. CUTHBERT'S CHURCH. We have to revert to the days of superstition for the names of most of our churches and religious houses. The piety and active benevolence of good men of yore^ impelled them to traverse sea and land^ to diffuse the blessings of salvation among the heathen : yet whether St. Cuthbert himself was actually the founder of the churchy which still bears his name, or whether some holy l>rothers of his order established themselves on the site of it, is probably a matter of little consequence. Mention is made of a church here as early as the year 105^, when donations were made to it by Macbeth, the usurper. St. Cuthbert's, or the West Kirk, stands at the western extremity of the valley, which separates the New, from the Old Town of Edinburgh. The Church of St. Cuthbert, situate immediately at the base of the rock on -which the castle is built, has a very fine appearance entering Edinburgh from the west, by Princes Street. Though the architecture of this building is not superb and rich, its modest appearance accords sufficiently with the object to which it is devoted ; and the objection that has been made, that the exterior of the church by no means corresponds with the wealth of St. Cuthbert's parish, shews very little of tasteful criticism. St. Cutlibert's Church was rebuilt about the middle of the last century, at the expense of £4231 sterling ; this, however, is only a partial statement of its cost, as its elegant and lofty spire was not then erected. The parish anciently contained not only the parishes of Corstorphin and Liberton, but the city of Edinburgh and the town of Canongate : its extent is still very great j the king is ST. CUTHBEKT S CHURCH. patron ; and the ministers are two in number ; they were formerly paid by the heritors, or handed gentlemen, chiefly in corn, which made their stipends very uncertain. The antiquities, and things remarkable in this parish, are numerous ; among them we may notice, that a little to the southward of St. Cuthbert's lies the burgh of Barony, called Portsburgh, so denominated from its vicinity to the west -port. On the outside of this port, in former times, were the " king's stables," and the " chapel of the Virgin j" and adjoining the chapel was a plat of ground, on which tilts and tournaments were performed, with feats of arms and martial exercises. From the walls of the castle the king and his court looked down on the exploits of the brave. About a quarter of a mile to the north of St. Cuthbert's, is the village of the Water of Leith. On this water stand the mills of Edinburgh and Dene ; and so ancient is their erection, that it may be traced to the time of David I. who granted the profits arising therefrom, to the abbot and canons of his new foundation of Holyrood House. This view of St. Cuthbert's Church is taken from the south west : some of the monuments that appear in the churchyard are of singular construction ; part of Princes Street is seen in the distance. ESATPIEai ©IF lEASIE ST ©WTiaiBaSl&II'S CHAPEL OF EASE TO ST. CUTHBERT'S. This buiWing stands on the west side of Cross Causeway, nearly a mile from the mother church of St. Cnthbert. Its principal front or entrance is on the north-east, on which side there is a small projecting tower, surmounted with a belfry and a low spire ; the windows are of a very common character, and give no indications of a place devoted to public worship. -A porch, having a pediment ornamented with brackets, projects from the building into the street, and forms part of the wall which encloses the chapel on this side. The number of inhabitants in the parish of St. Cuthbert having so much increased about the year 1757, it became ne- cessary to erect a place of worship for their accommodation ; and accordingly, before the buildings in this quarter became extensive, a subscription was raised for a chapel of case, to be dependant upon the landholders and Kirk session of the parish of St. Cuthbert, and in them was to be vested the government of matters respecting the chapel, and the right of electing the minister. The whole cost of the building did not much exceed eleven hundred pounds. In order to induce the people to subscribe with liberality, it was declared by the landholders and kirk-session, that every one who gave five pounds, should have a right to vote in electing the first minister. The stipend of the minister is paid out of the seat rents ; therefore, as the demand for seats, as well as the collections at the church door for the benefit of the poor, will be greater or less, ac > rding to his popularity, it has hitherto been thought most advantageous to give the election of the minister to the seat holders. CHAPEL OF KASE TO ST. CUTHBERT S. Some time after the erection of this chapel its neighbour- hood was converted into a cemetry, and so strong was the pre- dilection for sacred ground, even among the presbyterians in this case, that previously to its being used as a place of inter- ment, a bishop of the Scottish episcopal communion was prevailed upon with all due solemnity to consecrate the ground ; this office it seems being either inconsistent viith the principles of a presbyterian clergyman, or that he is not deemed suffi- ciently sanctified for the function. About five years after the completion of the chapel, a poor house was erected for the convenience of this extensive parish ; this was also done by voluntary contributions : the expenses of the house are defrayed partly by the collections at the church doors, by voluntary donations made to the house, and by an assessment on the real property within the parish. According to Arnot, (who has not informed his readers wherein the different management consisted), the poor in this house were maintained at a smaller charge than those in the Edinburgh and Canongate charity workhouses, which expended £4 : 11 : ♦> on each person annually, while the poor of St. Cuthbert's were supported for £4:1:6 each. SOUTH LEITH CHURCH. The