a city of Mid-Lothian in Scotland, situated in W. Long. 3°, and N. Lat. 56°, near the southern bank of the river Forth.—The origin of the name, like that of most other cities, is very uncertain, the name. Some imagine it to be derived from Eth, a supposed king of the Picts; others from Edwin, a Saxon prince of Northumberland, who over-ran the whole or greatest part of the territories of the Picts about the year 617; while others choose to derive it from two Gaelic words Dun Edin, signifying the face of a hill. The name Edinburgh itself, however, seems to have been unknown in the time of the Romans. The most ancient title by which we find this city distinguished is that of Castrum Rynny Agned; which, in the British language, signifies "the fortrefs of the hill of St Agnes." Afterwards it was named Castrum Puellarum, because the Pictish princesses were educated in the castle (a necessary protection in those barbarous ages) till they were married.—The ages in which these names were given cannot indeed now be exactly ascertained: but its foundation certainly cannot boast of very great antiquity; since, as Mr Whittaker informs us, the celebrated King Arthur fought a battle on the spot where it is situated towards the end of the fifth century.

The Romans, during the time they held the dominion of part of this island, divided their possessions into five provinces. The most northerly of these was called Valentia, which comprehended all the space between the walls of Adrian and Severus. Thus, Edinburgh, lying on the very out-skirts of that province which was most exposed to the ravages of the barbarians, became perpetually subject to wars and devastations; by means of which, the time of its first foundation cannot now be guessed at.

The castle is certainly very ancient. It continued in the hands of the Saxons or English from the invasion of Oda and Ebba in the year 452 till the defeat of Egfrid king of Northumberland in 685 by the Picts, who then repopulated themselves of it. The Saxon kings of Northumberland reconquered it in the ninth century; and it was retained by their successors till the year 956, when it was given up to Indulphus king of Scotland. In 1093 it was unsuccessfully besieged by the usurper Donald Bane. Whether the city was at that time founded or not is uncertain. Most probably it was; for as protection from violence was necessary in those barbarous ages, the castle of Edinburgh could not fail of being an inducement to many people to settle in its neighbourhood; and thus the city would gradually be founded and increase.—In 1128, King David I. founded the Abbey of Holyroodhouse, for certain canons regular; and granted them a charter, in which he styled the town Burga meo de Edinburgi; "my borough of Edinburgh." By the same charter he granted these canons 40 shillings yearly out of the town revenues; and likewise 48 half-shillings more, from the same, in case of the failure of certain duties payable from the king's revenue; and likewise one half of the tallow, lard, and hides, of all the beasts killed in Edinburgh.

In 1174, the castle of Edinburgh was surrendered to Henry II. of England, in order to purchase the liberty of King William I. who had been defeated and taken prisoner by the English. But when William recovered his liberty, he entered into an alliance with Henry, and married his cousin Ermengarde; upon which the castle was restored as part of the queen's dower.

In 1215, this city was first distinguished by having a parliament and provincial synod held in it.—In 1296, the castle was besieged and taken by Edward I. of England; but was recovered in 1313 by Randolf Earl of Moray, who was afterwards regent of Scotland during the minority of King David II. At last King Robert destroyed this fortress, as well as all others in Scotland, lest they should afford shelter to the English in any of their after incursions into Scotland.—It lay in ruins for a considerable number of years; but was afterwards rebuilt by Edward III. of England, who placed a strong garrison in it.

In 1341 it was reduced by the following stratagem. A man, pretending to be an English merchant, came to the governor, and told him that he had on board his ship in the Forth some wine, beer, biscuits, &c., which he would sell him on very reasonable terms. A bargain being made, he promised to deliver the goods next morning at a very reasonable rate: but at the time appointed, twelve men, disguised in the habit of sailors, entered the castle with the goods and supposed merchant; and having instantly killed the porter and sentinels, Sir William Douglas, on a preconcerted signal, rushed in with a band of armed men, and quickly made himself master of the place, after having cut most of the garrison in pieces.

The year 1437 is remarkable for the execution of the Earl of Athol and his accomplices, who had a concern in the murder of James I. The crime, it must be owned, was execrable; but the punishment was altogether shocking to humanity. For three days successively the assassins were tortured by putting on their heads iron crowns heated red hot, dislocating their joints, pinching their flesh with red hot pincers, and carrying them in that dreadful situation through the streets upon hurdles. At last an end was put to their sufferings, by cutting them up alive, and sending the parts of their mangled bodies to the principal towns of the kingdom.

About the end of the 14th century it was customary to consider Edinburgh as the capital of the kingdom. The town of Leith, with its harbour and mills, had been bestowed upon it by Robert I. in 1329; and his grandson John Earl of Carrick, who afterwards ascended the throne by the name of Robert III., conferred upon all the burgesses the singular privilege of building houses in the castle, upon the sole condition that they should be persons of good fame; which we must undoubtedly consider as a proof that the number of these burgesses was at that time very small. In 1461 a very considerable privilege was conferred on the city by Henry VI. of England when in a state of exile; viz., that its inhabitants should have liberty to trade to all the English ports on the same terms with the city of London. This extraordinary privilege was bestowed in consequence of the kindness with which that king was treated in a visit to the Scottish monarch at Edinburgh; but as Henry was never restored, his gratitude was not attended with any benefit to this city. From this time, however, its privileges continued to be increased from various causes. In 1482 the citizens had an opportunity of liberating King James from the oppression of his nobles, by whom he had been imprisoned in the castle. On this account the provost was by that monarch made hereditary high sheriff within the city, an office which he continues still to enjoy. The council at the same time were invested with the power of making laws and statutes for the government of the city; and the trades, as a testimony of the royal gratitude for their loyalty, received the banner known by the name of the Blue Blanket; an ensign formerly capable of producing great commotions, but which has not now been displayed for many years past. However, it still exists; and the convener of the trades has the charge of keeping it.

It was not long after the discovery of America that venereal disease, imported from that country, made its way to Edinburgh. As early as 1497, only five years after the voyage of Columbus, we find it looked upon as a most dreadful plague; and the unhappy persons affected with it were separated as effectually as possible from society. The place of their exile was Inchkeith, a small island near the middle of the Forth; which, small as it is, has a spring of fresh water, and now affords pasture to some sheep.

By the overthrow of James IV. at the battle of Flodden, the city of Edinburgh was overwhelmed with grief and confusion, that monarch having been attended in his unfortunate expedition by the Earl of Angus, then provost, with the rest of the magistrates, and a number of the principal inhabitants, most of whom perished in the battle. After this disaster, the inhabitants being alarmed for the safety of their city, Edinburgh, it was enacted that every fourth man should keep watch at night; the fortifications of the town were renewed, the wall being also extended in such a manner as to inclose the Grassmarket, and the field on which Heriot's Hospital, the Grey Friars Church, and Charity Workhouse stand. On the east side it was made to inclose the College, Infirmary, and High School; after which, turning to the north, it met the old wall at the Netherbow-port. After this alarm was over, the inhabitants were gradually relieved from the trouble of watching at night, and a certain number of militia appointed to prevent disturbances; who continue to this day, and are known by the name of the Town Guard. Before these new inclosures, most of the principal people lived in the Cowgate without the wall; and the buying-place was situated where the Parliament Close now is. In our days of peace, when no alarm of an enemy is at all probable, great part of the walls, with all the gates, have been taken down, and the city laid quite open, in order to afford more ready passage to the great concourse of people with whom the street is daily filled. But at the period we speak of, not only were the inhabitants much less numerous by reason of the small extent of the city, but it was depopulated by a dreadful plague; so that, to stop if possible the progress of the infection, all houses and shops were shut up for 14 days, and some where infected persons had died were pulled down altogether.

In 1504, the tract of ground called the Burrough Muir was totally overgrown with wood, though now it affords not the smallest vestige of having been in such a state. So great was the quantity at that time, however, that it was enacted by the town-council, that whoever inclined to purchase as much wood as was sufficient to make a new front for their house, might extend it seven feet into the street. Thus the city was in a short time filled with houses of wood instead of stone; by which, besides the inconvenience of having the street narrowed 14 feet, and the beauty of the whole entirely marred, it became much more liable to accidents by fire; but almost all these are now pulled down; and in doing this a singular taste in the masonry which supported them is said to have been discovered.

In 1542, a war with England having commenced through the treachery of Cardinal Beaton, an English fleet of 200 sail entered the Forth; and having landed their forces, quickly made themselves masters of the towns of Leith and Edinburgh. They next attacked the castle, but were repulsed from it with loss; and by this they were so enraged, that they not only destroyed the towns of Edinburgh and Leith, but laid waste the country for a great way round.—These towns, however, speedily recovered from their ruinous state; and, in 1547, Leith was again burned by the English after the battle of Pinkie, but Edinburgh was spared.

Several disturbances happened in this capital at the time of the Reformation, of which an account is given under the article Scotland; but none of these greatly affected the city till the year 1570, at which time there was a civil war on account of Q. Mary's forced resignation. The regent, who was one of the contending parties, bought the castle from the perfidious governor (Balfour) for £5000, and the priory of Pittenweem. He did not, however, long enjoy the fruits of this infamous bargain. Sir William Kirkaldy, the new governor, a man of great integrity and bravery, declared for the Queen. The city in the mean time was sometimes in the hands of one party and sometimes of another; during which contentions, the inhabitants, as may easily be imagined, suffered extremely. In the Siege of the year 1570 above mentioned, Queen Elizabeth sent a castle in body of 1000 foot and 300 horse, under the command of Sir William Drury, to assist the king's party. The time, castle was summoned to surrender; and several skirmishes happened during the space of two years, in which a kind of predatory war was carried on. At last a truce was agreed on till the month of January 1573; and this opportunity the Earl of Morton, now regent, made use of to build two bulwarks across the high-street, nearly opposite to the tolbooth, to defend the city from the fire of the castle.

On the first of January, early in the morning, the governor began to cannonade the city. Some of the cannon were pointed against the fish-market, then held on the high street; and the bullets falling among the fishes, scattered them about in a surprising manner, and even drove them up so high in the air, that they fell down upon the tops of the houses. This unusual spectacle having brought a number of people out of their houses, some of them were killed and others dangerously wounded. Some little time afterwards, several houses were set on fire by shot from the castle, and burned to the ground; which greatly enraged the people against the governor.—A treaty was at last concluded between the leaders of the opposite factions; but Kirkaldy refused to be comprehended in it. The regent therefore solicited the assistance of Queen Elizabeth, and Sir William Drury was again sent into Scotland with 1500 foot and a train of artillery. The castle was now besieged in form, and batteries raised against it in different places. The governor defended himself with great bravery for 33 days; but finding most of the fortifications demolished, the well choked up with rubbish, and all supplies of water cut off, he was obliged to surrender. The English general, in the name of his mistress, promised him honourable treatment; but the Queen of England shamefully gave him up to the regent, by whom he was hanged.

Soon after this, the spirit of fanaticism, which somehow or other succeeded the Reformation, produced violent commotions, not only in Edinburgh, but thro' the whole kingdom. The foundation of these disturbances, and indeed of most others which have ever happened in Christendom on account of religion, was that pernicious maxim of Popery, that the church is independent of the state. It is not to be supposed that this maxim was at all agreeable to the sovereign; but such was the attachment of the people to the doctrines of the clergy, that King James found himself obliged to compound matters with them. This, however, answered the purpose but very indifferently; and at last a violent uproar was excited. The King was then sitting in the Court of Session, which was held in the Tolbooth, when a petition was presented to him by six persons, displease lamenting the dangers which threatened religion; and of James VI, being treated with very little respect by one Bruce a minister, his Majesty asked who they were that dared to convene against his proclamation? He was answered... Edinburgh, by Lord Lindsay, that they dared to do more, and would not suffer religion to be overthrown. On this the King perceiving a number of people crowding into the room, withdrew into another without making any reply, ordering the door to be shut. By this the petitioners were so much enraged, that on their return to the church the most furious resolutions were taken; and had it not been for the activity of Sir Alexander Home the provost, and Mr Watt the deacon-convenor who assembled the crafts in his Majesty's behalf, it is more than probable that the door would have been forced, and an end put to his life. This affront was so much resented by the King, that he thought proper to declare Edinburgh an unfit place of residence for the court or the administration of justice. In consequence of this declaration, he commanded the college of justice, the inferior judges, and the nobility and barons, to retire from Edinburgh, and not to return without express licence. This unexpected declaration threw the whole town into consternation, and brought back the magistrates and principal inhabitants to a sense of their duty. With the clergy it was far otherwise. They railed against the King in the most furious manner; and endeavouring to persuade the people to take up arms, the magistrates were ordered to imprison them: but they escaped by a timely flight. A deputation of the most respectable burgesses was then sent to the King at Linlithgow, with a view to mitigate his resentment. But he refused to be pacified; and on the last day of December 1596 entered the town between two rows of his soldiers who lined the streets, while the citizens were commanded to keep within their houses. A convention of the estates was held in the Tolbooth, before whom the magistrates made the most abject submissions, but all in vain. The convention declared one of the late tumults, in which an attack had been made upon the King's person, to be high treason; and ordained, that if the magistrates did not find out the authors, the city itself should be subjected to all the penalties due to that crime. It was even proposed to raze the town to the foundation, and erect a pillar on the spot where it had stood, as a monument of its crimes. The inhabitants were now reduced to the utmost despair; but Queen Elizabeth interposing in behalf of the city, the King thought proper to abate somewhat of his rigour. A criminal prosecution, however, was commenced, and the town-council were commanded to appear at Perth by the first of February. On their petition, the time for their appearance was prolonged to the first of March; and the attendance of 13 of the common-council was declared sufficient, provided they had a proper commission from the rest. The trial commenced on the fifth day of the month; and one of the number having failed in his attendance, the cause was immediately decided against the council: they were declared rebels, and their revenues forfeited.

For 15 days the city continued in the utmost confusion; but at last, on their earnest supplication, and offering to submit entirely to the King's mercy, the community were restored on the following conditions, which they had formerly proffered: That they should continue to make a most diligent search for the authors of the tumult, in order to bring them to condign punishment; that none of the sedulous ministers should be allowed to return to their charges, and no others admitted without his Majesty's consent; and that in the election of their magistrates they should present a list of the candidates to the King and his lords of council and session, whom his Majesty and their lordships might approve or reject at pleasure. To these conditions the King now added some others; viz., that the houses which had been possessed by the ministers should be delivered up to the King; and that the clergymen should afterwards live dispersed through the town, every one in his own parish: That the town-council house should be appointed for accommodating the court of exchequer; and that the town should become bound for the safety of the lords of session from any attempts of the burgesses, under a penalty of 40,000 merks; and, lastly, that the town should immediately pay 20,000 merks to his Majesty.

