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DESCRIPTION OF EDINBURGH.

EDINBURGH, the chief place in Scotland, is situated in the north part of the county of Mid Lothian, or Edinburgh, about two miles to the South of the Frith of Forth. Its extent from E. to W. is about two miles, and from N. to S. nearly the same; its circumference is about eight miles, and it contains about 140,000 inhabitants. It is situated in 55° 58' N. latitude, and 3° 12′ W. longitude.

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The city occupies three hills, running from E. to W.; central one, on which the Old Town is built, being terminated at the west end by a lofty rock on which stands the Castle. It is surrounded by hills, except on the north side, where the ground falls towards the Frith. To the east are Arthur's Seat, the Salisbury Crags, and the Calton Hills; to the south the Hills of Braid, and the Pentland Hills; and to the west Corstorphine Hill.

Edinburgh is divided into three distinct portions, which are each of moderate extent, and are as totally dissimilar as if they had been built by different nations; the Old Town, the New Town, and the Southern district.

The principal street in the OLD TOWN is upwards of 5500 feet in length, extending, under the different names of Castle Hill, Lawn Market, High Street, and Canongate, from the Castle on the west to Holyrood Palace on the east side of the town. Its houses are very lofty, and have a commanding

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appearance. From each side descend numerous narrow lanes called Closes, only adapted to foot passengers, and Wynds which are capable of admitting a carriage.

In the valley to the south, parallel with the principal street, runs the Cowgate, a street varying from 12 to 20 feet in breadth.

The principal object in the Old Town is the Castle, in front of which is a vacant space about 300 feet square. To the east of this spot, a narrow lane called West Bow descends to the Grass Market, an oblong square in which the city markets for corn, horses, and cattle, are held. From the west end of the Grass Market runs a street called Wester Portsburgh, beyond which are several ranges of modern houses terminating this part of Edinburgh.

Returning by the West Bow, we enter the Lawn Market, in the centre of which formerly stood the Weigh House. On the north side of the Lawn Market, is the entrance to the Farthen Mound, which unites the west part of the New Town with the Old. Between the Mound and the Lawn Market, at the end of Bank Street, stands the Bank of Scotland. At the north end of the Mound, facing Hanover Street, is the Royal Society's House.

Again entering the High Street, we perceive the County Hall, the Advocates' Library, and the Cathedral of St. Giles. The latter forms the north side of the Parliament Close, so called from the contiguous buildings, in which the Scottish Parliament formerly met. These are now occupied by the Courts of Law.

Opposite the Cathedral is situated the Exchange, nearly in front of which formerly stood the Market Cross. Here public proclamations are still made, and the site of the Cross is denoted by the peculiar disposition of the pavement.

Further on, where the High Street is crossed by the North and South Bridge Streets, is the Tron Church, behind which is Hunter's Square. The High Street then becomes much narrower, and we enter the Canongate, into which run two handsome modern streets, New Street on the north, and St. John's Street on the south. On the north side of the Canongate are the Town House and Prison of this suburb, and the Canongate Church. At the end of the street is the Palace of Holyrood, forming the termination of this quarter of the city. The Canongate was formerly adorned with two crosses, and their site is designated by stars in the pavement. One was called St. John's Cross, and the other, where the Marquis of Montrose was killed, the Girth Cross, as it denoted the boundary of Holyrood Sanctuary.

Returning from Holyrood Palace along the Canongate, and High Street, and passing down South Bridge Street, we shall arrive at the SOUTHERN DISTRICT, which consists partly of ancient and partly of modern buildings. To the east of South Bridge Street stand the Royal Infirmary, the High School, Surgeon's Hall, and Lady Yester's Church, and to the west appears the College, or University, along the north side of which runs a street to Argyle Square and Brown Square, both of recent erection.

The continuation of South Bridge Street is called Nicholson Street, near the end of which, on the west side, is Dr. Jamieson's Chapel, and beyond it St. Patrick's Square. On each side of this line are several modern streets, and to the east is the ancient suburb called the Pleasance, bounded by the Salisbury Crags.

To the west of St. Patrick's Square is St. George's Square, a handsome range of buildings 570 feet by 500, contiguous

to which is a public promenade called the Meadows or Hope Park. To the west of the central Meadows Walk stands Watson's Hospital, as well as the Merchant Maiden Hospital; and to the north of these, at a very short distance from each other, are Heriot's Hospital, the Poor House for Adults, and the Greyfriars' Churches.

To the S.W. of the Meadows are Burntsfield's Links; still further, Gillespie's Hospital, and beyond that, the basin of the Union Canal, terminating the city in this direction.

The NEW TOWN, or NORTHERN DISTRICT, is entirely modern, not having been commenced till 1767. It is by far the most elegant part of the city, and is laid out on a regular plan. The principal division of it is a parallelogram measuring 3900 feet by 1090, traversed longitudinally by Princes Street, George Street, and Queen Street, which are intersected at equal distances by Castle Street, Frederick Street, and Hanover Street. This parallelogram is terminated at the west end by Charlotte Square, and at the east end by St. Andrew's Square; and forms unquestionably one of the finest ranges of building in the world.

George Street, which is the centre, is upwards of 100 feet in breadth, and divides the parallelogram into two equal parts.

Princes Street, which forms the south boundary, overlooks the North Loch and the Old Town; while Queen Street, forming the north boundary, commands a view of the gardens descending towards Heriot Row.

The principal buildings in this district may be visited in the following order. Commencing at St. Cuthbert's Church, situated, together with St. John's Chapel, near the west extremity of Princes Street, we pass up Hope Street into Char

lotte Square, on the west side of which stands St. George's Church. Entering George Street, we perceive on the south side the Assembly Rooms and the Physicians' Hall, and, opposite the latter, St. Andrew's Church. At the end of George Street is St. Andrew's Square, having in the centre Lord Melville's Monument, and, on the east side, the Royal Bank, the elegant building, formerly the Excise Office, the British Linen Company's Bank, and the National Bank of Scotland.

Leaving St. Andrew's Square and entering Princes Street, we see on the left the Register Office, and, opposite to it, the Theatre. Proceeding to the east, we pass by the Stamp Office and the Post Office, both in Waterloo Place, Hume's Monument, close to the Post Office, the Calton Convening Room, on the north side of the street, the Felons' Jail or New Prison, the Bridewell, the Debtors' Jail, the New High School on the north side of the road, and, nearly opposite to it, Burns' Monument, which is the last object of interest in this direction.

On the Calton Hill, opposite the Bridewell, stands Nelson's Monument and the Observatory; and between these is the Parthenon or National Monument of Scotland.

To the north of the Calton Hill, and west of the Leith road, are several modern streets and Trinity Square.

Returning along Waterloo Place, and turning up East Register Street, we enter St. James's Square, near which is the Cirlus or Caledonian Theatre, and contiguous to it a Roman Catholic Chapel.

We may now visit that part of the town which lies to the north of the parallelogram before described. The first object which strikes the eye is St. Paul's Chapel at the corner of York Place, which is a continuation of Queen Street. We then pass up Broughton Street, in which is an Independent