general assembly, having in 1650 ordered the church of Restalrig, which also belonged to Leith, to be pulled down^ it being esteemed a monument of idolatry, the inhabitants of Leith were destitute of a parish church for about fifty years ; and during that period, they resorted for worship to a large and beautiful chapel dedicated to St. Marj% now distinguished by the name of South Leith Church, and which was, in the year 1609, declared by authority of parliament, to be the parish church of the district. Two clergymen were appointed to officiate in it j the senior is nominated by the crown, and the junior by the kirk session and incorporation. This church contains many ancient and curious monuments ; it is very capacious and commodiously fitted up ; the different crafts have here distinct places assigned to them, which are designated by their several armorial bearings ; the galleries are calculated to hold a great number of persons, but they are much too low, and are a great obstruction to the light. Maitland, speaking of this church, observes, " Though I cannot ascertain the time of a chapel's being first built at LeitI), yet it must have been before the year 1495, for then there seems to have been considerable church- work carried on at Leith. Now whether this was the foundation of the chapel, or a rebuilding, or enlargement, I cannot ascertain, though I take the last to be the most probable ; and that the \^ ork carried on at that time, must either have been the erection of the choir at the eastern end, (which was demolished by the English army in 1543), or the side buildings or aisles, which plainly appear to be additional. Wherefore I am of opinion, SOUTH LEITH CHUKCH. that the central or middle aisle of the present church, with the steeple, were the ancient chapel, which I think is plainly to be seen by the side buildings, which I take to have been added when the said chapel was made parochial, for the better accommodation of the numerous auditory ; and that the choir at the eastern end was then demolished, as being of little or no use since the abolition of popery. Be that as it will, this large church, which is handsome and well contrived in the inside, w^as the same on the outside till the year 1746, by its being decorated with five beautiful windows on each side the roof, which being found hurtful to the said roof, were taken down in the years 1747-48, whereby the church is deprived of its greatest external ornament." The present east end exhibits strong indications that a choir was formerly attached to it, as mentioned by Maitland ; and that there was likewise a continuation of the aisles is equally apparent. '3'W'^TISL liJlfaiE)©^. Z>riiim.^!il)fS:tui''iyJkS-S.StfrerC?iap and its demolition took place immediately afterwards. When the remembrance of its once grim aspect has faded from the memory, a few engravings like the pre- sent will be all that remains to gratify the curiosity of pos- terity. The matchless descriptions of a great anonymous writer have, indeed, procured to it a more lasting celebrity, than the mere durability of its materials could have attracted j and where is the subject, however disagreeable, that eminent genius deigns to illustrate, which is not replete with unspeak- able interest. The Tolbooth of Edinburgh was built by the citizens in 1561, and designed for the use of the parliament and courts of justice, and the confinement of debtors and criminals. From the year 1640 until 1817 it had been devoted to the latter pur- poses. ^-^Tiatever might have been the treatment of prisoners in this jail formerly, for many years back considerable attention was paid to its unhappy tenants, yet with little effect, since the circumstances of the place would not admit of it. The incon- veniencies they laboured under, were want of proper ventilation, and other evils inseparable from a building in many respects imperfect. Hence, the situation of the prisoners thronged together, without respect to the various degrees of delinquency or state of health, was dreadful beyond description. Such irregularities are, indeed, too common in most of these wretched abodes ; but they have seldom been united to a more horrible TOLBOOTH. extent than in the Tolbooth of Edinburgh. The state of those confined simply for debt, was scarcely, in point of misery, exceeded by that of those imprisoned for grievous offences. The difficulty of incarcerating a debtor by the law of Scotland, has been often inveighed against as a gross obstruction to the course of justice, and subversive of the rights of the subject, in consequence of a delay in forms, sufficient to enable the party to fly from his creditor ; but, suppose flight impossible, the wretched debtor may be dragged from his home at any hour, shut up for months in a cell too loathsome for the immurement of the most odious criminal 5 his goods, nay the very means of subsistence for his family (if he has one), seized, and all this for a debt of a few pounds. His only relief in this case is to take out a cessio bonorum, on a delivery of his whole effects to his creditor ; and even here, " the Law's delay" is finely exemplified. Unlike the King's Bench and other prisons in England, there were no areas in this prison, affording the captive fresh air, exercise, or change of scene ; here the boundary of his view was a small window, the scanty light of which was abridged by massy bars of iron : there was surely in this procedure great inhumanity. The principal officer of the Tolbooth, had the title of Cap- tain of the Jail, and he merited much praise for his exertions in alleviating the condition of the prisoners. The history of Captain Porteus, once the principal officer, and afterwards a prisoner here, is too celebrated to require particular notice. The west side of the prison was, of late years, used as the place of execution ; a range of shops may be seen in the print, on the roofs of which these melancholy spectacles were exhi- bited. Of the New Jail, on the Calton Hill, an account shall be given in its place ; it is enough to say here, that it has been constructed with the greatest regard to cleanliness and general accommodation. I.