Upon these terms a reconciliation took place; which appears to have been very complete, as the King not only allowed the degraded ministers to be replaced, but in 1610 conferred a mark of his favour on the town, by allowing the provost to have a sword of state carried before him, and the magistrates to wear gowns on public occasions. In 1618 he paid his last visit to this city, when he was received with the most extravagant pomp and magnificence. See Scotland.

The events which during this period regard the proceedings of the city, were principally the following: After the unfortunate battle at Pinkey, the magistrates, probably apprehending that now their power was enlarged by reason of the common calamity, proceeded in some respects in a very arbitrary manner; forcing the inhabitants to furnish materials for the public works; enjoining merchants to bring home silver to be coined at the mint; and ordering lanterns to be hung out at proper places to burn till nine at night, &c. Another invasion from England being apprehended in 1558, the city raised 1450 men for its defence, among whom there are said to have been 200 tailors, so that their profession seems to have been in a very flourishing state at that time. During the disturbances which happened at the reformation, and of which a particular account is given under the article Scotland, it was enacted, that the figure of St Giles should be cut out of the town standard, and that of a thistle inserted in its place. It was likewise enacted, that none but those who professed the reformed religion should serve in any office whatever; and the better to preserve that extraordinary appearance of sanctity which was affected, a pillar was erected in the North Loch, for the purpose of ducking fornicators.

In 1595, the boys of the High School rose against their masters; and such was the barbarism of those days, that one of these striplings shot a magistrate with a pistol, who had come along with the rest to reduce them to obedience. The reason of the uproar was, that they were in that year refused two vacations, which had been customary in former times: however, they were at last obliged to submit, and ever since have been allowed only one for about six weeks in the autumn. The same year the house of one of the bailies was assaulted by the tradescants sons, assisted by journeymen who had not received the freedom of the town: he escaped with his life, but the offenders were banished the city for ever. In the beginning of the reign of Charles I., a perfect harmony seems to have subsisted between the court and the city of Edinburgh; for in 1627 king Charles I. presented the city with a new sword and gown to be worn by the provost at the times appointed by his father James VI. Next year he paid a visit to this capital, and was received by the magistrates in a most pompous manner; but soon after this the disturbances arose which were not terminated but by the death of that unfortunate monarch. These commenced on an attempt of Charles to introduce Episcopacy into the kingdom; and the first step towards this was the erection of the three Lothians and part of Berwick into a diocese, Edinburgh being the episcopal seat, and the church of St Giles the cathedral. An account of the disturbance occasioned by the first attempt to read the prayer-book there, is given under the article Britain; but though the attempt was given over, the minds of the people were not to be quieted. Next winter they resorted to town in such multitudes, that the privy-council thought proper to publish two acts; by one of which the people were commanded, under severe penalties, to leave the town in 24 hours; and by the other, the court of session was removed to Linlithgow. The populace and their leaders were so much enraged by the latter, that lord Traquair and some of the bishops narrowly escaped with their lives; and next year (1638) matters became still more serious. For now, the king having provoked his subjects throughout all Scotland with the innovations he attempted in religion, Edinburgh was made the general place of rendezvous, and the most formidable associations took place; an account of which has already been given under the article Britain. Each of the towns in Scotland had a copy; and that which belonged to Edinburgh, crowded with 5000 names, is still preserved among the records of the city. Notwithstanding this disagreement, however, the king once more visited Edinburgh in 1641, and was entertained by the magistrates at an expense of 12,000l. Scots. It does not appear that after this the city was in any way particularly concerned with the disturbances which followed either throughout the remainder of the reign of Charles I., the commonwealth, or the reign of Charles II. In 1680 the duke of York with his duchess, the princess Anne, and the whole court of Scotland, were entertained by the city in the Parliament House, at the expense of 15,000l. Scots. At this time it is said that the scheme of building the bridge over the North Loch was first projected by the duke.

From the time that king James VI. paid his last visit to Edinburgh in 1618, till the time of the union in 1707, a considerable number of private regulations were made by the magistrates; some of them evidently calculated for the good of the city, others strongly characteristic of that violent spirit of fanaticism which prevailed so much in the last century. Among the former was an act passed in 1621, that the houses, instead of being covered with straw or boards, should have their roofs constructed of slate, tiles, or lead. This act was renewed in 1667; and in 1698 an act was passed regulating their height also. By this they were restrained to five stories, and the thickness of the wall determined to be three feet at bottom. In 1684 a lantern with a candle was ordered to be hung out in the first floor of every house in order to light the streets at night; and Edinburgh, there were two coaches with four horses each ordered to be bought for the use of the magistrates; but it does not appear how long they continued to be used. In 1681 the court of session discontinued its sittings in summer; but as this was found to be attended with inconvenience, an act was passed for their restoration, which has continued ever since. During the time of the civil war in 1649, the city was visited by the plague, which is the last time that dreadful distemper hath made its appearance in this country. The infection was so violent, that the city was almost depopulated, the prisoners were discharged from the tolbooth, and an act was made for giving one Dr Joannes Politius a salary of 80l. Scots per month, for visiting those who were infected with the disease. In 1677 the first coffee-houses were allowed to be opened, but none without a licence; and the same year the town-council regulated the price of penny-weddings; ordaining the men to pay no more than two threepence, and the women 18 pence; very extravagant prices having been exacted before.

In contradiction to these salutary acts, we may state those which show an extravagant desire of preserving the appearance of virtue in the female sex, as if it had been possible for others to inspire them with virtuous notions if they had not imbibed them of themselves. In 1633 an act of council was passed, by which women were forbidden to wear plaids over their faces, under penalty of five pounds and the forfeiture of the plaid for the first fault. Banishment was the punishment of the third. The reason assigned for this act was, that matrons were not known from strumpets and loose women, while the plaid continued to be worn over the face. This act was renewed in 1637 and 1638. Succeeding town-councils continued to show the same regard to these matters; for in 1655 they enacted, that no inn-keeper, vintner, or ale-feller, should for the future employ women as waiters or servants, under the penalty of five shillings sterling for each.

The following anecdote may perhaps make the virtues of these legislators themselves wear a suspicious aspect. In 1649 the city having borrowed L. 40,000 Scots, in order to raise their quota of men for his majesty, the payment of it was absolutely refused by the town-council when a demand was made for that purpose. That they might not, however, depend entirely upon their own opinion in a matter of such importance, they took that of the General Assembly upon the subject; and it was determined by these reverend divines, that they were not in conscience bound to pay for an unlawful engagement which their predecessors had entered into. But in 1652, Cromwell's parliament, who pretended to no less sanctity than they, declared themselves of a very different opinion; and on the application of one of the creditors, forced them to repay the sum.

The treatment which the brave marquis of Montrose infamous met with, likewise fixes an indelible stigma both upon treatment the magistrates and clergy at that time. Having been of the mar- put under sentence of excommunication, no person was quis ot allowed to speak to him or do him the least office of friendship. Being met without the city by the magistrates and town-guard, he was by them conducted in a kind of gloomy procession through the streets bare- barcheaded, and in an elevated cart made for the purpose; the other prisoners walking two and two before him. At the time of his execution he was attended by one of the ministers, who, according to his own account, did not choose to return till he had seen him casten over the ladder.

The union in 1707 had almost produced a war between the two kingdoms which it was designed to unite; and on that occasion Edinburgh became a scene of the most violent disturbances, of which a particular account is given under the article Britain. During the time the act was passing, it was found absolutely necessary for the guards and four regiments of foot to do duty in the city. The disturbances were augmented by the disagreement of the two members of parliament; and notwithstanding the victory gained at that time by the court party, Sir Patrick Johnstone the provost, who voted for the union, was obliged afterwards to leave the country. In 1715 the city remained faithful to the royal cause, and proper measures were taken for its defence. A committee of safety was appointed, the city-guard increased, and 400 men raised at the expense of the town. The trained bands likewise were ordered out, 100 of whom mounted guard every night; by which precautions the rebels were prevented from attempting the city: they however made themselves masters of the citadel of Leith; but fearing an attack from the duke of Argyle, they abandoned it in the night-time. A scheme was even laid for becoming masters of the castle of Edinburgh; for which purpose they bribed a sergeant to place their scaling ladders. Thus some of the rebels got up to the top of the walls before any alarm was given; but in the mean time the plot being discovered by the sergeant's wife, her husband was hanged over the place where he had attempted to introduce the rebels. The expense of the armament which the city had been at on this occasion amounted to about £1000, which was repaid by government in the year 1721.

The loyalty of this city was still farther remarkable in the year 1725, when disturbances were excited in all parts of the kingdom, particularly in the city of Glasgow, concerning the excise-bill; for all remained quiet in Edinburgh, notwithstanding the violent outcries that were made elsewhere: and so remarkable was the tranquillity in the metropolis, that government afterwards returned thanks to the magistrates for it. In 1736, however, the city had again the misfortune to fall under the royal displeasure, on the following account. Two smugglers having been detected in stealing their own goods out of a custom-house, were condemned to be hanged. The crime was looked upon as trivial; and therefore a general murmur prevailed among the populace, which was no doubt heightened by the following accident. At that time it had been customary for persons condemned to die to be carried each Sunday to the church, called from that circumstance the Tolbooth-church. The two prisoners just mentioned were conducted in the usual way, guarded by three soldiers, to prevent their making their escape: but having once gone thither a little before the congregation met, one of the prisoners seized one of the guards in each hand, and the other in his teeth, calling out to his companion to run; which he immediately did with such speed, that he soon got out of sight, and was never heard of afterwards. The person who had thus procured the life of his companion without regard to his own, would no doubt become a general object of compassion; and of course, when led to the place of execution, the guard were severely pelted by the mob, and some of them, according to the testimony of the witnesses who were sworn on the occasion, pretty much wounded. By this Captain Porteous, who commanded the guard, was so much provoked, that he gave orders to fire, by which six people were killed and eleven wounded. The evidence, however, even of the fact that the orders to fire were given, appears not to have been altogether unexceptionable; nevertheless, on this he was tried and condemned to be executed. At that time the king was absent at Hanover, having left the regency in the hands of the queen; and the case of the unfortunate Porteous having been represented to her, she was pleased to grant him a reprieve: but such was the inactivity of the people against him, that they determined not to allow him to avail himself of the royal clemency. On the day that had been appointed for his execution, therefore, a number of people assembled, shut the gates of the city, and burnt the door of the prison, the same which the mob would formerly have broke open in order to murder king James. They then took out Porteous, whom it was found impossible to rescue out of their hands, though every method that the magistrates could take for that purpose in such a confusion was made use of. It was even proved, that the member of parliament went to the commander in chief, and requested that he would send a party of soldiers to quell the disturbance, but was absolutely denied this request, because he could not produce a written order from the provost to this purpose; which, in the confusion then existing in the city, could neither have been expected to be given by the provost, nor would it have been safe for any person to have carried it about him. Thus the unhappy victim was left in the hands of his executioners; and being dragged by them to the place destined for receiving his fate, was hanged on a dyer's sign-post. As they had not brought a rope along with them, they broke open a shop where they knew they were to be had; and having taken out what they wanted, left the money upon the table, and retired without committing any other disorder.

Such an atrocious insult on government could not Government but be highly resented. A royal proclamation was issued, offering a pardon to any accomplice, and a reward of £200 to any person who would discover one of those concerned. The proclamation was ordered to be read from every pulpit in Scotland the first Sunday of every month for a twelvemonth: but so divided were the people in their opinions about this matter, that many of the clergy hesitated exceedingly about complying with the royal order, by which they were brought in danger of being turned out of their livings; while those who complied were rendered so unpopular, that their situation was rendered still worse than the others. All the efforts of government, however, were insufficient to produce any discovery; by which, no doubt, the court were still more exasperated; and it was now determined to execute vengeance on the magistrates and city at large. Alexander Wilson, the provost at that time, was imprisoned three weeks before he could... could be admitted to bail; after which, he and the four bailies, with the lords of judicature, were ordered to attend the house of peers at London. On their arrival there, a debate ensued, whether the lords should attend in their robes or not? but at last it was agreed, that they should attend in their robes at the bar. This, however, was refused by their lordships, who insisted that they should be examined within the bar; upon which the affair of their examination was dropped altogether. A bill was at last passed both houses, by which it was enacted, that the city of Edinburgh should be fined £200l. for the benefit of Porteous's widow (though she was prevailed upon to accept of £1,500 for the whole); and the provost was declared incapable of ever serving government again in any capacity whatever. To prevent such catastrophes in time coming, the town-council enacted, that, on the first appearance of an insurrection, the chief officers in the different societies and corporations should repair to the council, to receive the orders of the magistrates for the quelling of the tumult, under the penalty of 8l. 6s. 8d. for each omission.

In 1745, the city was invested by the Pretender's army; and on the 17th of September, the Netherbow-gate being opened to let a coach pass, a party of Highlanders, who had reached the gate undiscovered, rushed in, and took possession of the city. The inhabitants were commanded to deliver up their arms at the palace of Holyroodhouse; a certain quantity of military stores was required from the city, under pain of military execution; and an assessment of 2s. 6d. upon the pound was imposed upon the real rents within the city and liberties, for defraying that expense.

The Pretender's army guarded all the avenues to the castle; but no signs of hostility ensued till the 25th of the month, when the garrison being alarmed from some unknown cause, a number of cannon were discharged at the guard placed at the West-port, but with very little effect. This gave occasion to an order to the guard at the weigh-house, to prevent all intercourse between the city and castle; and then the governor acquainted the provost by letter, that unless the communication was prevented, he would be obliged to dislodge the guard by means of artillery. A deputation was next sent to the Pretender; acquainting him with the danger the city was in, and intreating him to withdraw the guard. With this he refused to comply; and the Highland centinels firing at some people who were carrying provisions into the castle, a pretty smart cannonading ensued, which set fire several houses, killed some people, and did other damage. The Pretender then consented to dismiss the guard, and the cannonading ceased. After the battle of Culloden, the provost of Edinburgh was obliged to stand a very long and severe trial, first at London and then at Edinburgh, for not defending the city against the rebels; which, from the situation and extent of the walls, every one must have seen to be impossible.

