ments in the inner side of the semicircle, of which there are thirteen in each floor, are allotted for labour. They have a grate in front, and look into an inner court. Opposite to these, in the straight side of the building, is a dark apartment, with narrow windows, from which, without being seen, the governor has a view of the persons at work. The bed-chambers are lighted by a long narrow window in each, and their furniture consists of a bed and a Bible.

This building was finished in 1796, and opened for the reception of culprits of both sexes. The expence of its erection was defrayed by an assesment on the inhabitants of the city and county aided by a grant of 5000l. from government..

WEIGH-HOUSE

The city weigh-house stands at the upper end of the lane called the West-bow, nearly in the middle of the street. At what time the present building was erected is not known; but the ground on which it is situated waz granted to the citizens by king David II. in the year 1952. This edifice, which is much decayed, is a great incumbrance to the street, neither the architecture, which is of the meanest kind, nor the purposes

to which the building is applied, suiting the place. where it stands. The weigh-house is under the direction of the magistrates, and standard weights. are kept here for weighing any kind of goods required by the inhabitants. This institution draws to the city an annual revenue of about 1701. Sterling.

EXCHANGE.

This building stands on the north side of the High Street, opposite to the site of the ancient market-cross. The ancient Exchange, which' stood in the Parliament Square, but which has been long removed, was built in 1685. It was in the middle of a handsome paved court, and had a range of piazzas for the merchants to meet in to transact their business. But, attached to the former place of their meeting at the Cross, this convenience was never used by the mer-'. chants. The present Exchange was the first of the plan of improvements which have raised Edinburgh in elegance superior to most other cities. It was founded in the year 1753; and on this occasion, there was a grand procession, and the greatest concourse of people assembled that had ever been known before in the metropolis. ♣

triumphal arch was erected, through which the procession passed, and medals were scatteredamong the populace. The whole was completed in 1761, at an expence of 31,000l. Sterling.

The Exchange is an elegant building, of a square form, with a court in the centre. The principal part of the edifice forms the north side of the square, and extends from east to west 111 feet over wall, by 51 broad. Pillars and arches support a platform, on which is a pediment with the town's arms. To the south the building is 60 feet high; but the northern part, owing to the declivity of the ground, rises 100 feet. The extreme dimensions of the whole building amount to 182 feet south and north, by 111 feet east and west upon the north front; but upon the south front 147 feet. The apartments in the back part of the building are occupied by the barons of his majesty's Exchequer; the rest is laid out in shops and houses. Notwithstanding the convenience of the square of the Exchange. for merchants to meet in, and its vicinity to the Cross, they still prefer standing in the open street,

POLICE.

The police of Edinburgh is well conducted, and in perhaps no city in the world are the inhabitants better protected in their persons and properties than in the Scottish metropolis. Robbery is here rare, and street murder almost unknown. This is in a great measure owing to that useful establishnient called the Town Guard. This guard originated from the apprehensions of the citizens of an attack from the English after the unfortunate battle of Flowden, where James IV. with most of the Scottish nobility fell. At that time the town-council, with an intrepidity which did them honour, commanded the inhabitants to assemble in defence of the city, and ordered 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 to watch alternately, in order to suppress occasional disturbances. This, however, becoming in time extremely inconvenient," the town-council, in 1648 appointed a body of sixty men to be raised; the captain of which was to have a monthly pay of 111. 2s. 3d, two lieute

pants of 21. each, two serjeants of 11. 5s, and the private men of 158. each. No regular fund was established for defraying the expenee, 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 quartered in the city, if they did not appoint a sufficient guard. To prevent this measure from being resorted to, forty men were raised in 1679, and in 1682 the number were increased to 108. After the Revolution, the towncouncil complained of the guard as a grievance, and requested parliament that it might be removed. Their request was immediately complied with, 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 one hundred and twenty-six men for the defence of the city, and to tax the citizens for their payment. This being likewise granted, the corps was raised

which still continues under the name of the townguard. At present the establishment consists only of an officer and thirty men, as a guard to the provost; the remainder being lately disbanded, to make way for a new system of Police, to