- X 1^ 2 a'31 a' vjjUv v ^hil . THE TOLBOOTH, LEITH. This abode of guilt and wretchedness is situated at the bottom of a narrow lane called Tolbooth-Wynd ) it was erected in the year 1655. The entrance is by a flight of steps, at the foot of which is an archway, affording a passage under the prison to the butchers' market ; above is a square recess containing the royal arms, in a very dilapidated state ; on the right hand side of the passage is a gloomy bow window closely grated ; on its upper part are two figures of animals rudely executed. The Tolbooth at Leith is remarkable for nothing but its antiquity, and for being one of those places of confinement, so disgraceful to the boasted liberality of the present day : the attention paid to its inmates may be as kind as circumstances will admit ; but it possesses none of the conveniences calculated to make human existence even tolerable ; and for the sake of humanity and the character of our country, we earnestly hope that this, and every other jail of its kind in Scotland as well as in England, will soon be superseded by more commodious and wholesome prisons ; and that the accumulated horrors of cold, darkness, stench, and solitude, will no longer be heaped upon our unfortunate or guilty fellow creatures. The notes made by Mr. Gurney, who, in company with Mrs. Fry, visited many of the jails in Scotland and in the north of England, and which have recently been published, exhibit grievances which call most imperiously for redress. The lines that follow are too aptly descriptive of such prisons. A dismal mansion that appears Black with the smoke of many hundred years, Steel-barr'd ; its loop-holes narrow, dark, and dun. Admit the tempest, but exclude the sun : THE TOLBOOTH, LEITH. Slow and suspicious is its iron gate. That closes on the wretched, fix'd as fate. There, never enters the fresh breeze of spring. With health and living spirits on its wing ; The twilight's gloom at day's meridian height. Hangs dimly there and blends it with the night. The gath'ring filth of centuries is there. No brush disturbs the spider in his lair. That unmolested fattens on his race. For every sunlight insect flies the place ; E'en the foul bat woidd scorn it as a home. And seek the shelter of a holier dome. It tortures every sense ; compared to this The vile hyena's den were cleanliness — A pest house, where the taint of every clime Strikes a deep root, and festers into crime. Mr. Gurney observes, " It is very evident that a degree of misery quite unfair and quite unnecessary, is endured by prisoners of all descriptions in many, perhaps the majority of the prisons in Scotland." And again, " There is much more cruelty than justice in loading our prisoners with chains^ when prisoners are fastened to the iron bar, as at Hadding- ton ; or to the bedstead, as at Forfar 5 or to the wall of their cells, as at Berwick ; or to a ring in the floor, as at New- castle : the suffering produced by chaining becomes extremely aggravated 3 the injustice of the practice is very evident from this consideration, that if the prisoner be untried, we have no right to subject him to any inconvenience beyond bare impri- sonment ; and if he be tried, chaining, according to the laws of this kingdom, seldom, if ever, forms a part of his sentence. ., , ^== e^/ -<*- THE UNIVERSITY. It was not till the year 1582, that Ediuburgh could boast an university, though teachers of philosophy had been before this period established in the city. In the year 1768, a memorial was drawn up, proposing the rebuilding of the University, on a new plan, but on the site of the old buildings. The American war breaking out, prevented the prosecution of this plan ; but after the peace, the design v.as again brought before the public in the year 1/85, in a letter to the right honourable Henry Dundas, — " On the proposed improvements of the city of Edinburgh, and on the means of accomplishing them." Nor was it long after this, when the magistrates set on foot a subscription for erecting a new college, agreeably to a plan of Robert Adam. In a few years considerable sums had been collected, so that part of the old buildings were pulled down, and the foundation stone of the University was laid on the 16th of November, 1789, by lord Napier, as grand master-mason of Scotland. The ceremony on this occasion was remarkably grand : and the magistrates of the city as patrons of the Univej'sity, in their robes j the professors, in their gowns ; the students with sprigs of laurel in their hats ; the free-masons of all the lodges in the city and neighbourhood, arranged in the order of their seniority, formed a procession peculiarly impressive. So soon as the different masonic ceremonies uore per- formed, two crystal vases, cast purposely, were deposited in a vacuum formed in the stone. la one of these vases were placed different coins of the reign of George III. each coin being previously enveloped in crystal, so ingeniously that the feuperscriptions could be distinctly read without breaking the THE UXIVERSITY, envelope. In the other vase rolls of velliun were deposited ; on these rolls were written a short account of the original foundation, and the present state of the university. There were besides deposited the public newspapers of the day j a list of the names of the principal, and professors of the univer- sity ; the lord provost, and magistrates ; and the officers of the grand lodge of Scotland. The vases, being hermetically sealed, were covered with a plate of copper wrapped in block- tin. Upon the inner side of the copper were etched the arms of the city of Edinburgh ; those of the University ; and those also of the right honourable lord Napier, as grand-master mason of Scotland. It was