During this trial a very uncommon circumstance happened; the jury having sat two days, insisted that they could sit no longer, and prayed for a short respite. As the urgency of the case was apparent, and both parties agreed, the court, after long reasoning, adjourned till the day following, taking the jury bound under a penalty of £500 each; when the court continued sitting two days longer, and the jury were one day inclosed. Edinburgh.

The event was, that the provost was exculpated.

After the battle of Culloden the duke of Cumberland caused fourteen of the rebel standards to be burned at the cross; that of the pretender was carried by the common executioner, the others by chimney-sweepers; the heralds proclaiming the name of the commanders to whom they belonged as they were thrown into the fire. At this time the city of Edinburgh felt a temporary inconvenience from the election of their magistrates not having taken place at the usual time; so that it became necessary to apply to his majesty for the restoration of the government of the city. This request was readily granted, the burgesses being allowed a poll-tax; after which an entire new set of magistrates was returned, all of them friends to the house of Hanover; and soon after the freedom of the city in a gold box was presented to the duke of Cumberland.

With these transactions all interferences between government and the metropolis of Scotland were ended; the rest of its history therefore only consists of internal occurrences, the regulations made by its own magistrates for the benefit of the city, their applications to government for leave to improve it, or the execution of these improvements; of which we shall now give a brief detail.

In the year 1716, the city first bestowed a settled salary on the provost, in order to enable him to support himself on the dignity of first magistrate. This was at first £300; the provost but has since been augmented to £500, which his lordship still enjoys. In 1718 it was recommended to the magistrates to distinguish themselves by wearing coats of black velvet, for which they were allowed £10; but this act being abrogated in 1754, gold chains were assigned as badges of their office, which they still continue to wear. Provost Kincaid happened to die in office in the year 1777; which being a very rare accident, perhaps the only one of the kind to be met with in the records of Edinburgh, he was buried with great solemnity, and a vast concourse of people attended.

Tumults have been frequent in Edinburgh, chiefly on account of the dearth of provisions. In 1740 Bell's tumults, mills were first attacked by the populace, and afterwards Leith mills; nor could the rioters be dispersed till the military had fired among them, and wounded three, of whom one died; and it was found necessary to order some dragoons into the city in order to preserve tranquillity. In 1742 another violent tumult took place, owing to a custom of stealing dead bodies from their graves for anatomical purposes, which had then become common. The populace beat to arms, threatened destruction to the surgeons; and in spite of all the efforts of the magistrates demolished the house of the beadle at St Cuthbert's. In 1756, new disturbances, which required the assistance of the military, took place: the cause at this time was the impressing of men for the war which was then commencing. A disturbance was likewise excited in 1760. This was occasioned by the footmen, who till then were allowed to follow their masters into the playhouse, and now took upon them to disturb the entertainment of the company; the consequence of which was, that they were turned out, and have ever since been obliged to wait for their masters. In 1763 and 1765, the tumults on account of the price of provisions were renewed; many of the meal-mongers had Edinburgh, their houses broken open and their shops destroyed.

The magistrates, as usual, were obliged to call in a party of dragoons to quell the disturbance; but at the same time, to put an effectual stop, as far as was in their power, to these proceedings for the future, they gave security, that people who brought grain or provision into the market should be secured in their property. Since that time there have been no tumults directly on the account of provisions; though in 1784 a terrible riot and attack of a distillery at Canonmills took place, on a supposition that the distillers enhanced the price of meal by using unmalted grain. The attack was repelled by the servants of the distillery; but the mob could not be quelled until the sheriff called the soldiers quartered in the castle to his assistance. The same night a party of rioters set out for Ford, a place ten miles to the southward, where there was likewise a large distillery; which, as there was none to make any opposition, they soon destroyed. One man was killed in this riot at Edinburgh by the fire of a servant of the distillery, and several of the rioters were afterwards secured and punished.

In the years 1778 and 1779 two very alarming disturbances happened, which threatened a great deal of bloodshed, though happily they were terminated without any. The first was a mutiny of the earl of Seaforth's Highland regiment, who were at this time quartered in the castle. These having been ordered to embark, for some reason or other unanimously refused, and posted themselves on the top of Arthur's seat, where they continued for two days. Troops were collected to prevent their escape, and the inhabitants were ordered to keep within doors at the first toll of the great bell, which was to be a signal of violence about to take place; but fortunately all the fears, naturally arising from the expectation of this event, were dispelled by an accommodation. The other happened on account of the attempt to repeal the penal laws against the Papists; and was much more alarming than the other, as being the effect of a premeditated scheme and determined resolution to oppose government. On the 2d of February 1779 a mob assembled in the evening, burned a Popish chapel, and plundered another. Next day they renewed their depredations; destroying and carrying off the books, furniture, &c. of several Popish priests and others of that persuasion. The riot continued all that day, though the assistance of the military was called in; but happily no lives were lost, nor was there any firing. The city was afterwards obliged to make good the damage sustained by the Catholics on this occasion, which was estimated at £1500. This year also an unlucky accident happened at Leith. About 50 Highland recruits having refused to embark, a party of the South Fencibles was sent to take them prisoners. Unexpectedly, however, the Highlanders stood upon their defence; when, after some words, a firing commenced on both sides, and about one half of the Highlanders were killed and wounded, the remainder being taken prisoners and carried to the castle. Captain Mansfield and two or three privates were killed in this affray.

We shall close this history of Edinburgh with a general account of the improvements which have lately taken place in it, and of which a particular description will afterwards be given. These began in the year 1753, when the foundation-stone of the Exchange was laid, at which time there was a grand procession, and the greatest concourse of people ever known in Edinburgh. A triumphal arch was erected for the purpose, through which the procession passed, and medals were scattered among the populace. In 1756 the high street was cleared by the removal of the crofs; though many regretted this, on account of its being a very ancient and elegant building. In the middle it had an unicorn placed on the top of a pillar 20 feet high; but this fine ornament was broken to pieces by the giving way of the tackle by which it was attempted to remove it. It is now again erected at Drum, a seat belonging to lord Somerville, about four miles from Edinburgh. In 1763 the first stone of the north bridge was laid by provost Drummond; and in 1767 an act of parliament was obtained for extending the royalty of the city over the fields to the northward, where the New Town is now situated. About the same time a spot of ground upon the south side of the town was purchased by a private person for L1200, which being freed out for building, gave rise to the increase of the town on that quarter; and this proceeded the more rapidly, as the houses built there were free from the dues imposed upon others subject to the royalty. In 1774 the foundation of the Register-Office was laid. In 1784 the project for rendering the access to the town equally easy on both sides was begun to be put in execution by laying the foundation of the south bridge. At the same time a great improvement was made by reducing the height of the street several feet all the way from the place where the crofs stood to the Netherbow; by which means the ascent is rendered more easy, not only for carriages, but also for persons who walk on foot. At the same time, the street was farther cleared by the removal of the town guard-house, which had long been complained of as an encumbrance. It is still farther in contemplation to remove the Luckenbooths; and when this is accomplished, with other improvements by which it must necessarily be accompanied, it is to be questioned whether any city in Britain will be able to vie with Edinburgh in elegance and beauty.

Having thus given a concise history of the city from its earliest foundation, we shall now proceed to describe it in its most improved state.

Edinburgh is situated upon a steep hill, rising from Description east to west, and terminating in a high and inaccessible of Edinrock, upon which the castle stands. At the east end burgh, or lower extremity of this hill stands the abbey of Holyrood-house, or king's palace, distant from the castle upwards of a mile; and betwixt which, along the top of the ridge, and almost in a straight line, runs the high-street. On each side, and parallel to this ridge or hill, is another ridge of ground lower than that in the middle, and which does not extend so far to the east; that on the south being intercepted by Salisbury-rocks and Arthur's-seat, a hill of about 800 feet of perpendicular height; and that on the north by the Calton-hill, considerably lower than Arthur's-seat; so that the situation of this city is most singular and romantic; the east or lower part of the town lying between two hills; and the west or higher part rising up towards towards a third hill, little inferior in height to the height of the other two, upon which, as has been observed, the castle is built, and overlooks the town.

The buildings of the town terminate at the distance of about 200 yards from the castle-gate; which space affords a most delightful as well as convenient and healthful walk to the inhabitants. The prospect from this spot is perhaps the finest anywhere to be met with, for extent, beauty, and variety.

In the valley or hollow betwixt the mid and the south ridges, and nearly parallel to the high-street, is another street called the Cowgate; and the town has now extended itself over most part of that south ridge also. Betwixt the mid and the north ridges was a loch, which, till very late, terminated the town on that side. From the high-street towards the loch on the north, and Cowgate on the south, run narrow crofts streets or lanes, called wynds and closes, which grow steeper and steeper the farther west or nearer the castle; so that, were it not for the closeness and great height of the buildings, this city, from its situation and plan, might naturally be expected to be the best aired, as well as the cleanest, in Europe. The former, notwithstanding these disadvantages, it enjoys in an eminent degree; but we cannot compliment it upon the latter, notwithstanding every possible means has been used by the magistrates for that purpose.

The steepness of the ascent makes the access to the high-street from the north and south very difficult; which no doubt greatly retarded the enlargement of the city. To remedy this inconvenience on the north, and with a view to extend the town on that quarter, a most elegant bridge has been thrown over the north loch, which joins the north ridge to the middle of the high-street, by so easy an ascent as one in fifteen; and in pursuance of the design, a plan of a new town to the north was fixed upon, and is now nearly finished, with an elegance and taste that does honour to this country. In like manner, to facilitate the access from the south side, a bridge has been thrown over the valley through which the Cowgate runs; which, if not equally elegant with the north bridge, is certainly as convenient.

The gradual increase of the city of Edinburgh may in some degree be understood from the traces of its ancient walls that still remain. James II. in 1450, first bestowed on the community the privilege of fortifying the city with a wall, and empowered them to levy a tax upon the inhabitants for defraying the expense. When the city was first fortified, the wall reached no further than the present water-house, or reservoir, on the castle-hill; from thence to the foot of Halkerton's wynd, just below the new-bridge, the city was defended by the north-loch; an inconsiderable morass, which, being formerly overflowed, formed a small lake that hath since been drained. From this place to the foot of Leith-wynd, it does not appear how the city was fortified; but from the foot of Leith-wynd to the Nether bow-port it was defended only by a range of houses; and when these had become ruinous, a wall was built in their place. The original wall of Edinburgh, therefore, began at the foot of the north-east rock of the castle. Here it was strengthened by a small fortress, the ruins of which are still to be seen, and are called the well-house tower, from their having a spring in their neighbourhood. When the wall came opposite to the Edinburgh reservoir, it was carried quite across the hill, having a gate on the top for making a communication between the town and castle. In going down the hill, it went slanting in an oblique direction to the first angle in going down the Well-bow, where was a gate named the Upper-bow port, one of the hooks of which still remains. Thence it proceeded eastward in such a manner, as would have cut off not only all the Cowgate, but some part of the parliament-house; and being continued as far as the mint-closet, it turned to the northeast, and connected itself with the buildings on the north side of the high-street, where was the original Nether-bow Port, about 50 yards west from which afterwards went by the same name.

Soon after the building of this wall, a new street was formed on the outside of it, named the Cowgate, which in the 16th century became the residence of the nobility, the senators of the college of justice, and other persons of the first distinction. After the fatal battle of Flodden, however, the inhabitants of the Cowgate became very anxious to have themselves defended by a wall as well as the rest. The wall of the city was therefore extended to its present limits. This new wall begins on the south-east side of the rock on which the castle is built, and to which the town-wall comes quite close. From thence it descends obliquely to the Well-port; then ascends part of a hill on the other side, called the High Riggs; after which, it runs eastward with but little alteration in its course, to the Britto and Potter-row ports, and from thence to the Pleasance. Here it takes a northerly direction, which it keeps from thence to the Cowgate-port; after which the inclosure is completed to the Netherbow by the houses of St Mary's wynd. The original Netherbow port being found not well adapted for defence was pulled down, and a new one built in 1571 by the adherents of queen Mary. In 1606, the late handsome building was erected about 50 yards below the place where the former stood. It was two stories high, and had an elegant spire in the middle; but being thought to encumber the street, and the whole building being in a crazy situation, it was pulled down by order of the magistrates in 1764.

In the original wall of Edinburgh there was, as has been already observed, a port on the castle-hill. On the extension of the wall, after building the houses in the Cowgate, this gate was pulled down. That in the upper or west bow stood for a much longer time, and was pulled down within the memory of some persons lately or perhaps still living. Besides these, there was a third, about 50 yards above the head of the Canon-gate; but whether there were any more, is uncertain. The ports or gates of the new walls were, 1. The Wyg-port, situated at the extremity of the Grass-market; beyond which lies a suburb of the town and a borough of regality, called Portsburgh. Next to this is a wicket, struck out of the town-wall in 1744, for the purpose of making an easier communication between the town and the public walks in the meadows, than by Britto-port. The next to this was Britto-port, built in 1515; beyond which lies a suburb called Britto-street. At a small distance from Britto was the Potter-row Port, which took this name from a manufactory of earthen ware in the neighbourhood. Formerly it was called Kirk of Field. Between this and the Cowgate-port stood another, called St Mary's Wynd Port, which extended from east to west across the foot of the Pleaface, and which was demolished only since the middle of the last century.—Close to the middle of this flood the Cowgate-port; which opened a communication between the Cowgate and St Mary's wynd, and the Pleaface.—The Nether-bow Port has been already spoken of.—At the foot of Leith-wynd was another gate, known by the name of Leith-wynd Port; and within it was a wicket giving access to the church of Trinity College, and which still remains. At the foot of Halkerton's wynd was another, which, as well as the former, was built about the year 1560. Both of these were pulled down some years ago, and all the rest in 1785.—Another still remains at the foot of the Canongate, known by the name of the Water-gate.