proposed in the original plan to surmount the east front, in which is also the principal entrance, with a dome : nothing can be more imposing than the grandeur of this front ; for the simple style of the architecture gives it a high tone of the sublime, and the four enormous columns of the Doric order, hewn out of one solid stone each, that adorn the main entrance, and support a handsome portico, rival any thing that ancient architecture can boast. Over the gate is the following inscription : " ACIDEMIA JACOBI VI. SCOTORUM REGIS, ANNO POST CHRISTUM NATUxM M,D,LXXXII. INSTI- TUTA. Annoque M,DCC,LXXX1X. Renovari coepta, Regnante Geohgio III. Principe Munificextissimo ; Ur- Bis Edinexsis, Prefecto Thomo Elder Academic Pri- siARis Gulielmo Robertson. Architecto Roberto Adam." The east and west fronts extend 255 feet in length ; the south and north 358 ; and when the building is completed, the principal, and six or seven of the professors will have houses within its precincts. The library and museum are each 160 feet in length j and the hall for public exercises is 90 by 30 feet. THE THEATRE. It is generally known that theatrical entertainments, whicii are now denounced, were at one time much encouraged by the clergj'. The subjects were scriptural, the clergy the composers, the church was the stage, and the sabbath the day of performance. In the early and dark ages, religious spectacles were exhibited, representing in dumb show, sometimes inter- mingled with speech, the most interesting scenes in the history of Christ, such as the incarnation, passion, and resurrection j in process of time, the lives and miracles of the saints were displayed, till the popish clergy, endeavouring to impose their absurdities and pretended miracles beyond the credulity of the people, lost the patronage they had enjoyed, and their trash was superseded by more rational entertainments ; these at length became so fraught with buffoonery and indecency, that persons of sober habits could give them no countenance, and soon after the Reformation, the clergy of Scotland endea- voured to abolish them altogether, threatening with ex- communication all who should attend them. Theatrical per- formance? were however revived at Edinburgh about the year 1680 3 for when the duke of York kept his court in this city, he was attended by a company called the duke's servants, who wore a livery, and were considered part of his household. " No salary or certain emolument being annexed to their service, the royal patronage was found insufficient for the support of rival companies, and they were united by letters patent in 1684 ;" but upon the duke's return to England, the stage was entirely neglected at Edinburgh, and it was not till after the ferment excited by the Union, and the confusion occasioned by the THE THEATRE. rebellion in 1715 had subsided, that any stage adventurer tliought of Scotland. After this time, Edinburgh was visited every two or three years by itinerant companies, who occasionally rented the Tailor's Hall in the Cowgate. The clergy set themselves against these performances as illegal 5 but after much litigation, a licence was obtained for the establishment of a theatre at Edinburgh, and the house seen in the annexed view was erected. It stands at the north end of the North Bridge, nearly opposite to the Register Office. The building presents a mean and barn-like appearance, and it very naturally excites the surprise of strangers, that while so many superb edifices are rising in different parts of the city, such a theatre should be allowed to exist. The principal front has a portico, which gives some appearance of consequence to the building : upon the point of the roof in front is a statue of Shakspeare, and on the sides appear the tragic and comic muse ; but though the outside possesses so few attractions, the inner part of the house is not wanting in accommodations. It was first opened for exhibitions in December, 1769, the prices of admission were then 3s. for the boxes and pit, 2s for the first gallery, and Is. for the upper or second gallery ; the box seats are now 5s. each, though no alteration has taken place in the price of seats in other parts of the theatre. In the subjoined view are seen some of the houses newly erected upon the North Bridge, which have given so much occasion for complaint to the citizens of Edinburgh. TRADES' MAIDEN HOSPITAL. The incorporations of Edinburgh, excited by the good example of the Company of Merchants, who had instituted a charity for the daughters of such of their members as might fall into decayed circumstances, became desirous of establishing a similar insti- tution, A contribution was accordingly made among the different companies of artificers ; and the common council of Edinburgh, having by their act of the 3d of May, 1704, ap- proved of their charitable intention with a promise to give it every encouragement, the corporation purchased certain houses and gardens on the western side of the Horse Wynd, where the Hospital is now situated, and having appointed a governess, school mistress, and servants for the same, and taken in seve- ral girls, they applied to parliament for an act to establish their new foundation, and to enable them to make by-laws for its government, which act was readily obtained. The hospital being now established by parliament, Mrs. Mary Erskine, the joint foundress of the Merchant Maiden Hospital, gave so considerable a sum to this institution, that the incorporation of trades unanimously agreed to give her the title of joint foundress of their hospital, and that two persons of the name of Erskine, nominated by her should be joint governors in all times coming and after her demise ; the said governors to have the presenta- tion of the several girls that she had a right to present by virtue of her great and charitable benefaction, and that the senior of the said rcj)resentatives or governors should preside in all courts of the governors, and to have the custody of one of the three keys of the hospitals charter-house. TRADES MAIDEN HOSPITAL. The Trades' Maiden Hospital is a large plain building, three stories in height, having nothing particular in its appearance to attract attention. Each girl on entrance pays the sum of «£l : 13 : 4, and on her departure receives £5:11. In the year 1742, the number of girls maintained here was fifty, and it appears that no addition has been made to the number since that time. The revenue is estimated at about £650 yearly. JiD:r-r £;:H:ir:asai. THE TRON CHURCH. This Church is a great ornament to the High Street, in which it occupies a very distinguished situation, being upon the intersection of the great street which leads to the North and South Bridges. The foundation appears to have been laid about the year 1637 ; but owing to the great expense incurred in the progress of this, and another church then erecting upon the Castle Hill, it was judged most prudent to abandon the latter, and employ the materials intended for it upon tlie Tioii Church, the completion of which was more desirable, on account of its central situation ; and that nothing might be wanting to carry on the work with expedition, the common council, in 1644, ordered one thousand stone weight of copper to be purchased in Amsterdam, for covering the roof j but afterwards changing their plan, the copper was again sold, and an order given t© cover the church partly with lead and slates, and the treasurer to the works was directed to proceed witli all expedition. But notwithstanding this, little advance was made during the space of three years ; for at the latter end of 1G47, nothing more than the timber of the roof was erected, and covered in from the weather with deals ; this delay seems to have been occasioned by the want of money ; for the council, at this time, ordered a voluntary collection to be made among the inha- bitants, towards completing the roof 3 and the pews being at the same time fitted up, to the number of one hundred and eight, the profits arising therefrom, were devoted to the same purpose. But with all the endeavours of the council, tlie jtjuilding of this church appears to have been a very tedious THE TBON CHURCH. work; for though the foundation was laid in 1637, the roof was not finished till twenty-six years afterwards ; it was, however, preached in long before its completion, the first rents for the seats being collected for the year 1647. In 1673, a bell was hung in the steeple, which cost the sum of 1490 merks, eight shillings, scots ; and five years after- wards, the clock which belonged to the Troue, or Weigh House, was likewise put up. On the front of the Church, over the door, is this inscription : JEDEU HANC CHRISTO ET ECCESL^ SACRARUNT CIVIS EDINBURGENI ANNO MDCXLI. Thus, it is plainly shewn, that this edifice is properly denominated Chiist's Church, and not that of the Tron ; which latter appellation it received on account of its vicinity to the Trone, or public beam, for the weighing of merchandize, which then stood hard by. Opposite to the Church, in the middle of the High Street, is interred the body of one Merlin, a French pavior, according to his own desire ; probably in commemoration of his being the person Avho first paved the High Street ; his grave was for- merly known by a row of six stones laid in the pavement, in the form of a coffin, and six feet in length ; but the pavement of the street requiring frequent repairs, this memorial has been jvhollv erased. tL|.^ ^1S22-TII'3'T '£©3j3iIE©:E (SST^m'Sai - TRINITY COLLEGE CHURCH. Trinity Church, and tlie College to which it was appended, were founded by Mary of GuikleurSj consort to king James II., abont the year 14G<2. The charter of foundation, is published at length by Maitland, in his History of Edinburgh ; it is introduced by an address from James, the then bishop of St. Andrew's, to all the sons of Holy Mother Church, stating, that the said queen Mary did " humbly supplicate him, carefully to accomplish, approve, ratify, and confirm her intention to found a college, for the praise and honour of the Holy Trinity, and of the ever blessed Virgin Mary, and of all the saints and elect of God, and for the salvation of her own and her husband's souls, and the souls of their progenitors, and of their progeny j" not forgetting the soul of the priest, whose favour she was then humbly supplicating. The prelate further states, that " in com- pliance with the devout prayers and desires of the most excellent princess, and after due deliberation had with the prior and chapter of his church, and with their consent, he does approve and ratify the said intended foundation ; which was to provide for a provost, eight prebends, two choristers, and a sacristan." The church, which consists only of a choir and transept, stands at the east end of the north loch, and is a good specimen of English architecture ; the windows at the east end of the choir are of great height, and have a magnificent appearance. It is probable, that a central tower was con- templated in the original design, the work being considerably raised in that part, though it is now terminated by gable ends, and a plain sloping roof j the west end of the church likewise TRINITY COLLEGE CHURCH. bears every mark of an unfinished design. This College, with its appurtenances, was given in 15()7, by the regent Murray, to sir Siiuon Preston, provost of Edinburgh, who generously conferred it on the cityj for vvhicli grant, the common council made most grateful acknowledgements. ■ A complete repair of the Church of Trinity College, has very recently taken place. The seats and galleries, which had become very ruinous, are removed, and an entirely new arrangement of the former has been accomplished. The pulpit, which is constructed with ornaments corresponding with the genejal charactei- of the building, is placed in the centre of the west side of the transept, opposite