For 250 years the city of Edinburgh occupied the same space of ground, and it is but very lately that its limits have been considerably enlarged. In the middle of the 16th century, it is described as extending in length about an Italian mile, and about half as much in breadth; which answers very nearly to its present limits, the late enlargements only excepted.—This space of ground, however, was not at that time occupied in the manner it is at present. The houses were neither so high nor so crowded upon each other as they are now. This was a consequence of the number of inhabitants increasing, which has occasioned the raising of the houses to such an height as is perhaps not to be paralleled in any other part of the world. Till the time of the Reformation, the burying ground of the city extended over all the space occupied by the Parliament-square, and from thence to the Cowgate. The lands lying to the southward of the Cowgate were chiefly laid out in gardens belonging to the convent of Blackfriars, and the church of St Mary in the Field. These extended almost from the Pleaface to the Potterrow-port. From the Brifflo to the West-Port, the ground was laid out in gardens belonging to the Grayfriars. The magistrates, on their application to queen Mary, obtained a grant of the Grayfriars gardens for a burying-place; for which it was given as a reason, that they were somewhat distant from the town. Here, however, it must be understood, that these gardens were distant from the houses, and not without the walls; for they had been inclosed by them long before.—In the time of James I. the houses within the walls seem to have been in general, if not universally, covered with thatch or broom; and not above 20 feet high. Even in the year 1621, these roofs were so common, that they were prohibited by act of parliament, in order to prevent accidents from fire.—In the middle of the last century, there were neither courts nor squares in Edinburgh. The Parliament close or square is the oldest of this kind in the city. Miln's square, James's court, &c. were built long after; and Argyle's and Brown's squares within these 50 years.

The New Town was projected in the year 1752; but as the magistrates could not then procure an extension of the royalty, the execution of the design was suspended for some time. In 1767, an act was obtained, by which the royalty was extended over the fields to the northward of the city; upon which advertisements were published by the magistrates, desiring proper plans to be given in. Plans were given in accordingly, and that designed by Mr James Craig architect was adopted. Immediately afterwards, people were invited to purchase lots from the town-council; and such as purchased became bound to conform to the rules of the plan. In the mean time, however, the town-council had secretly referred to themselves a privilege of departing from their own plan; which they afterwards made use of in such a manner as produced a law-suit. According to the plan held forth to the purchasers, a canal was to be made through that place where the north-loch had been, and the bank on the north side of it laid out in terraces: but instead of this, by an act of council, liberty was referred to the town to build upon this spot; and therefore, when many gentlemen had built genteel houses in the new town on faith of the plan, they were surprised to find the spot appointed for terraces and a canal, beginning to be covered with mean irregular buildings, and work-houses for tradesmen. This deviation was immediately complained of; but as the magistrates showed no inclination to grant any redress, a prosecution was commenced against them before the Lords of Session. In that court the cause was given against the pursuers, who thereupon appealed to the House of Lords. Here the sentence of the Court of Session was reversed, and the cause remitted to the consideration of their Lordships. At last, after an expensive contest, matters were accommodated. The principal term of accommodation was, that some part of the ground was to be laid out in terraces and a canal; but the time of disposing it in that manner, was referred to the Lord President of the Court of Session and the Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer.—The fall of part of the bridge, hereafter mentioned, proved a very considerable disadvantage to the new town; as it necessarily induced a suspicion that the passage, by means of the bridge, could never be rendered safe. An oversight of the magistrates proved of more essential detriment. A piece of ground lay to the southward of the old town, in a situation very proper for building. This the magistrates had an opportunity of purchasing for £1200; which, however, they neglected, and it was bought by a private person, who immediately fenced it out in lots for building, as has been already mentioned. The magistrates then began to see the consequence, namely, that this spot being free from the duties to which the royalty of Edinburgh is subject, people would choose to reside there rather than in the New Town. Upon this they offered the purchaser £2000l. for the ground for which he had paid £1200l.; but as he demanded £20,000l. the bargain did not take place. Notwithstanding these discouragements, the New Town is now almost finished; and from the advantages of its situation, and its being built according to a regular plan, it hath undoubtedly a superiority over any city in Britain. By its situation, however, it is remarkably exposed to storms of wind, which, at Edinburgh, sometimes rage with uncommon violence.

It has three streets, almost a mile in length, running from east to west, intersected with cross streets at proper distances. The most northerly, called Queen's Street, is 100 feet broad, and commands an extensive prospect of the Forth, the county of Fife, and the shipping in the river. That called George's Street, which is in the middle, is no less than 115 feet wide. It is terminated at each end by two very elegant and extensive squares; that on the east end is called St Andrew's Square; the other, tho' not yet finished, nor indeed begun, is to be named Charlotte's Square. Prince's street is the most southerly; and extends from the northern extremity of the bridge, quite to the west end of the town; though as that is not yet finished, we cannot say whether it will be done exactly according to the plan laid down, as there has been a proposal made by a private person of continuing the whole a considerable way farther to the westward, to end in a circus. The reason given for this proposed innovation is, that the road to Glasgow and other parts in the west will thus be rendered more easy, as it will then lie along the new bridge over the Water of Leith at Bell's mills, which is much more convenient than that just now in use.

The most remarkable public buildings in Edinburgh are:

1. The Castle. This stands on a high rock, accessible only on the east side. On all others it is very steep, and in some places perpendicular. It is about 300 feet high from its base; so that, before the invention of artillery, it might well have been deemed impregnable; though the event showed that it was not.—The entry to this fortress is defended by an outer barrier of palliades; within this is a dry ditch, draw-bridge, and gate, defended by two batteries which flank it; and the whole is commanded by a half-moon mounted with brass cannon, carrying balls of 12 pounds. Beyond these are two gate-ways, the first of which is very strong, and has two portcullises. Immediately beyond the second gate-way, on the right hand, is a battery mounted with brass cannon, carrying balls of 12 and 18 pounds weight. On the north side are a mortar and some gun batteries.—The upper part of the castle contains a half-moon battery, a chapel, a parade for exercise, and a number of houses in the form of a square, which are laid out in barracks for the officers. Besides these there are other barracks sufficient to contain 1000 men; a powder magazine bomb-proof; a grand arsenal, capable of containing 8000 stand of arms; and other apartments for the same use, which can contain 22,000 more; so that 30,000 stand of arms may be conveniently lodged in this castle.—On the east side of the square above mentioned, were formerly royal apartments; in one of which king James VI. was born, and which is still shown to those who visit the castle. In another, the regalia of Scotland were deposited on the 26th of March 1707, and are said to be still kept there; but they are never shown to any body. Hence a suspicion has arisen that they have been carried to London; which is the more confirmed, as the keeper of the jewel-office in the tower of London shows a crown, which he calls that of Scotland; and it is certain that the door of what is called the Crown-room has not been publicly known to be opened since the union.

The governor of the castle is generally a nobleman, whose place is worth about 100l. a-year; and that of deputy-governor, 50l. This last resides in the house appointed for the governor, as the latter never inhabits it. Edinburgh. There is also a fort-major, a store-keeper, master gunner, and chaplain; but as this last does not reside in the castle, worship is seldom performed in the chapel. The parliament-house was formerly included in the great square on the top, and the royal gardens were in the marsh afterwards called the North-loch; the king's stables being on the south side, where the houses still retain the name, and the place where the barns were still retain the name of Cattle-barns.

The castle is defended by a company of invalids, and four or five hundred men belonging to some marching regiment, though it can accommodate 1000, as above-mentioned; and this number has been sometimes kept in it. Its natural strength of situation was not sufficient to render it impregnable, even before the invention of artillery, as we have already observed; much less would it be capable of securing it against the attacks of a modern army well provided with cannon. It could not, in all probability, withstand, even for a few hours, a well-directed bombardment: for no part but the powder-magazine is capable of resisting these destructive machines; and the splinters from the rock on which the castle is built, could not fail to render them still more formidable. Besides, the water of the well, which is very bad, and drawn up from a depth of 100 feet, is apt to subside on the continued discharge of artillery, which produces a concussion in the rock.

2. The Palace of Holyrood-house. This, though much neglected, is the only royal habitation in Scotland that is not entirely in ruins. It is a handsome square of 230 feet in the inside, surrounded with piazzas. The front, facing the west, consists of two double towers joined by a beautiful low building, adorned with a double balustrade above. The gateway in the middle is decorated with double stone columns, supporting a cupola in the middle, representing an imperial crown, with a clock underneath. On the right hand is the great stair-case which leads to the council chamber and the royal apartments. These are large and spacious, but unfurnished: in one of them the Scotch peers meet to elect 16 of their number to represent them in parliament. The gallery is on the left hand, and measures 150 feet by 27½. It is adorned with the supposed portraits of all the kings of Scotland. In the apartments of the duke of Hamilton, which he professes as hereditary keeper of the palace, queen Mary's bed of crimson damask, bordered with green fringes and tassels, is still to be seen, but almost reduced to rags. Here also strangers are shown a piece of wainscot hung upon hinges, which opens to a trap-stair communicating with the apartments below. Through this passage Darnley and the other conspirators rushed into to murder the unhappy Rizzio. Towards the outward door of these apartments are large dusty spots on the floor, said to be occasioned by Rizzio's blood, which could never be washed out. In the lodgings assigned to lord Dunmore is a picture by Van Dyke, esteemed a masterly performance, of king Charles I. and his queen going a-hunting. There are likewise the portraits of their present majesties at full length by Ramsay. The lodgings above the royal apartments are occupied by the duke of Argyle as heritable master of the household.

The front of this palace is two stories high; the roof flat; but at each end the front projects, and is ornamented with circular towers at the angles. Here the building is much higher, and the rest of the palace is three stories in height. The north-west towers were built by James V. for his own residence: his name is still to be seen below a niche in one of these towers. During the minority of queen Mary, this palace was burned by the English; but soon after repaired and enlarged beyond its present size. At that time it consisted of five courts, the most westerly of which was the largest. It was bounded on the east by the front of the palace, which occupied the same space it does at present; but the building itself extended further to the south. At the north-west corner was a strong gate, with Gothic pillars, arches, and towers, part of which was not long ago pulled down. Great part of the palace was burnt by Cromwell's soldiery; but it was repaired and altered into the present form after the Restoration. The fabric was planned by Sir William Bruce a celebrated architect, and executed by Robert Mylne mason. The environs of the palace afford an asylum for insolvent debtors; and adjoining to it is an extensive park, all of which is a sanctuary.

The abbey church was formerly called the monastery of Holyrood-house, and built by king David I. in 1128. He gave it the name of Holyrood-house, in memory, as is said, of his deliverance from an enraged hart, by the miraculous interposition of a cross from heaven. This monastery he gave to the canons regular of St Augustine; on whom he also bestowed the church of Edinburgh castle, with those of St Cuthbert's, Corstorphine, and Liberton, in the shire of Mid-Lothian, and of Airth in Stirlingshire; the priories of St Mary's isle in Galloway, of Blantyre in Clydesdale, of Rowadell in Ross, and three others in the Western Isles. To them he also granted the privilege of erecting a borough between the town of Edinburgh and the church of Holyrood-house. From these canons it had the name of the Canongate, which it still retains. In this new borough they had a right to hold markets. They had also portions of land in different parts, with a most extensive jurisdiction, and right of trial by duel, and fire and water ordeal. They had also certain revenues payable out of the exchequer and other funds, with fishings, and the privilege of erecting mills on the water of Leith, which still retain the name of Canon-mills. Other grants and privileges were bestowed by succeeding sovereigns; so that it was deemed the richest religious foundation in Scotland. At the Reformation, its annual revenues were, 442 bolls of wheat, 640 bolls of bear, 560 bolls of oats, 500 capons, two dozen of hens, as many salmon, 12 loads of salt; besides a great number of swine, and about 250l. sterling in money. At the Reformation, the superiority of North Leith, part of the Pleasance, the barony of Broughton, and the Canongate, was vested in the earl of Roxburgh; and were purchased from him by the town-council of Edinburgh in 1636. In 1544, the church suffered considerably by the invasion of the English; but was speedily repaired. At the Restoration, king Charles II. ordered the church to be set apart as a chapel-royal, and prohibited its use as a common parish church for the future. It was then fitted up in a very elegant manner. A throne was erected for the sovereign, and 12 stalls for the knights of the order of the thistle: but as masts had been celebrated in it in the reign of James VII. and it had an organ, with a spire, and a fine chime of bells on the west side, the Presbyterians at the revolution entirely destroyed its ornaments, and left nothing but the bare walls.—Through time, the roof of the church became ruinous; on which the duke of Hamilton represented its condition to the barons of exchequer, and craved that it might be repaired. This request was complied with: but the architect and mason who were employed, covered the roof with thick flag-stones, which soon impaired the fabric; and on the 2d of December 1768, the roof fell in. Since that time, no attempt has been made to repair it, and it is now entirely fallen to ruin.

The ruins of this church, however, are still sufficient to discover the excellency of the workmanship. Here some of the king's of Scotland are interred; and an old kind of curiosity has been the occasion of exposing some bones said to be those of lord Darnley and a countess of Roxburgh who died several hundred years ago. Those said to belong to the former were very large, and the latter had some flesh dried upon them. The chapel was fitted up in the elegant manner above mentioned by James VII. but such was the enthusiasm of the mob, that they not only destroyed the ornaments, but tore up even the pavement, which was of marble.

To the eastward of the palace is the bowling-green, now entirely in disorder; and behind it is a field called St Ann's Yards. Beyond this is a piece of ground called the King's Park; which undoubtedly was formerly overgrown with wood, though now there is not a single tree in it. It is about three miles in circumference; and was first inclosed by James V. It contains the rocky hills of Arthur's Seat and Salisbury Craigs, which last afford an inexhaustible stone quarry; and upon the north side of the hill stands an old ruined chapel, dedicated to St Anthony. The stones are used in building, as well as for paving the streets and highways. The park was mortgaged to the family of Haddington, for a debt due to them; and by the present earl has been divided into a number of inclosures by stone-dykes raised at a considerable expense. A good number of sheep and some black cattle are fed upon it; and it is now rented at 1500l. annually.

3. St Giles's Church is a beautiful Gothic building, measuring in length 206 feet. At the west end, its breadth is 110; in the middle, 129; and at the east end, 76 feet. It has a very elevated situation, and is adorned with a lofty square tower; from the sides and corners of which rise arches of figured stonework; these meeting with each other in the middle, complete the figure of an imperial crown, the top of which terminates in a pointed spire. The whole height of this tower is 161 feet.