the eastern windows j and from this point the Church presents one of the finest models of Gothic architectiu-e in Scotland. The roof of the aisles being low, no galleries have been erected, a cir- cumstance which contributes greatly to the sublimity of the interior perspective ; a door which existed on the south side has been closed, and two others opened at the east end of the aisles. On the north side of the Church and connected with it, is a building, which may have been used formerly as a place of meeting for the provost and prebendaries. The door of communication is still apparent ; it is now used as a vestry, and there is a very general report, that queen Mary, the foun- dress, lies buried here. The situation of this Church is very unfavourable, it being in a narrow street, and enclosed by a high stone wall ; some alterations, however, are under consi- deration, which, when effected, will, in a great measure, super- sede these complaints. The view represents the eastern end of the Church ; in the distance is part of the North Bridge, and beyond it some of the buildings of the Castle. WATSON'S HOSPITAL. This charitable institution is situated in Tiviot Row, at a short distance southward of Heriot's Hospital. It presents a hand- some and extensive front to the northward, composed of two slightly projecting wings, and a centre surmounted by a low spire, having a ship on its summit as an emblem of merchandize ; against the roof of this part of the building is raised a large tablet of stone, richly ornamented, with armorial bearings ; this elevation of the centre, is also assisted by an additional story, which occasions an agreeable and judicious break in the other- wise continuous line of the roof. In front of the Hospital is an extensive piece of ground for the exercise of the scholars, who wear an uniform dress, consisting of a dark-coloured jacket and trowsers. Maitland observes, that their dress is, in all respects, more like the sons of gentlemen then charity children, and that they are fed with plentiful variety. The institution derives its name from the founder, George Watson, whose family for a long series of years appear to have been merchants in Edinburgh. Upon the death of his father, Watson was apprenticed by his aunt to a merchant in his native city ; when his services were coni[)leted, he visited Holland, for the purpose of improvement in his profession, and upon his return, entered into the service of sir James Dick, hart, as his book-keeper, and on the erection of the Bank of Scotland, he was appointed accountant thereto : he afterwards became treasurer to the Society for promoting Christian Know- ledge, and held several other important offices, all of which he discharged with honour and integrity, and dying a batchelor in 1723j left the sum of £12,000 sterling to found this Hospital. WATSON S HOSPITAL. The design of Watson not being carried into execution till the year 1738, the "Sum originally bequeathed had accumulated to £20,000 ; the building was then erected at the expence of £5000. An annual revenue of about £1700,. were laid out for the maintenanceand education of 60boys 5 thenumberisnow70,who are to be the children, or grand children of decayed merchants in Edinburgh. The branches of education taught here, are English, Latin, Greek, and French ; geography and the use of the globes, with arithmetic and book-keeping. It has been observed, that the treatment of the boys in this Hospital, is such as is probably no where else to be paralleled j for as an incentive to learning and diligence, those brought up to literary pursuits, are allowed ten pounds each annually, to prosecute their studies in the college of Edinburgh, for the term of five years ; and upon leaving the university, the sum of thirty pounds is given to them as an encouragement to proceed in their studies, privately. Such boys as are designed for trade, have twenty pounds given with them as- an apprentice fee, and if they con- duct themselves faithfully and industriously during their service, and remain thereafter three years unmarried, they receive the sum of fifty pounds, to assist them in commencing a trade on their own account. Wj1S©1E[ M'SWSS 'tFul'h/JtKS. Stirrer. du^Z .fota ItrcamiiU Jufyzjidil. WEIGH HOUSE. At the upper or northern end of the West Bow, and at the junc- ture of the Castle-hill and Lawn-market, stands the Weigh House, an ancient and mis-shapen building. It is said, however, that its architecture was at one time admired : the ground which it covers, was granted to the inhabitants of Edinburgh, by king David II. in the twenty-third year of his reign, and A. D. 1352. It is situated under the guns of the Castle, the quantity and value of goods deposited in it, having formed an attraction to the plunderer, and rendering it necessary that it should be securely placed and well guarded. In the year 1740, the Pretender having entered Edinburgh in triumph, the highland army immediately kept guard at the Weigh House and other avenues to the castle, and in a few days orders were ^ven to the guard here to cut off all inter- course with the castle. The governor dreading a want of provisions, sent to the Lord Provost, intimating, that unless a free communication between the city and castle was preserved, he should be obliged to dislodge the Weigh House guard with artillery. A deputation was thereupon sent to the Pretender, stating the danger with which the city was threatened ; he answered by expressing his concern at the barbarity of bringing distress upon the city, for what it was not in his power to pre- vent. Deputies waited on the governor of the castle and obtained a respite from the cannonading for a few days ; but a centry of the Pretender's army in the mean time firing at some people who were carrying provisions to the garrison, a sharp attack was commenced, which did considerable damage to the buildings, and killed many of the citizens ; this induced the WEIGH