This is the most ancient church in Edinburgh. From a passage in an old author called Simeon Dunelmensis, some conjecture it to have been built before the year 854; but we do not find express mention made of it before 1559. The tutelar saint of this church, and of Edinburgh, was St Giles, a native of Greece. He lived in the fifth century, and was descended of an illustrious family. On the death of his parents, he Edinburgh gave all his estate to the poor; and travelled into France, where he retired into a wilderness near the conflux of the Rhone with the sea, and continued there three years. Having obtained the reputation of extraordinary sanctity, various miracles were attributed to him; and he founded a monastery in Languedoc, known long after by the name of St Giles's. — In the reign of James II., Mr Preston of Gorton, a gentleman whose descendants still possess an estate in the county of Edinburgh, got possession of the arm of this saint; which relic he bequeathed to the church of Edinburgh. In gratitude for this donation, the magistrates granted a charter in favour of Mr Preston's heirs, by which the nearest heir of the name of Preston was entitled to carry it in all processions. At the same time, the magistrates obliged themselves to found an altar in the church of St Giles's, and appoint a chaplain for celebrating an annual mass for the soul of Mr Preston; and likewise, that a tablet, containing his arms, and an account of his pious donation, should be put up in the chapel. — St Giles's was first simply a parish-church, of which the bishop of Lindisfarne or Holy Island, in the county of Northumberland, was patron. He was succeeded in the patronage by the abbot and canons of Dunfermline, and they by the magistrates of Edinburgh. In 1466, it was erected into a collegiate church by James III. — At the Reformation, the church was, for the greater convenience, divided into several parts. The four principal ones are appropriated to divine worship, the lesser ones to other purposes. At the same time the religious utensils belonging to this church were seized by the magistrates. They were — St Giles's arm, enshrined in silver, weighing five pounds three ounces and an half; a silver chalice, or communion-cup, weighing 23 ounces; the great eucharist or communion-cup, with golden wafers and flowers; two cruets of 25 ounces; a golden bell, with a heart, of four ounces and a half; a golden unicorn; a golden pix, to keep the host; a small golden heart, with two pearls; a diamond ring; a silver chalice, paten, and spoon, of 32 ounces and a half; a communion-table-cloth of gold brocade; St Giles's coat, with a little piece of red velvet which hung at his feet; a round silver eucharist; two silver censers, of three pounds fifteen ounces; a silver ship for incense; a large silver cross, with its base, weighing sixteen pounds thirteen ounces and a half; a triangular silver lamp; two silver candlesticks, of seven pounds three ounces; other two, of eight pounds thirteen ounces; a silver chalice gilt, of 25 ounces; a silver chalice and cross, of 75 ounces; besides the priests' robes, and other vestments, of gold brocade, crimson velvet embroidered with gold, and green damask. — These were all sold, and part of the money applied to the repairs of the church; the rest was added to the funds of the corporation.

In the steeple of St Giles's church are three large bells brought from Holland in 1621; the biggest weighing 2000 lb., the second 700, and the third 500. There are also a set of music bells, which play every day between one and two o'clock, or at any time in the case of rejoicings. The principal division is called the High Church, and has been lately repaired and new seated. There is a very elegant and finely ornamented seat for his majesty, with a canopy supported by four Corinthian pillars decorated in high taste. This seat is used by the king's commissioner during the time the General Assembly sits. On the right hand is a seat for the lord high constable of Scotland, whose office it is to keep the peace within doors in his majesty's presence; it being the duty of the earl marshal to do the same without. The seats belonging to the lords of council and session are on the right of the lord high constable; and on the left of the throne was a seat for the lord high chancellor of Scotland; but that office being now abolished, the seat is occupied by others. On the left of this sit the barons of exchequer; and, to the left of them, the lord provost, magistrates, and town-council. The pulpit, king's seat, and galleries, are covered with crimson velvet with gold and silk fringes.

The aisle of St Giles's church is fitted up with seats for the general assembly who meet here; and there is a throne for his majesty's commissioner with a canopy of crimson silk damask, having the king's arms embroidered with gold, presented by the late lord Crichton to his successor in office. In this church is a monument dedicated to the memory of lord Napier, baron of Merchiston, well known as the inventor of logarithms; a second to the earl of Murray, regent of Scotland during the minority of James VI.; and a third to the great marquis of Montrose.

4. The Parliament House, in the great hall of which the Scottish parliament used to assemble, is a magnificent building. The hall is 123 feet long and 42 broad, with a fine arched roof of oak, painted and gilded. In this the lawyers and agents now attend the courts, and single judges sit to determine causes in the first instance, or to prepare them for the whole court, who sit in an inner room formerly appropriated to the privy-council. In a niche of the wall is placed a fine marble statue of president Forbes, erected at the expense of the faculty of advocates. There are also full length portraits of king William III., queen Mary his consort, and queen Anne, all done by Sir Godfrey Kneller; also of George I., John duke of Argyle, and Archibald duke of Argyll, by Mr Aikman of Cairney.

Above stairs are the court of exchequer and treasury chamber, with the different offices belonging to that department; and below is one of the most valuable libraries in Great Britain, belonging to the faculty of advocates. Besides 30,000 printed volumes, there are many scarce and valuable manuscripts, medals, and coins: here is also an entire mummy in its original chest, presented to the faculty (at the expense of 300 l.) by the earl of Morton, late president of the royal society. As these rooms are immediately below the hall where the parliament sat, they are subject to a search by the lord high constable of Scotland ever since the gun-powder plot; and this is specified in the gift from the city to the faculty. This library was founded, in the year 1682, by Sir George Mackenzie lord advocate. Among other privileges, it is intitled to a copy of every book entered in stationer's hall. Before the great door is a noble equestrian statue of Ch. II., the proportions of which are reckoned exceedingly just. Over the entrance are the arms of Scotland, with Mercy and Truth on each side for supporters.

The court of session, the supreme tribunal in Scotland, consists of 15 judges, who sit on a circular bench, clothed in purple robes turned up with crimson velvet. Six of these are lords of the judiciary, and go the circuit. which had long before been built on the north side of Edinburgh, the high-street, and which had been thrown out into the hollow to the northward. Of this rubbish there were no less than eight feet between the foundation of the bridge and the solid earth. Besides this deficiency in the foundation, an immense load of earth which had been laid over the vaults and arches in order to raise the bridge to a proper level, had no doubt contributed to produce the catastrophe above mentioned.—The bridge was repaired, by pulling down some parts of the side-walls, and afterwards rebuilding them; strengthening them in others with chain-bars; removing the quantity of earth laid upon the vaults, and supplying its place with hollow arches, &c. The whole was supported at the south end by very strong buttresses and counterforts on each side; but on the north it has only a single support.—The whole length of the bridge, from the High-street in the Old Town to Prince's-street in the New, is 1125 feet; the total length of the piers and arches is 310 feet. The width of the three great arches is 72 feet each; of the piers, 13½ feet; and of the small arches, each 20 feet. The height of the great arches, from the top of the parapet to the base, is 68 feet; the breadth of the bridge within the wall over the arches is 40 feet, and the breadth at each end 50 feet.—On the southern extremity of this bridge stands the General Post Office for Scotland; a neat plain building, with a proper number of apartments for the business, and a house for the secretary.

The communication betwixt the two towns by means of this bridge, though very complete and convenient for such as lived in certain parts of either, was yet found insufficient for those who inhabited the western districts. Another bridge being therefore necessary, it was proposed to fill up the valley occasionally with the rubbish dug out in making the foundations of houses in the New Town; and so great was the quantity, that this was accomplished so as to be fit for the passage of carriages in little more than four years and an half.

8. The South Bridge is directly opposite to the other, so as to make but one street, crossing that called the High-street almost at right angles. It consists of 19 arches of different sizes: but only one of them is visible, viz. the large one over the Cowgate; and even this is small in comparison with those of the North Bridge, being no more than 30 feet wide and 31 feet high. On the south it terminates at the University on one hand, and the Royal Infirmary on the other. The Tron Church, properly called Chryst Church, stands at the northern extremity, facing the High-street, and in the middle of what is now called Hunter's Square, in memory of the late worthy chief magistrate who planned these improvements, but did not live to see them executed. On the west side of this square the Merchant Company have built a very handsome hall for the occasional meetings of their members. This bridge was erected with a design to give an easy access to the great number of streets and squares on the south side, as well as to the country on that quarter from whence the city is supplied with coals. The street on the top is supposed to be as regular as any in Europe; every house being of the same dimensions, excepting that between every two of the ordinary construction there is one with a pediment on the top, in order to prevent that fameness of appearance which would otherwise take place. So great was the rage for purchasing ground on each side of this bridge for building, that the areas sold by public auction at £50 per foot in front. By this the community will undoubtedly be considerable gainers; and the proprietors hope to indemnify themselves for their extraordinary expense by the vast sale of goods supposed to attend the shops in that part of the town; though this seems somewhat more dubious than the former.

9. The Concert Hall, called also St Cecilia's Hall, stands in Niddery's street; and was built in 1762, after the model of the great opera-theatre in Parma. The plan was drawn by Sir Robert Mylne, architect of Blackfriars bridge. The musical room is of an oval form, the ceiling being a concave elliptical dome, lighted from the top by a lanthorn. The seats are ranged in the form of an amphitheatre; and are capable of containing 500 persons, besides leaving a large area in the middle of the room. The orchestra is at the upper end, and is terminated by an elegant organ.

The musical society was first instituted in the year 1728. Before that time, several gentlemen had formed a weekly club at a tavern kept by one Steil, a great lover of music, and a good finger of Scots songs. Here the common entertainment consisted in playing on the harpsichord and violin the concertos and sonatas of Handel, just then published. The meeting, however, soon becoming numerous, they instituted, in the year above mentioned, a society of 70 members, for the purpose of holding a weekly concert. The affairs of the society are regulated by a governor, deputy-governor, treasurer, and five directors, who are annually chosen by the members. The meetings have been continued ever since that time on much the same footing as at first, and the number of members is now increased to 200. The weekly concerts are on Friday; the tickets being given gratis by the directors, and attention paid in the first place to strangers. Oratorios are occasionally performed throughout the year; and the principal performers have also benefit concerts. The band are excellent in their several departments; and several of the members are also good performers, and take their part in the orchestra. There are always many applications on the occasion of a vacancy by the death of any of the members or otherwise; and such is generally the number of candidates, that it is no easy matter to get in.

10. The University. In the year 1581, a grant was obtained from king James VI. for founding a college or university within the city of Edinburgh; and the citizens, aided by various donations from well disposed persons, purchased a situation for the intended new college, consisting of part of the areas, chambers, and church of the collegiate provostry and prebends of the Kirk-a-field, otherwise called Templum et Praefectura Sanctae Mariae in campis, lying on the south side of the city. Next year, a charter of confirmation and erection was obtained also from king James VI. from which the college to be built did afterwards derive all the privileges of an university.

In 1583, the provost, magistrates, and council, the patrons of this new institution, prepared the place in the best manner they could for the reception of teachers and students; and in the month of October the same year, Robert Rollock, whom they had invited from a professorship in St Salvator's College in the university of St Andrew's, began to teach in the new college of Edinburgh. Other professors were soon after elected; and in the year 1586, Rollock was appointed principal of the college, and the following year also professor of divinity, immediately after he had conferred the degree of M.A. on the students who had been under his tuition for four years. The offices of principal and professor of divinity remained united till the year 1620.

In the 1617, king James VI. having visited Scotland after his accession to the crown of England, commanded the principal and regents of the college of Edinburgh to attend him in Stirling castle; and after they had there held a solemn philosophical disputation in the royal presence, his majesty was so much satisfied with their appearance, that he desired their college for the future might be called The College of King James, which name it still bears in all its diplomas or public deeds.

For several years the college consisted only of a principal, who was also professor of divinity, with four regents or professors of philosophy. Each of these regents instructed one class of students for four years, in Latin, Greek, school logic, mathematics, ethics, and physics, and graduated them at the conclusion of the fourth course. A professor of humanity or Latin was afterwards appointed, who prepared the students for entering under the tuition of the regents; also a professor of mathematics, and a professor of Hebrew or Oriental languages. It was not till about the year 1710 that the four regents began to be confined each to a particular profession; since which time they have been commonly styled Professors of Greek, Logic, Moral, Philosophy, and Natural Philosophy.—The first medical professors instituted at Edinburgh, were Sir Robert Sibbald and Doctor Archibald Pitcairn, in the year 1685*. These, however, were only titular professors; and for 30 years afterwards, a summer-lecture was given on the official plants, and the dissection of a human body once in two or three years, completed the whole course of medical education at Edinburgh.—In 1720, an attempt was made to teach the different branches of physic regularly; which succeeded so well, that, ever since, the reputation of the university as a school for medicine hath been constantly increasing, both in the island of Britain, and even among distant nations.

The college is endowed with a very fine library, founded in 1580 by Mr Clement Little advocate, who bequeathed it to the town-council. They ordered a house to be built for it in the neighbourhood of St Giles's church, where it was for some time kept under the care of the eldest minister of Edinburgh, but was afterwards removed to the college. This collection is enriched, as well as others of a similar kind, by receiving a copy of every book entered in Stationer's hall, according to the statute for the encouragement of authors. Besides this, the only fund it has is the money paid by all the students at the university, except those of divinity, upon their being matriculated; and a sum of £1 given by each professor at his admission. The amount of these sums is uncertain, but has been estimated at about £150 annually. The students of divinity, who pay nothing to this library, have one belonging to their own particular department.

Here are shown two skulls, one almost as thin as paper, pretended to be that of the celebrated George Buchanan, and, by way of contrast, another said to have been that of an idiot, and which is excessively thick. Here also are preserved the original protest against the council of Constance for burning John Hus and Jerome of Prague in 1417; the original contract of queen Mary with the dauphin of France, and some valuable coins and medals. There are also several portraits; particularly of Robert Pollock the first principal of the university, king James VI. Lord Napier the inventor of logarithms, John Knox, principal Carstairs, Mr Thomson the author of the Seafons, &c. The museum contains a good collection of natural curiosities, the number of which is daily increasing. The anatomical preparations are worth notice, as are also those belonging to the professor of midwifery.

The celebrity of this college has been greatly owing to the uniform attention of the magistracy in filling up the vacant chairs with men of known abilities in their respective departments. Greatly to their honour, too, they have been no less attentive to the instituting of new professorships from time to time as the public seemed to demand them. At present (anno 1790), the Senatus Academicus consists of the following members, arranged according to the different faculties.

Faculty of Theology. William Robertson, D.D. Principal of the College. Andrew Hunter, D.D. Professor of Divinity. Thomas Hardy, D.D. Regius Professor of Church History. James Robertson, D.D. Professor of Oriental Languages, and Emeritus Secretary and Librarian.

Faculty of Law. Robert Dick, Advocate, Professor of Civil Law. Allan Macdonochie, Advocate, Professor of Public Law. Alexander Frazer Tytler, Advocate, Professor of Universal Civil History, and of Greek and Roman Antiquities. David Hume, Advocate, Professor of Scots Law.

Faculty of Medicine. Alexander Monro, M.D. Professor of Medicine, and of Anatomy and Surgery. James Gregory, M.D. Professor of the Practice of Physic. Joseph Black, M.D. Professor of Medicine and Chemistry. Francis Home, M.D. Professor of Medicine and materia Medica. Andrew Duncan, M.D. Professor of the Theory of Physic. Daniel Rutherford, M.D. Professor of Medicine and Botany. Alexander Hamilton, M.D. Professor of Midwifery.

Faculty of Arts. George Stewart, LL.D. Emeritus Professor of Humanity. Adam Ferguson, LL.D. Emeritus Professor of Moral Philosophy, and joint Professor of Mathematics.

Hugh Blair, D.D. Emeritus Professor of Rhetoric Edinburgh, and Belles Lettres. Andrew Dalziel, A.M. Professor of Greek, and Secretary and Librarian. John Robison, A.M. Professor of Natural Philosophy. Dugald Stewart, A.M. Professor of Moral Philosophy. John Hill, LL.D. Professor of Humanity. John Bruce, A.M. Joint Professor of Logic. John Walker, D.D. Regius Professor of Natural History, and Keeper of the Museum. William Greenfield, A.M. Professor of Rhetoric and Belles Lettres. John Playfair, A.M. Professor of Mathematics. Robert Blair, M.D. Regius Professor of Practical Astronomy. James Finlayson, A.M. Joint Professor of Logic. Andrew Coventry, M.D. Professor of Agriculture. Andrew Fife, Principal Janitor and Mace. William Stewart, under Janitor.

N.B. There are only about 50 bursers in this university, and these do not exceed £2l. per annum.

The number of students during the last session of the college, from October 10, 1789 to May 6, 1790, was nearly as follows:

| Students of Divinity | 130 | |---------------------|-----| | Law | 100 | | Physic | 440 | | General Classes | 420 |

In all 1090

The old buildings being very mean, and unfit for the reception of so many professors and students, and quite unsuitable to the dignity of such a flourishing university, as well as inconsistent with the improved state of the city, the Lord Provost, Magistrates, and Council, set on foot a subscription for erecting a new structure, according to a design of Robert Adam, Esq.; architect. Part of the old fabric has in consequence been pulled down, and the new building is already in considerable forwardness. The foundation stone was laid on Monday the 16th of November, with great solemnity, by the Right Hon. Francis Lord Napier, grand master mason of Scotland, in the presence of the Right Hon. the Lord Provost, Magistrates, and Town-Council of the city of Edinburgh, with the Principal, Professors, and Students of the university of Edinburgh, a number of Nobility and Gentry, and the Masters, Officers, and Brethren, of all the lodges of free masons in the city and neighbourhood, who marched in procession from the Parliament-House down the High-Street. After the different masonic ceremonies were performed, two crystal-bottles, cast on purpose at the glass-house of Leith, were deposited in the foundation-stone. In one of these were put different coins of the present reign, each of them being previously enveloped in crystal, in such an ingenious manner, that the legend on the coins could be distinctly read without breaking the crystal. In the other bottle were deposited seven rolls of vellum, containing a short account of the original foundation and present state of the university, together with several other papers, in particular the different newspapers, containing advertisements relative to the college, &c. and a list of the names of the Principal and Professors, all of the present Edinburgh present Lord Provost and Magistrates, and Officers of the grand lodge of Scotland. The bottles being carefully sealed up, were covered with a plate of copper wrapt in block tin; and upon the under side of the copper were engraved the arms of the city of Edinburgh and the university; likewise the arms of the Right Hon. Lord Napier, grand master mason of Scotland. Upon the upper side, a Latin inscription, of which the following is a copy:

ANNUENTE DEO OPT. MAX. REGNANTE GEORGIO III. PRINCIPE MUNIFICENTISSIMO; ACADEMIAE EDINBURGENSIS ÆDIBUS, INITIO QUIDEM HUMILLIMIS; ET JAM, POST DUO SECULA, PENE RUINOSIS; NOVI HUIUS ÆDIFICII, UBI COMMODITATI SIMUL ET ELEGANTIE, TANTO DOCTRINARUM DOMICILIO DIGNÆ; CONSULERETUR, PRIMUM LAPIDEM POSUIT, PLAUDENTE INGENTI OMNI ORDINUM FREQUENTIA, VIR NOBILISSIMUS FRANCISCUS DOMINUS NAPIER, REIPUB. ARCHITECTONICÆ APUD SCOTOS CURIO MAXIMUS: XVI. KAL. DECUMB. ANNO SALUTIS HUMANÆ MDCCCLXXXIX. ÆRÆ ARCHITECTONICÆ MDCCCLXXXIX. CONSULE THOMA ELDER, ACADEMIAE PRÆFECTO GULIELMO ROBERTSON, ARCHITECTO ROBERTO ADAM.

Q. F. F. Q. S.

The east and west fronts of this pile are to extend 255 feet, and the south and north 358. There are to be houses for the principal and five or seven of the professors. The library is to be a room of 160 feet in length; the museum for natural curiosities is to be of the same extent; and the dimensions of the hall for degrees and public exercises are about 90 feet by 30. There are likewise to be an elegant and most convenient anatomical theatre; a chemical laboratory; and large rooms for instruments and experiments for the professors of mathematics, natural philosophy, and agriculture. The whole when finished, if not the most splendid structure of the sort in Europe, will however be the completest and most commodious; and it will do the utmost honour to the genius of the architect and to the munificence of the public. About L16,000 is already subscribed; and there is no doubt that the aid of parliament will be granted to complete the work.

The botanical garden belonging to the university is situated at the distance of about a mile, on the road between Edinburgh and Leith. It consists of about five acres of ground; and is furnished with a great variety of plants, many of them brought from the most distant quarters of the globe. The professor is botanist to the king, and receives a salary of 120l. annually for the support of the garden. A monument, to the memory of the celebrated botanist Linnaeus, was erected here by the late Dr Hope, who first planned the garden, and brought it to perfection.

The university of Edinburgh, like the others in this kingdom, sends one member to the General Assembly of the church of Scotland; and the widows of the professors have a right to the funds of those of ministers, the professors being trustees on that fund along with the presbytery of Edinburgh.

11. The Royal Infirmary was first thought of by the college of physicians in 1725. A fishing company happening to be dissolved at that time, the partners contributed some of their stock towards the establishment of the infirmary. A subscription was also set on foot, and application made to the General Assembly to recommend the same throughout their jurisdiction. This was readily complied with, and the assembly passed an act for that purpose; but very little regard was paid to it by the clergy. Notwithstanding this, however, 200l. being procured, a small house was opened for the reception of the sick poor in August 1729. In 1736, the contributors towards the infirmary were erected into a body corporate by royal statute; and after this the contributions increased very considerably; by which means the managers were enabled to enlarge their scheme from time to time; and at last to undertake the present magnificent structure, the foundation of which was laid in 1738. During 25 years, when this institution was in its infancy, Lord Hopetoun bestowed upon it an annuity of 400l. In 1750, Doctor Archibald Ker bequeathed to this incorporation 200l. a-year in the island of Jamaica. In 1755, the lords of the treasury made a donation to it of 800l., which had been appointed for the support of invalids. In return for this, the managers of the infirmary constantly keep 60 beds in readiness for the reception of sick soldiers. This year also sick servants began to be admitted into the infirmary, and a ward was fitted up for their reception.

This institution, however, was more indebted to George Drummond, Esq.; than to any other person. He was seven times chosen lord provost of Edinburgh; and always directed his attention to the improvement of the city, particularly to that of the royal infirmary. So sensible were the managers of their obligations to him, that, in their hall, they erected a bust of him with this inscription, "George Drummond, to whom this country is indebted for all the benefit which it derives from the Royal Infirmary."—In 1748, the stock of the infirmary amounted to 500l.; in 1755, to 7076l.; besides the estate left by Doctor Ker; in 1764, to 23,426l.; and in 1778, to 27,074l.

The royal infirmary is attended by two physicians chosen by the managers, who visit their patients daily in presence of the students. All the members of the college of surgeons are also obliged to attend in rotation, according to seniority. If any surgeon declines attendance, he is not allowed to appoint a deputy; but the patients are committed to the care of one of four assistant surgeons, chosen annually by the managers.—From the year 1762 to 1769, there were admitted 6261 patients; which number added to 109 who were in the hospital at the commencement of the year 1762, made, in all, 6370. Of these, 4395 were cured; 358 died; the rest were either relieved, dismissed incurable, for irregularities, or by their own desire, or remained in the hospital.—From 1770 to 1775, the patients annually admitted into the infirmary were, at an average, 1567; of whom 63 died. In 1776, there were admitted 1668, Edinburgh of whom 57 died; and in 1777, the number admitted was 1593, and of deaths 52. In the year 1786, there were admitted 1822 patients: Of these 1354 were cured; 166 relieved; 84 died; the rest were either relieved, dismissed incurable, for irregularities, or by their own desire.

The building consists of a body and two wings, each of them three stories high, with an attic story and garrets, and a very elegant front. The body is 210 feet long, and 36 broad in the middle, but at the ends only 24 feet broad. There is a bust of king George II. in a Roman dres, above the great door. The wings are 70 feet long, and 24 broad. In the centre is a large stair-case, so wide that sedan chairs may be carried up. In the different wards, 228 patients may be accommodated, each in a different bed. There are cold and hot baths for the patients, and also for the citizens; and to these last the patients are never admitted.

Besides the apartments necessary for the sick, there are others for the officers and servants belonging to the house. There are likewise rooms for the managers, a consulting room for the physicians and surgeons, a waiting-room for the students, and a theatre that will hold upwards of 200 people for performing surgical operations. There is a military ward, supported by the interest of the 8000l. already mentioned; and in consequence of which a small guard is always kept at the infirmary. The wards for sick servants are supported by collections at the church doors. Besides the attendance of the royal college of surgeons by rotation, as has already been mentioned, there are two physicians belonging to the house, who are elected by the managers, and have a small salary; there is likewise a house-surgeon and apothecary. Students who attend the infirmary pay 3l. 3s. annually, which brings in a revenue of about 500l. towards defraying the expense of the house. Two wards are set apart for the patients whose cases are supposed to be most interesting; and the physicians give lectures upon them.

12. The Public Dispensary was founded by Dr Duncan in 1776, for the poor whose diseases are of such a nature as to render their admission into the infirmary either unnecessary or improper. Here the patients receive advice gratis four days in the week; a register is kept of the diseases of each, and of the effects produced by the medicines employed. All patients not improper for dispensary treatment are admitted on the recommendation of the elder or church-warden of the parish where they reside. The physicians officiate and give lectures gratis; so that the apothecary who lodges in the house, and the medicines, are the only expenses attending this useful institution. The expense of the whole is defrayed by public contributions, and from a small annual fee paid by the students who attend the lectures. It is under the direction of a president, two vice-presidents, and 20 directors, elected annually from among the contributors. One guinea entitles a contributor to recommend patients and be a governor for two years, and five guineas gives the same privilege for life.

13. The High School. The earliest institution of a grammar-school in Edinburgh seems to have been about the year 1519. The whole expense bestowed upon Edinburgh, on the first building of this kind amounted only to about 40l. Sterling. Another building, which had been erected for the accommodation of the scholars in 1578, continued, notwithstanding the great increase of their number, to be used for that purpose till 1777. The foundation of the present new building was laid on the 24th of June that year by Sir William Forbes, Grand Master of the Free Masons. The total length of this building is 120 feet from south to north; the breadth in the middle 36, at each end 38 feet. The great hall where the boys meet for prayers, is 68 feet by 30. At each end of the hall is a room of 32 feet by 20, intended for libraries. The building is two stories high, the one 18, the other 17, feet in height. The expense of the whole when finished is reckoned at 4000l.

There is a rector and four masters, who teach from 4 to 500 scholars annually. The salaries are trifling, and the fees depend upon the reputation they have obtained for teaching; and as this has been for some years very considerable, the rector's place is supposed to be worth not less than 400l. per annum, a master's about half that sum. There is a janitor, whose place is supposed to be worth about 70l. a-year. His business is to take care of the boys on the play-ground; and there is a woman who lives on the spot as under janitor, whose place may be worth about 25l. annually. There is a library, but not large, as each of the boys pays only one shilling annually to its support.

There are four established English schools in Edinburgh; the masters of which receive a small salary, upon express condition that they shall not take above five shillings per quarter from any of their scholars. There are likewise many other private schools in Edinburgh for all languages; and, in general, every kind of education is to be had here in great perfection and at a very cheap rate.

14. The Mint is kept up by the articles of union, with all the offices belonging to it, though no money is ever struck here. It stands in the Cowgate, a little to the west of the English church; but is in a ruined state, though still inhabited by the different officers, who have free houses; and the bell-man enjoys his salary by regularly ringing the bell. This place, as well as the abbey of Holyrood-house, is an asylum for debtors.

15. The English Chapel stands near the Cowgate port, and was founded on the 3d of April 1771. The foundation-stone was laid by general Oughton, with the following inscription: Edifici sacri Ecclesiae episc. Angliae, primum posuit lapidem J. Adolphus Oughton, in architectone Scotia repub. curio maximus, milium prefectus, regnante Georgia III. tertio Apr. die, A.D. MDCCCLXXI. It is a plain handsome building, neatly fitted up in the inside, and somewhat resembling the church of St Martin's in the Fields, London. It is 90 feet long, 75 broad, and ornamented with an elegant spire of considerable height. It is also furnished with an excellent bell, formerly belonging to the chapel royal at Holyrood-house, which is permitted to be rung for assembling the congregation; an indulgence not granted to the Presbyterians in England. The expense of the building was defrayed by voluntary subscription; and, to the honour of the country, people of all persuasions contributed to this pious work. It has already cost £7000l. and will require £1000l. more to finish the porticoes. This church is built in a singular manner, viz. from south to north, and the altar-piece stands on the east side. Three clergymen officiate here, of whom the first has £50l. the other two £100l. each. The altar-piece is finely decorated, and there is a good organ.

There is another Episcopal chapel, but small, in Blackfriars wynd, which was founded by Baron Smith in the year 1722. There are also some meetings of the Episcopal church of Scotland, who adhere to their old forms, having still their bishops and inferior clergy. For some time these were subjected to penal laws, as they refused to take the oath to government, or mention the present royal family in their public prayers; but of late they have conformed, and had their conduct approved of by his Majesty; so that now every denomination of Christians in Britain pray for the royal family on the throne.