HOLSE. Chevalier to take off the blockade of the castle, and the firing ■was then discontinued. The Weigh House is the standard place of weights, and resorted to in all cases of dispute. Every kind of article is weighed here, and in general, the greatest quantity at once is a ton. It is let to a Taxman, who pays annually above £l50 to the town for the lease. His allowance is a penny for each hundred weight. At one period there was a turret to this building, containing a clock, but it was removed above 150 years ago j and it is to be regretted that the whole building was not then demolished, especially as it has nothing to recommend it, and is an incon- venience, as well as an unseemly obstruction to the view. Its removal, however, is talked of, a consummation most devoutly to be desired by all admirers of the' metropolis and of good taste. Some of the houses on the Castle-hill are eJso to be cleared away, which will open a convenient passage and excel- lent view. Indeed, when the projecting parts of St. Giles, the Weigh House, the pre-eminences adjacent to it, and the wooden houses on the north side of the Canongate are all taken down, this street will be one of the grandest in the king- dom, and will form a very fit counterpart of Princes Street, which has a similar termination. W^SIP !B OW Dram En^^ k/'u^^fy J tlLS.S-trrer. Chofe/.lxrr^.remimrine Jufyi-.tdiJ lower end 2t«»n ^^. 'iAi.-'ly^i trSSarer. a^U SireX Au»^'.-Z'<.^« WEST BOW. This is a narrow and cnrved street that conducts from the Grassmarket to the Lawnmarket, The houses here are very high, with immense wooden projections which intercept the light of day. In former times it was very common to make these additions, which are called outshots to the houses, for the purpose of giving them more roominess and convenience, and they are still to be seen in several parts of the town. It is said, that the two sides of the street, were in some cases placed in such a state of apposition, as to admit of the inhabitants inter- changing the pleasures of tea drinking, without the trouble of leaving their respective abodes. Formerly it was an object of great importance to be within the city walls, in order to be free from the depredations of the lawless mountaineers. Houses were then huddled together without much regard to proportion of size, eligibility of situation, or relative position. This accounts for the confused appearance of many of the streets in the Old Town. A part of the original wall of the City is still existing in this quarter, and can be discriminated from the adjoining buildings. This wall was built in the reign of James II. who for that purpose granted a Charter, dated the 30th of April, 1450, which runs thus: ''^ Foraesmykle as we ar informit be oure well belovettis the Provest and Conimunitc of Edynburgh, yat yai dreid the evil & skeith of ourc cnnemics of England ; we have in favour of yame, and fa the zele and affectionne that we have to the Provest and Communite of oure said Burgh, and for the Commoune proffit, grauntit to thaim, full licence and leifif to fosse, bulwark, wall, toure, tnratc, and uthcr wais to WEST BOW. Strength oure forsaids Burgh, in quhat maner of wise or degre that beis sene maste spedefuU to thaim." Together with this charter, the king issued au order for imposing a tax upon the valued rents of all property within the city and suburbs, that a sum might be raised for defraying the expences of carrying the above plan into effect. Thus was Edinburgh for the first time regularly inclosed. The wall began at the north-east part of the castle-rock, where there was erected a strong tower, which is known by the name of the well-house tower. From this it ran along the north side of the castle-hill, took a southerly direction at the place where the reservoir now is, then turned eastward, obliquely intersected the West Bow, and extended between the High Street and the Cowgate, at an equal distance from each, till it terminated at the Netherbow. This wall had four ports or gates, one of them was at the Castle-hill, another at the Netherbow, a third in Gray's Close, and the last in the West Bow, which was taken down about the beginning of the last ceutuiy, and which was called the Upper Bow Port to distinguish it from that at the Netherbow. One of the hooks on which it was suspended still remains fixed in the old wall, about six feet from the ground. The plate representing the upper part of the Bow, ex- hibits the Weigh-house and some of the buildings of the High Street in the distance. At the corner, on the right hand, formed by the projection of the houses, there is a close, conducting to the celebrated Major Weir's residence, which is behind the first row of buildings. Major Weir was accused by his contemporaries of numerous horrible crimes, such as magical incantations and intercourse with the nether world, for which he was condemned and burnt in 1670 ; and it appears, that under the influence of insanity and the cruelties inflicted upon him, he was induced to confess offences which it was altogether impossible for him to have committed : on this account the house was said to be haunted after his death, and remained a long time untenanted ; it is at present in the occupancy of a woolcomber. WEST BOW. Opposite to major Wier's is the house, which tradition identifies as the place in which our ancestors enjoyed the plea- sures of the light fantastic toe. This, however, if it was the case, must have been at a very remote period, since the oldest accounts on this subject, speak of the first assembly having been accommodated in the close which is known by the name of the Assembly Close. The situation delineated in the front of the plate, was once occupied by the old wall, to which reference has been made, and which crossed the West Bow in this place. The second plate, or lower end of the Bow, shows the nature of the architecture which anciently prevailed in this venerable city. The houses in this part