16. Heriot's Hospital owes its foundation to George Heriot, goldsmith to James VI. who acquired by his business a large fortune. At his death, he left the magistrates of Edinburgh £3,625l. 10s. "for the maintenance, relief, and bringing up of so many poor and fatherless boys, freemen sons of the town of Edinburgh," as the above sum should be sufficient for. This hospital is finely situated on the west end of the south ridge, almost opposite to the castle, and is the most magnificent building of the kind in Edinburgh. It was founded in July 1628, according to a plan (as is reported) of Inigo Jones; but the work being interrupted by the civil wars, it was not finished till the year 1650. The expense of the building is said to have been upwards of £30,000l (£4); and the hospital is now possessed of an income of about £300l. a-year; though this cannot be absolutely ascertained, as the rents are paid in grain, and of course must be fluctuating.

It stands on a rising ground to the south-west of the city, and is a square of 162 feet without, having a court 94 feet square in the inside, with piazzas on three of the sides. There is a spire with a clock over the gateway, and each corner of the building is ornamented with turrets; but notwithstanding the magnificent appearance of the outside, the inner part is far from being convenient. There is a statue of the founder over the gateway, in the dress of the times, and a very good painting of him in the governor's room, with a picture of the late treasurer Mr Cameron. There is a chapel 61 feet long and 22 broad, which is now repairing in such a manner as will make it worthy of notice. When Cromwell took possession of Edinburgh after the battle of Dunbar, he quartered his sick and wounded soldiers in this hospital. It was applied to the same purpose till the year 1658, when Edinburgh general Monk, at the request of the governors, removed the soldiers; and on the 11th of April 1659, it was opened for the reception of boys, 30 of whom were admitted into it. The August after, they were increased to 40; and in 1661, to 52. In 1753 the number was raised to 130, and in 1763 to 140; but since that time it has decreased.—In this hospital the boys are instructed in reading, writing, arithmetic, and a knowledge of the Latin tongue. With such as choose to follow any kind of trade, an apprenticeship of 30l. is given when they leave the hospital; and those who choose an academical education, have an annuity of 10l. a-year bestowed on them for four years. The whole is under the oversight of the treasurer, who has under him a house-governor, house-keeper, and school-masters.

17. Watson's Hospital has its name from the founder George Watson, who was at first clerk to Sir William Dick provost of Edinburgh in 1676, then accountant of the bank of Scotland; after that he became receiver of the city's impost on ale, treasurer to the Merchant's Maiden Hospital, and to the society for propagating Christian knowledge. Dying a bachelor in 1723, he left £12,000l. for the maintenance and education of the children and grand-children of decayed members of the merchant company of Edinburgh. The scheme, however, was not put into execution till the year 1738, when the sum originally left had accumulated to £20,000l. The present building was then erected, in which about 60 boys are maintained and educated. It is much less magnificent than Heriot's hospital, but the building is far from being despicable. It stands to the southward of the city at a small distance from Heriot's hospital, and was erected at the expense of £5000l.: its present revenue is about £700l. It is under the management of the master, assistants, and treasurer of the Merchant Company, four old bailies, the old dean of guild, and the two ministers of the old church. The boys are genteelly clothed and liberally educated. Such as choose an university education are allowed 10l. per annum for five years; those who go to trades have 20l. allowed them for their apprenticeship fee; and at the age of 25 years, if they have behaved properly, and not contracted marriage without consent of the governors, they receive a bounty of 50l. The boys are under the immediate inspection of the treasurer, school-master, and house-keeper.

18. The Merchants' Maiden Hospital was established by voluntary contribution about the end of the last century, for the maintenance of young girls, daughters of the merchants burgesses of Edinburgh. The governors were elected into a body corporate, by act of parliament, in 1707. The annual revenue amounts to £1350l. Seventy girls are maintained in it; who, upon leaving the house, receive 3l. 6s. 8d. excepting

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(4) It is to be observed, that money then bore 10l. per cent. interest.—The above sums are taken from Mr Arnot's History of Edinburgh, who subjoins the following note. "Where Maitland had collected his most erroneous account of George Heriot's effects, we do not know. He makes the sum received, out of Heriot's effects, by the governors of the hospital, to be £43,608l. 11s. 3d. being almost the double of what they really got. This blunder has been the cause of many unjust murmurs against the magistrates of Edinburgh, and even the means of spiriting up law-suits against them." The Trades Maiden Hospital was founded in the year 1704 by the incorporations of Edinburgh, for the maintenance of the daughters of decayed members, on a plan similar to that of the merchants hospital. To this, as well as to the former, one Mrs Mary Erskine, a widow gentlewoman, contributed so liberally, that she was by the governors styled joint foundress of the hospital. Fifty girls are maintained in the house, who pay of entry-money £1. 13s. 4d.; and, when they leave it, receive a bounty of £1. 11s. 1½d. The revenues are estimated at £600l. a-year.

The Orphan Hospital was planned in 1732 by Andrew Gardiner merchant, and other inhabitants. It was promoted by the society for propagating Christian knowledge, by other societies, by voluntary subscriptions, and a collection at the church-doors.—In 1733, the managers hired a house, took in 30 orphans, maintained them, gave them instructions in reading and writing, and taught them the weaving business. In 1735, they were erected into a body corporate by the town of Edinburgh; and, in 1742, they obtained a charter of erection from his late majesty, appointing most of the great officers of state in Scotland, and the heads of the different societies in Edinburgh, members of this corporation; with powers to them to hold real property to the amount of £1000l. a-year. The revenue is considerable; but the institution is supported by the contributions of charitable persons. Into this hospital orphans are received from any part of the kingdom. None are admitted under seven, nor continued in it after fourteen years of age. At present (1790) about 140 orphans are maintained in it.

The orphan hospital is situated to the east of the north bridge; and is a handsome building, consisting of a body and two wings, with a neat spire, furnished with a clock and two bells. The late worthy Mr Howard admits, that this institution is one of the most useful charities in Europe, and is a pattern for all institutions of the kind. The funds have been considerably increased, and the building greatly improved, through the attention and exertions of Mr Thomas Tod the present treasurer.

The Trinity Hospital. This was originally founded and amply endowed by king James II.'s queen. At the Reformation, it was stripped of its revenues; but the regent afterwards bestowed them on the provost of Edinburgh, who gave them to the citizens for the use of the poor. In 1795, the town-council purchased from Robert Pont, at that time provost of Trinity college, his interest in these subjects; and the transaction was afterwards ratified by James VI. The hospital was then repaired, and appointed for the reception of poor old burgesses, their wives, and unmarried children, not under fifty years of age. In the year 1700, this hospital maintained 54 persons; but, since that time, the number has decreased.—The revenue consists in a real estate of lands and houses, the gross rent of which are £762l. a-year; and £500l. lent out in bonds at 4 per cent.

This hospital is situated at the foot of Leith-wynd, and maintains about 50 of both sexes, who are comfortably lodged, each having a room for themselves. They are supplied with roast or boiled meat every day for dinner, have money allowed them for clothes, and likewise a small sum for pocket-money. There is a small library for their amusement, and they have a chaplain to say prayers. There are some out-pensioners who have £1. a-year, but these are discouraged by the governors. The funds are under the management of the town-council.

The Charity Workhouse was erected in 1743 by voluntary contribution. It is a large plain building, on the south side of the city. Here the poor are employed, and are allowed twopence out of every shilling they earn. The expense of this institution is supposed not to be less than £400l. annually; as about 700 persons of both sexes, including children, are maintained here, each of whom cannot be reckoned to cost less than £1. 10s. per annum; and there are besides 300 out-pensioners. The only permanent fund for defraying this expense is a tax of two per cent. on the valued rents of the city, which may bring in about £600l. annually; and there are other funds which yield about £400l. The rest is derived from collections at the church doors and voluntary contributions; but as these always fall short of what is requisite, recourse must frequently be had to extraordinary collections. The sum arising from the rents of the city, however, is constantly increasing; but the members of the College of Justice are exempted from the tax.

There are two other charity workhouses in the suburbs, much on the same plan with that now described: one in the Canongate, and the other in St Cuthbert's or West Kirk parish.

To this account of the charitable establishments in Edinburgh, we shall add that of some others; which, though not calculated to decorate the city by any public building, are perhaps no less deserving of praise than any we have mentioned. The first is that of Captain William Horn; who left £3500l. in trust to the magistrates, the annual profits to be divided on Christmas day to poor out-day labourers, who must at that season of the year be destitute of employment; five pounds to be given to those who have large families, and one half to those who have smaller.

Another charity is that of Robert Johnston, L.L.D., of London, who in 1640 left £3000l. to the poor of this city; £1000l. to be employed in setting them to work, another £1000l. to clothe the boys in Heriot's Hospital, and the third £1000l. to buriers at the university.

About the beginning of this century John Strachan left his estate of Craigcrook, now upwards of £300l. a-year, in trust to the presbytery of Edinburgh, to be by them disposed of in small annual sums to poor old people not under sixty-five years of age, and to orphans not above twelve.

There is besides a society for the support of the indigent poor, another for the indigent sick, and there are also many charity-schools.

Having thus given an account of the most remarkable edifices belonging to Old Edinburgh, we shall now proceed to those of the New Town. This is terminated on the east side by the Calton-hill, round which there is a pleasant walk, and which affords one of the finest prospects that can be imagined, varying... varying remarkably almost at every step. On this hill is a burying-ground, which contains a fine monument to the memory of David Hume the historian.—On the top is an Observatory, the scheme for building which was first adopted in the year 1736; but the disturbance occasioned by the Porteous mob prevented anything from being done towards the execution of it at that time. The Earl of Morton afterwards gave 100l. for the purpose of building an observatory, and appointed Mr M'Laurin professor of mathematics, together with the principal and some professors of the university, trustees for managing the sum. Mr M'Laurin added to the money above mentioned the profits arising from a course of lectures which he read on experimental philosophy; which, with some other small sums, amounted in all to 300l.; but Mr M'Laurin dying, the design was dropped.—Afterwards the money was put into the hands of two persons who became bankrupt; but a considerable dividend being obtained out of their effects, the principal and interest, about the year 1776, amounted to 400l. A plan of the building was made out by Mr Craig architect; and the foundation-stone was laid by Mr Stodart, lord provost of Edinburgh, on the 25th of August 1776. About this time, however, Mr Adam architect happening to come to Edinburgh, conceived the idea of giving the whole the appearance of a fortification, for which its situation on the top of the Calton-hill was very much adapted. Accordingly a line was marked out for inclosing the limits of the observatory with a wall constructed with buttresses and embrasures, and having Gothic towers at the angles. Thus the money designed for the work was totally exhausted, and the observatory still remains unfinished; nor is there any appearance of its being soon completed either by voluntary subscription or any other way.

23. Proceeding to the westward, the first remarkable building is the Theatre, which stands opposite to the Register Office, in the middle of Shakespear Square. The building is plain on the outside, but elegantly fitted up within, and is generally open three days in the week, and when full will draw about 150l. a night; so that the manager generally finds himself well rewarded when he can procure good actors.

Entertainments of the dramatic kind came very early into fashion in this country. They were at first only representations of religious subjects, and peculiarly designed to advance the interests of religion; the clergy being the composers, and Sunday the principal time of exhibition. In the 16th century, the number of playhouses was so great, that it was complained of as a nuisance, not only in Edinburgh, but throughout the kingdom. They soon degenerated from their original institution; and the plays, instead of being calculated to inspire devotion, became filled with all manner of buffoonery and indecency.—After the Reformation, the Presbyterian clergy complained of these indecencies; and being actuated by a spirit of violent zeal, anathematized every kind of theatrical representation whatever. King James VI. compelled them to pass from their censures against the stage; but in the time of Charles I., when fanaticism was carried to the utmost length at which perhaps it was possible for it to arrive, it cannot be supposed that stage plays would be tolerated.—It seems, however, that amusements of this kind were again introduced at Edinburgh about the year 1684, when the Duke of York kept his court there. His residence at Edinburgh drew off one half of the London company, and plays were acted in Edinburgh for some little time. The misfortunes attending the Duke of York, however, and the establishment of the Presbyterian religion (the genius of which is unfavourable to amusements of this kind), soon put a stop to the progress of the stage, and no theatrical exhibition was heard of in Edinburgh till after the year 1715. The first adventurer was Signora Violante, an Italian, remarkable for feats of strength, tumbling, &c. In this way she first exhibited in a house at the foot of Carrubber's Clofe, which has since been employed by different societies for religious purposes. Meeting with good success, she soon invited a company of comedians from London; and these being also well received, Edinburgh continued for some years to be entertained with the performances of a travelling company, who visited it annually. Becoming at last, however, obnoxious to the clergy, they were in 1727 prohibited by the magistrates from acting within their jurisdiction. But this interdict was suspended by the Court of Session, and the players continued to perform as usual.

Still, however, theatrical entertainments were but rare. The town was visited by itinerant companies only once in two or three years. They performed in the Taylor's Hall in the Cowgate; which, when the house was full, would have drawn (at the rate of 2s. 6d. for pit and boxes, and 1s. 6d. for the gallery) 40l. or 45l. a night. About this time an act of parliament was passed, prohibiting the exhibition of plays, except in a house licensed by the king. Of this the presbytery of Edinburgh immediately laid hold; and at their own expense brought an action on the statute against the players. The cause was by the Court of Session decided against the players; who thereupon applied to parliament for a bill to enable his majesty to license a theatre in Edinburgh. Against this bill petitions were presented in 1739 to the house of commons by the magistrates and town-council, the principal and professors of the university, and the dean of guild and his council; in consequence of which, the affair was dropped. All this opposition, however, contributed in reality to the success of the players; for the spirit of party being excited, a way of evading the act was easily found out, and the house was frequented more than usual, inasmuch that Taylor's Hall was found insufficient to contain the number of spectators.

The comedians now fell out among themselves, and a new playhouse was erected in the Canongate in the year 1746. The consequence of this was, that the old one in Taylor's Hall became entirely deserted, and through bad conduct the managers of the new theatre soon found themselves greatly involved. At last, a riot ensuing through dissensions among the performers, the playhouse was totally demolished.—When the extension of the royalty over the spot where the New Town is built was obtained, a clause was likewise added to the bill, enabling his majesty to license a theatre in Edinburgh. This was obtained, and thus the opposition of the clergy for ever silenced. But notwithstanding this, Edinburgh, this, the high price paid by the managers to the patentee, being no less than 500 guineas annually, prevented them effectually from decorating the house as they would otherwise have done, or even from always retaining good actors in their service; by which means the success of the Edinburgh theatre has not been so great as might have been expected.

Not far from this building, an amphitheatre was opened in 1790, on the road to Leith, for equestrian exhibitions, pantomime entertainments, dancing, and tumbling. The circus is 60 feet diameter; and in the forenoon ladies and gentlemen are taught to ride. The house will hold about 1500 people.

24. The Register Office. This work was first suggested by the late Earl of Morton, lord-register of Scotland, with a view to prevent the danger which attended the usual method of keeping the public records. In former times, indeed, these suffered from a variety of accidents. Edward I. carried off or destroyed most of them, in order to prevent any marks of the former independence of the nation from remaining to posterity. Afterwards Cromwell spoiled this nation of its records, most of which were sent to the tower of London. At the time of the Restoration, many of them were sent down again by sea; but one of the vessels was shipwrecked, and the records brought by the other have ever since been left in the greatest confusion.—The Earl of Morton taking this into consideration, obtained from his majesty a grant of 12,000l. out of the forfeited estates, for the purpose of building a register-office, or house for keeping the records, and disposing them in proper order. The foundation was laid on the 27th of June 1774, by Lord Frederic Campbell lord-register, Mr Montgomery of Stanhope lord advocate, and Mr Miller of Barfskimming lord justice-clerk; three of the trustees appointed by his majesty for executing the work. The ceremony was performed under a discharge of artillery, in presence of the judges of the courts of session and exchequer, and in the sight of a multitude of spectators. A brass plate was put into the foundation-stone with the following inscription: Conservandis Tabulis Publicis positum est, anno M.DCC.LXXIV, munificentia optimi et pietissimi principis Georgii Tertii. In a glass vase hermetically sealed, which is also placed in the foundation-stone, are deposited specimens of the different coins of his present majesty.

The front of the building directly faces the bridge, extends from east to west 200 feet, and is 40 feet back from the line of Prince's street. In the middle of the front is a small projection of three windows in breadth. Here is a pediment, having in its centre the arms of Great Britain, and the whole is supported by four Corinthian pilasters. At each end is a tower projecting beyond the rest of the building, having a Venetian window in front, and a cupola on the top. The front is ornamented from end to end with a beautiful Corinthian entablature. In the centre of the building is a dome of wooden work covered with lead. The inside forms a saloon 50 feet diameter and 80 high, lighted at top by a copper window 15 feet in diameter. Round the whole is a hanging gallery of stone, with an iron balustrade, which affords convenience for presides in the walls for keeping the records. The whole number of apartments is 97; all of which are vaulted beneath, and warmed with fire-places. This building, which is the Edinburgh most beautiful of Mr Adams's designs, has been executed in a substantial manner, in about 16 years, at the expense of near 40,000l. and is one of the principal ornaments of the city. A serjeant's guard is placed here from the castle, for the further protection of the records. It is intended to place a statue of his present Majesty in the front of the building, with the lion and unicorn above the centinels boxes. The lord-register has the direction of the whole, and the principal clerks of Session are his deputies. There have a great number of clerks under them for carrying on the business of the Court of Session. The lord-register is a minister of state in this country. He formerly collected the votes of the parliament of Scotland, and still collects those of the peers at the election of 16 to represent them in parliament.

25. On the east side of St Andrew's Square stands the General Exchequer Office, built by the late Sir Laurence Dundas for his own residence, but sold by his son for the above purpose. It is a very handsome building, with a pediment in front ornamented with the king's arms, and supported by four Corinthian pilasters; and, in conjunction with the two corner houses, has a fine effect.

26. St Andrew's Church stands on the north side of George's Street. It is of an oval form; and has a very neat spire of 186 feet in height, with a chime of eight bells, the first and only one of the kind in Scotland. It has also a handsome portico in front.

27. Opposite to St Andrew's church is the Physicians Hall, designed for the meetings of the faculty, and which has a portico resembling that of the church.

28. Farther to the westward, on the south side, stand the Assembly-rooms, which though a heavy looking building on the outside, are nevertheless extremely elegant and commodious within. The largest is 100 feet long and 40 broad, being exceeded in its dimensions by none in the island, the large one at Bath excepted. Weekly assemblies are held here for dancing and card-playing, under the direction of a master of ceremonies; admission-tickets five shillings each.

It now remains only to speak something of the religious and civil establishments of this metropolis. The highest of the former is the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, who meet here annually in the month of May, in an aisle of the church of St Giles fitted up on purpose for them. The throne is filled by a commissioner from his majesty, but he neither debates nor votes. He calls them together, and dissolves them at the appointed time in the name of the king; but they call and dissolve themselves in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. This assembly consists of 350 members chosen out of the various presbyteries throughout the kingdom; and the debates are often very interesting and eloquent. This is the supreme ecclesiastical court in Scotland, to which appeals lie from the inferior ones.

The ecclesiastical court next in dignity to the assembly is the Synod of Lothian and Tweeddale, who meet in the same place in April and November; and next to them is the Presbytery of Edinburgh. These meet on the last Wednesday of every month, and are trustees on the fund for ministers widows. They have Edinburgh—a hall in Scott's close, where there is a good picture of Dr Webster by Martin, which was put up at the expense of the trustees, out of gratitude for the trouble he took in planning and fully establishing the fund.

The Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, was established a body corporate by queen Anne in the year 1709, for the purpose of erecting schools to instruct poor children in the principles of Christianity, as well as in reading and writing. The society have a hall in Wariston's close where their business is transacted. From time to time they have received large contributions, which have always been very properly applied; and for much the same purpose his majesty gives 100l. annually to the general assembly of the church of Scotland, which is employed by a committee of their number for instructing the poor Highlanders in the principles of the Christian religion.

The Earle church at Edinburgh was built about 20 years ago by subscription for the same laudable purpose. Great numbers of people resort to the metropolis from the Highlands, who understand no other language but their own, and consequently have no opportunity of instruction without it; and a most remarkable proof of the benefit they have received from it is, that though the church is capable of holding 1000 people, yet it is not large enough for those who apply for seats. The minister has 100l. per annum arising from the seat-rents, and holds communion with the church of Scotland. The establishment was promoted by William Dickson dyer in Edinburgh.

With regard to the political constitution of Edinburgh, the town-council have the direction of all public affairs. The ordinary council consists only of 25 persons; but the council ordinary and extraordinary, of 33. The whole is composed of merchants and tradesmen, whose respective powers and interests are so interwoven, that a balance is preserved between the two bodies. The members of the town-council are partly elected by the members of the 14 incorporations, and they partly choose their own successors. The election is made in the following manner: First a list or leet of five persons is made out by each incorporation; from which number, the deacon belonging to that incorporation must be chosen. These lists are then laid before the ordinary council of 25, who "shorten the leets," by expunging one half of the names from each; and from the three remaining ones the deacon is to be chosen. When this election is over, the new deacons are presented to the ordinary council, who choose six of them to be members of their body, and the six deacons of last year then walk off. The council of 25 next proceed to the election of three merchant and two trades counsellors. The members of council, who now amount to 33 in number, then make out leets, from which the lord provost, dean of guild, treasurer, and bailies must be chosen. The candidates for each of these offices are three in number; and the election is made by the 30 members of council already mentioned, joined to the eight extraordinary council-deacons.

The lord provost of Edinburgh, who is styled right honourable, is high sheriff, coroner, and admiral, within the city and liberties, and the town, harbour, and road of Leith. He has also a jurisdiction in matters of life and death. He is preses of the convention of royal Edinburgh, boroughs, colonel of the trained bands, commander of the city-guard and of Edinburgh jail. In the city he has the precedence of all the great officers of state and of the nobility; walking on the right hand of the king or of his majesty's commissioner; and has the privilege of having a sword and mace carried before him. Under him are four magistrates called bailies, whose office is much the same with that of aldermen in London. There is also a dean of guild, who has the charge of the public buildings, and without whose warrant no house nor building can be erected within the city. He has a council to consult with, a nominal treasurer, who formerly had the keeping of the town's money, which is now given to the chamberlain. These seven are elected annually; who with the seven of the former year, three merchants and two trades counsellors, and 14 deacons or preses of incorporated trades, making in all 33, form the council of the city, and have the sole management and disposal of the city revenues; by which means they have the disposal of places to the amount of 20,000l. annually. Formerly the provost was also an officer in the Scots parliament. The magistrates are sheriffs-depute and justices of the peace; and the town council are also patrons of all the churches in Edinburgh, patrons of the university, and electors of the city's representative in parliament. They have besides a very ample jurisdiction both civil and criminal. They are superiors of the Canongate, Portsburgh, and Leith; and appoint over these certain of their own number, who are called baron bailies: but the person who presides over Leith has the title of admiral; because he hath there a jurisdiction over maritime affairs. The baron bailies appoint one or two of the inhabitants of their respective districts to be their substitutes, and these are called resident bailies. They hold courts in absence of the baron-bailies, for petty offences, and discussing civil causes of little moment.

No city in the world affords greater security to the inhabitants in their persons and properties than Edinburgh. Robberies are here very rare, and a street-murder hardly known in the memory of man; so that a person may walk the streets at any hour of the night in perfect security. This is in a great measure owing to the town-guard. This institution originated from the consternation into which the citizens were thrown after the battle at Flodden. At that time, the town-council commanded the inhabitant to assemble in defence of the city, and every fourth man to be on duty each night. This introduced a kind of personal duty for the defence of the town, called watching and warding; by which the trading part of the inhabitants were obliged in person to watch alternately, in order to prevent or suppress occasional disturbances. This, however, becoming in time extremely inconvenient, the town-council, in 1648, appointed a body of 60 men to be raised; the captain of which was to have a monthly pay of 1l. 2s. 3d., two lieutenants of 2l. each, two sergeants of 1l. 5s. and the private men of 15s. each. No regular fund was established for defraying this expense; the consequence of which was, that the old method of watching and warding was resumed; but the people on whom this service devolved were now become so relaxed in their discipline, that the magistrates were threatened with having the king's troops troops quartered in the city if they did not appoint a sufficient guard. On this 40 men were raised in 1679, and in 1682 the number was increased to 108. After the revolution, the town-council complained of the guard as a grievance, and requested parliament that it might be removed. Their request was immediately granted, and the old method of watching and warding was renewed. This, however, was now so intolerable, that the very next year they applied to parliament for leave to raise 126 men for the defence of the city, and to tax the citizens for their payment. This being granted, the corps was raised which still continues under the name of the town-guard. At present the establishment consists of three officers and about 90 men, who mount guard by turns. The officers have a lieutenant's pay; the sergeants, corporals, drummers, and common soldiers, the same with those of the army. Their arms are the same with those of the king's forces; but when called upon to quell mobs, they use Lochaber-axes, a part of the ancient Scottish armour now in use only among themselves.

The militia or trained band of the city consist of 16 companies of 100 men each. They were in use to turn out every king's birth-day; but only the officers now remain, who are chosen annually. They consist of 16 captains and as many lieutenants; the provost, as has already been mentioned, being the colonel.

The town-guard are paid chiefly by a tax on the trading people; these being the only persons formerly subject to watching and warding. This tax, however, amounts only to £250l. and as the expense of the guard amounts to £400l., the magistrates are obliged to defray the additional charge by other means.

The number of inhabitants in the city of Edinburgh is somewhat uncertain, and has been very variously calculated. By a survey made in the year 1775, it appears that the number of families in the city, Canongate, and other suburbs, and the town of Leith, amounted to 13,806. The difficulty therefore is to fix the number of persons in a family. Dr Price fixes this number at 4½; Mr Maitland, at 5½; and Mr Arnot, at 6: so that, according to this last gentleman, the whole number of inhabitants is 82,836; to which he thinks 1,400 more may be added for those in the garrison, hospitals, &c. There are in Edinburgh 14 incorporations, capable of choosing their own deacons, viz. The royal college of surgeons; the corporations of goldsmiths, skinners, furriers, hammermen, wrights and masons, taylors, bakers, butchers, shoemakers, weavers, waukers, bonnet-makers, and merchant-company. The revenue of the city, arising partly from duties of different kinds, and partly from landed property, is estimated at about £10,000l. per annum.

The markets of Edinburgh are plentifully supplied with all sorts of provisions. Fresh butcher-meat, as well as fowl and fish, if the weather permit, may be had every day; and no city can be better supplied with garden stuffs. The Edinburgh strawberries particularly are remarkably large and fine. A remarkable instance of the plenty of provisions with which Edinburgh is supplied was observed in the year 1779, when several large fleets, all of them in want of necessaries, arrived in the Forth, to the amount of about 500 sail, and having on board at least 20,000 Edinburgh men; yet the increased consumption of provisions, which certainly ensued upon the arrival of so many strangers, made not the least increase in the rate of the markets, infomuch that several victualling ships sent down by the navy-board returned without opening their hatches. The city-mills are let to the corporation of bakers in Edinburgh; and the bread made in the city is remarkable for its goodness.

Edinburgh is supplied with water brought for some miles in pipes, and lodged in two reservoirs, from whence it is distributed through the city both to public wells and private families. A revenue accrues to the town from the latter, which must undoubtedly increase in proportion as the city extends in magnitude.

There are but few merchants in Edinburgh, most of them residing at the port of Leith; so that the support of the city depends on the consumption of the necessaries as well as the superfluities of life. There are five different sorts of people on whom the shopkeepers, publicans, and different trades depend: 1. The people of the law, who are a very respectable body in the city. 2. The number of young people of both sexes who come to town for their education, many of the parents of whom come along with them. 3. The country gentlemen, gentlemen of the army and navy, and people who have made their fortunes abroad, &c., all of whom come to attend the public diversions, or to spend their time in such a manner as is most agreeable to them. 4. The vast concourse of travellers from all parts. 5. Most of the money drawn for the rents of country gentlemen is circulated among the bankers or other agents.

At Edinburgh there are excellent manufactures of linen and cambrics; there are also manufactures of paper in the neighbourhood, and printing is carried on very extensively. But for some time the capital branch about Edinburgh has been building: which has gone on, and still continues to do so, with such rapidity, that the city has been increased exceedingly in its extent; and it is not uncommon to see a house built in a few months, and even inhabited before the roof is quite finished.