of the town are very old and ruinous. One of them bears the date of 1604, and another, from which there is a vaulted passage to the Castle-hill, is said to have been used even before that time for the meetings of the council. Pious inscriptions seem to have been common in those days, as we find over the door of the house said to have contained the assembly rooms, the w^ords, " In Domino confido", and in more than one place, the inscription " Deo soli sit honor et gloria". It may not be improper here to mention an incident, which tradition has transmitted in indissoluble connection with the history of the West Bow. At some remote period of the existence of this street, there lived in it a tailor, of whom neither the name nor genealogy have come down to us. Of him, however, it is recorded, that for the period of twenty-eight years, he had discharged the duties of his important vocation with honour to himself, and comfort to others, in one of these protrudifig abodes 3 little imagining how liable the thread of his existence was to be snapped asunder by every wind that blew. It happened on a windy day, that the personage referred to was standing on the pavement of the West Bow, and a friend accosting liim, expressed his wonder that he should WEST BOW, have built his house on such an airy foundation, or at all events should reside in it in its then perilous condition. The amazed tailor turning up his ghastly countenance, for the first time espied his hitherto unexplored habitation, and being seized with all the panic of twenty-eight years at one time, betook himself to a safe and more substantial residence. It was through the West Bow, that the wretched Porteous was dragged to the Crass Market, in the year 1736, where tha sentence of death which had been remitted by royal authority, vpas executed upon him by an infuriated mob, with all the deliberation of a lawful act. WHITE HORSE CLOSE. This close or yard is now called Davidson's land, after the name of the present proprietor ; it is on the north side of canongate, a little to the west of the old girth cross, or cross of the sanctuary, where was executed the unfortunate duke of Montrose. According to the tradition of the neighbourhood, this close once formed the stable yard of queen Mary, and the principal part of its buildings have subsequently been occupied as an inn. Many alterations, however, must have taken place here since the times alluded to, and it is very probable, that the buildings seen in the annexed view, were erected in the year 1(?83, as upon the large window above the steps, seen in the centre of the print, that date is inscribed. This Close affords a curious specimen of the ancient architecture of Edinburgh. The principal building shews a regularity of design, vvhich indicates that it was erected for no common purpose ; the whole close is now let out in a variety of small tenements, and some parts are still used as stables ; its vicinity to the palace of Holyrood, strengthens the conjecture that it was once the royal stable yard. In this quarter of the city, there still exists a great number of closes, which were formerly inhabited by the nobility and gentry who were attached to the court 5 but tliey have long since been deserted by persons of rank, and at the present time, display the same appearance of neglect and wretchedness, complained of by Maitland, who gives the following description of the Canongate. " The town of tiic Canongate, vvhich is an appendage of, and a suburb to Edin- burgh, is situated at the eastern end of the city ; it consists of a spacious street, extending from the Netherbow Port, on the WHITE HORSE CLOSE. west, to the palace of Holyrood on the east, about half a mile iu length, whence run a number of closes down both sides of the hill, with gardens below them. " This place has suffered more by the union of the kingdom, than all the other parts of Scotland ; for having I)efore that period been the residence of the chief of the Scottish nobility, it was then in a flourishing condition ; but being deserted by them, many of their houses are fallen down, and others in a ruinous condition 3 it is in a piteous case !" WATER GATE. Near the palace of Holyrood House formerly stood the Water Gate, but its place is now only indicated by a slight wooden arch thrown across the street, and some rude masonry to which it was attached on the western side. This Gate is rendered memorable by the ignominious treatment which the Marquis of Montrose received in his passage through it to the Tolbooth, in 1650, He was met here by the magistrates, the city guard, and the executioner, who conducted him along the streets in gloomy procession, placed on an elevated cart made for the purpose. The next day being Sunday, he was visited by some WATER GATE, unfeeling clergy, who, with officious zeal/ descanted upon the enormous wickedness of his life, representing to him, that the punishment he would speedily suffer, would be but a short and easy prologue to what he must undergo hereafter. The pulpits resounded with declamations against him, representing him as the grand enemy of all piety and religion 5 the ministers like- wise reproached the people for the profane tenderness which they manifested towards him, which was teraied " movements of rebel nature." He was finally sentenced to be hanged, and his limbs were hung up in the chief cities of the kingdom. The subject of the vignette stands near the Water Gate, and is tra- ditionally called Queen Mary's Bath. COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LIBRARY This book is due on the date indicated below, or at the expiration of a definite period after the date of borrowing, as provided by the rules of the Library or by special ar- rangement with the Librarian in charge. DATE BORROWED DATE DUE DATE BORROWED DATE DUE AUG t 9 2^ ' ^u^ onnn "tfr?^ OlA^ : . U lUU* C2a(23B)M100 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES 0038482592 7s. sty Z